FOOTBALL. APRIL 15, 2023 / VIDEOS COURTECU USC MEDIA
Black Outlasts Garnet in Double Overtime, 19-17
Box Score
D.J. Twitty’s 3-yard plunge up the middle in the second overtime lifted the Black team to a 19-17 win over Garnet in front of a record crowd estimated at 51,000 in South Carolina’s annual spring game held Saturday night at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia.
Twitty’s score allowed the Black team to withstand a furious Garnet fourth quarter comeback. Trailing 17-0 late in the first half and still behind by a 17-3 score in the final stanza, Garnet rallied on a Dante Miller 6-yard run and a Colin Bryant 45-yard interception return, sending the game into overtime.
Both teams failed on pass attempts from the 3-yard line in the first overtime period, and Black stopped Garnet quarterback LaNorris Sellers just inches away from the goal line to begin the second OT, setting up Twitty’s heroics.
The Black team drew first blood on the first series of the game. Spencer Rattler quarterbacked the nine-play, 75-yard scoring drive that culminated in a three-yard touchdown pass to tight end Trey Knox. The key play on the drive was a 55-yard connection from Rattler to All-SEC wide receiver Antwane Wells Jr. on a 3rd-and-12 from the 23-yard line. Rattler completed 5-of-7 passes for 68 yards on the scoring drive.
After a number of empty possessions for both squads, Rattler led Black on another scoring drive in the second period. The 14-play drive stalled out on the Garnet’s 21-yard line, but Alex Herrera booted a 39-yard field goal, giving Black a 10-0 advantage.
Rattler finished the game 12-of-20 for 120 yards.
The Black team extended its lead to 17-0 late in the second quarter when redshirt freshman quarterback Tanner Bailey found a wide open Wells Jr. for a 34-yard scoring strike. Wells caught two passes on the night for 89 yards and a score, his first receiving touchdown in Williams-Brice Stadium.
The Garnet team, led by quarterback Luke Doty, finally got on the board late in the first half. Garnet took advantage of a fumble recovery with under a minute remaining until intermission, and cashed in on a 23-yard field goal from Mitch Jeter as the half ended.
Neither team was able to score again until Miller rambled into the end zone early in the fourth quarter. That score was set up by a 50-yard pass completion from true freshman quarterback LaNorris Sellers to D.J. Black on a 4th-and 4. Bradley Dunn added 35 yards rushing on the 97-yard scoring drive.
Bryant stepped in front of a Braden Davis pass on Black’s next possession and went 45 yards untouched to knot the score at 17, sending the game into overtime.
Scoring Plays:
1st quarter: 8:38 – Black: Trey Knox 3-yard pass from Spencer Rattler (Alex Herrera kick)
2nd quarter: 6:46 – Black: Herrera 40-yard field goal
2nd quarter: 1:11 – Black: Antwane Wells Jr. 34-yard pass from Tanner Bailey (Daniel Lester kick)
2nd quarter: 0:00 – Garnet: Mitch Jeter 23-yard field goal
4th quarter: 8:44 – Garnet: Dante Miller 6-yard run (Jeter kick)
4th quarter: 5:09 – Garnet: Colin Bryant 45-yard interception return (Jeter kick)
Overtime: Black: D.J. Twitty 3-yard run
2023 SOUTH CAROLINA SPRING GAME AWARDS
Joe Morrison Offensive Player of the Spring: Spencer Rattler
Rex Enright Defensive Player of the Spring: T.J. Sanders
Jim Carlen Special Teams Player of the Spring: DQ Smith and Juju McDowell
The President’s Outstanding Student-Athlete Award: Tyreek Johnson and Kai Kroeger
Harold White GPA Award:
Offense: Colten Gauthier
Defense: Joseph Byrnes
Special Teams: William Joyce
Most Improved Award:
Offense: Dakereon Joyner and O’Mega Blake
Defense: O’Donnell Fortune
Special Teams: Bradley Dunn
Gamecock Toughness Award:
Offense: Nick Gargiulo and Josh Simon
Defense: Tyreek Johnson
South Carolina Spirit Award:
Offense: Juju McDowell
Defense: Alex Huntley and T.J. Sanders
