Gamecocks Live

Updates from September, 2009

• 

  An upset?

  semerson 11:11 pm on September 24, 2009 | 8 Permalink | Reply
  

  We all thought Mississippi was ranked too high at No. 4. Well that won’t be a problem next week.

  South Carolina knocks off the Rebels, 16-10, to earn his first-ever win over a top 5 opponent at Williams-Brice Stadium.

  The Gamecocks can credit a stout defense, and an offense that once again managed the game. It’s a formula that worked the early part of 2007, and is doing so once again here.

  You have to think the Gamecocks will get some consideration for the rankings next week.

  And without seeing a final statsheet, we do know they dominated the Rebels, except for the final 10 minutes of the game. It probably could have been a larger deficit.

  But I’m sure the Gamecocks aren’t complaining.

   

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• 

  The defense holds, the stands shake

  semerson 11:08 pm on September 24, 2009 | 2 Permalink | Reply
  

  South Carolina’s defense held firm. The stadium shook. Seriously, it shook.

  And USC has its biggest win in years.

  USC’s defense just stopped Ole Miss on fourth-and-19 — a couple defenders getting hands on a long pass, which the Ole Miss receiver then got a hand on but also dropped.

  USC’s bench went wild. And a grateful fan base at Williams-Brice Stadium is as excited as I’ve ever seen them.

  Their team is about to knock off the No. 4 team in the country.

  Here’s how it went down on the Rebels’ final drive:

  As the drive started, McCluster got 15 yards on first down. (Why exactly did he only got one touch in the first half?)

  After USC stuffed McCluster on second down, Ole Miss tried a receiver screen and got the first down.

  Then came the two big plays.

  Ole Miss tried the double reverse, with McCluster getting the ball. It looked like the call was for a throw, as a receiver went downfield — but a USC defender didn’t buy it and stuck with him.

  That forced McCluster to tuck and run, and Darian Stewart leveled him at the 35.

  On third down, Matthews came around from behind and decked Snead for a short sack.

  Ole Miss called timeout.

  You could literally feel the press box shaking, the crowd was so amped.

   
• 

  Another three-and-out

  semerson 10:58 pm on September 24, 2009 | 3 Permalink | Reply
  

  The game is back in the hands of the South Carolina defense, and things are very much in the balance.

  A fifth straight three-and-out has come from the Gamecock offense, with defensive end Greg Hardy – quiet up till now – getting a third down sack.

  Spencer Lanning’s punt was wobbly, but it got a good bounce and rolled down to the Ole Miss 39.

  Something I found interesting: Ole Miss called for a punt return, rather than making any attempt for a block despite Lanning having to punt out of his end zone.

  Mississippi now takes over with 4:03 left. Let’s see whether they keep trying the run to set up the pass, and whether USC is still able to adjust. Houston Nutt vs. Ellis Johnson right here. (Well the players play too).

   
• 

  Big stop for USC

  semerson 10:52 pm on September 24, 2009 | 0 Permalink | Reply
  

  The South Carolina defense did what it needed to there.

  Mississippi, facing third-and-short, looked to have a good call on a misdirection pitch-out. But the right side of USC’s defense held firm, and with just one Rebel blocker in the open field, the play was snuffed out just under a yard short of the first down.

  Houston Nutt elected to punt rather than go for it from his own 44.

  Now it’s back up to the South Carolina offense, which has had four straight three-and-outs. There’s six-and-a-half minutes left as it takes over on its own 19.

  Obviously the game isn’t over if USC has to punt quickly yet again. The Gamecock defense may have figured things out, what with the Rebels just running the ball around the edges. But you don’t want to take that risk.

   
• 

  Well, well, and uh-oh

  semerson 10:43 pm on September 24, 2009 | 1 Permalink | Reply
  

  It was early in the game that I predicted Ole Miss would use its run to set up the big pass play.

  Well, I was only three quarters late.

  Mississippi finally has a touchdown, and with 9:47 left it’s a game again. USC’s lead is down to 16-10, and there’s a murmur of worry in the previously-confident Williams-Brice Stadium.

  USC’s offense has three straight three-and-outs, so 9:47 is a LOT of time.

  Ole Miss, which had struggled on offense all game, finally got it going by running the ball around the edges. Then it sprung the big pass, with receiver Markeith Summers slipping into the secondary. He was wide open when Jevan Snead hit him, and he easily got into the end zone.

  The Gamecock defense had moved up in the box to counter all the rushes, leaving Summers the room to get there. It was probably Snead’s first real good throw of the night. He picked the right time.

  Since it’s now a six-point game, USC’s decision to not go for a two-point conversion could loom big. I wondered briefly at the time about it, but with the Mississippi offense performing so badly, I quickly forgot about it. Plus there was 6:57 left in the third quarter.

   
• 

  This and that

  semerson 10:28 pm on September 24, 2009 | 0 Permalink | Reply
  

  As the third quarter ends, some quick observations:

  - Ole Miss is getting really frustrated. Jevan Snead yelled at his linemen after a couple false starts, and receiver Shay Hodge really got on an official when he wanted a pass interference penalty.

  You can sort of understand the feeling. These guys have been hearing since late LAST season how good they are, and they’re just being manhandled by the South Carolina defense tonight.

  - Steve Spurrier and Stephen Garcia seem content to play conservative, and I don’t blame them considering Ole Miss’ struggles. The Gamecocks have gone three-and-out the past two drives, but they ran clock with all the runs.

  - We haven’t seen Jarvis Giles. We have conflicting reports on whether he’s available or not.

  - Lorenzo Ward has been quite vocal on the sideline. I hope he’s OK.

   
• 

  What happened to the Ole Miss offense?

  semerson 10:11 pm on September 24, 2009 | 4 Permalink | Reply
  

  Are we watching Houston Nutt and the Mississippi offense evaporate right before our eyes?

  Nutt just went for it on fourth-and-long from the USC 39 – and didn’t get it, even after calling timeout.

  The play, a pass to the right, had little promise. And it was a badly thrown ball by Jevan Snead, who by the way looks less than ordinary.

  The Rebels’ play-calling has been suspect all night. Look, this isn’t about NOT giving credit to the South Carolina defense. It’s looked as good as it did at N.C. State, with Eric Norwood and Cliff Matthews once again making the big plays.

  The Gamecock secondary, as young as it is, has grown up a lot tonight and isn’t giving Snead any open room. And the USC defensive line isn’t giving Snead much time.

  But there has been no adjustment from Nutt, and no imagination in the play-calling. And Dexter McCluster continues to be a non-factor.

   
• 

  A long-awaited touchdown

  semerson 10:04 pm on September 24, 2009 | 1 Permalink | Reply
  

  Well, there you go.

  South Carolina FINALLY punches in a touchdown, and it now has a 16-3 lead on the fourth-ranked team in the country.

  Patrick DiMarco catches the 2-yard pass from Stephen Garcia, and the crowd here at the W-B is mighty pumped. The lower bowl on the north end, mostly the students, is bouncing in impressive fashion.

  There’s still 6:57 left in the third quarter here. But unless the Ole Miss offense finds its way, USC is on the brink of its biggest win in some times.

  The first touchdown drive of the game was set up by the fumble recovery. But twice the Gamecocks converted on third down. There was the touchdown, then a 15-yard completion to Barnes on third-and-10.

  Garcia fired it in there, by the way. Then he showed his feet on the next play, scrambling down to the 2 and drawing a big ovation from the crowd. Hey, that’s what happens when you finally use your legs.

   
• 

  Matthews comes up big

  semerson 9:57 pm on September 24, 2009 | 0 Permalink | Reply
  

  Another big play, another opportunity for South Carolina.

  USC gets to Jevan Snead and forces a fumble, which it recovers at the Mississippi 25.

  Cliff Matthews got credit for the sack and the caused fumble, although it looked like Shaq Wilson, the second man there, may have helped jar the ball loose.

  We haven’t called Matthews’ name that much since his huge season opener at N.C. State, so this has been in the works for awhile.

  Well maybe at this point the Gamecocks don’t need touchdowns.

  If the Mississippi offense continues to struggle this much — to be fair, with the thanks of the USC defense – then there won’t be much more scoring.

  That said, South Carolina would help itself a ton by finally punching one in. As we write this, the game still has 24 minutes left, a lot of time for a potentially explosive offense like Ole Miss.

  Potentially explosive. We haven’t seen any sign of it yet.

   
• 

  A wow, then another field goal

  semerson 9:51 pm on September 24, 2009 | 0 Permalink | Reply
  

  South Carolina continues to look much better and gain more yards than Ole Miss — yet it’s still one score away from being down.

  USC just settled for a third chip-shot field goal from Spencer Lanning, and now leads 9-3. It was set up by a spectacular, 69-yard Moe Brown catch-and-run, which ended with the senior being tackled at the Ole Miss 9
  Brown caught the pass up the middle, then broke into the open field. A couple defenders caught up with it, the second one finally bringing him down.

  It was both the longest catch of Brown’s career and the longest completion of Garcia’s.

  But USC only went backwards on the next three plays. Once again, you wonder whether that’ll come back to bite the Gamecocks.

  It won’t if the defense keeps coming up big, as it did on Mississippi’s first possession.

  After one first down, it held firm, getting a coverage sack to end the drive. Eric Norwood got credit for the sack, although it looked like it could’ve gone to any number of players.

  Maybe Norwood got it because he celebrated the most, or just because hey, he’s Eric Norwood. He now has 28 career sacks, tying him for eighth all-time in the SEC.

  By the way, USC now has to play without defensive tackle Travian Robertson, who is out with a sprained right knee.