Gamecocks fall to Arkansas in SEC opener
Sept. 10, 2022
Gamecocks lose more than the game as seemingly every few minutes, a Gamecocks defender found himself down on the grass, circled by athletic trainers and coaches, grimacing in pain. The Gamecocks already knew they’d be short-handed defensively at No. 16 Arkansas. But in Saturday’s Southeastern Conference opener, Razorback Stadium felt more like a battlefield than a football field.
QB K.J. Jefferson and tailback Raheim Sanders, (2-0, 1-0 SEC) torched Gamecocks' (1-1, 0-1) banged-up defense, putting up 300 yards on the ground en route to a 44-30 win.
The Gamecocks came into the game without veteran defensive back R.J. Roderick who injured his right arm in Week 1’s win over Georgia State. Fellow defensive back David Spaulding also didn’t travel due to an unspecified injury. Both losses were significant, but they’d only continue to mount throughout the game. At various points of the contest, Gamecock defensive lineman Alex Huntley and Jordan Strachan, linebacker Mo Kaba and defensive backs Darius Rush and Cam Smith all suffered injuries. Smith one of the Gamecocks' top NFL prospects struggled to walk to the locker room with a towel over his head just before halftime, according to the ESPN broadcast.
Gamecock's defensive injuries only opened more holes. Sanders ran for 156 yards and two touchdowns on 24 attempts, while Jefferson added 67 yards on 19 carries and a rushing touchdown as part of a vicious running attack. The quarterback added 182 passing yards and a touchdown throw on 18-of-21 passing.
Even with a hobbled defense and a near-unstoppable Arkansas running attack, the Gamecocks had moments where they seemed on the verge of a comeback. In one of Arkansas’ few mistakes, receiver Matt Landers dropped a wide-open deep shot in the first drive of the second half, forcing the Hogs to punt and giving quarterback Spencer Rattler and the Gamecocks' offense a moment of momentum.
But the Gamecocks couldn’t find the right formula on the offensive end, going 3-and-out on the subsequent drive as the Razorbacks wrestled back control of the game. A fourth-quarter fumble by running back MarShawn Lloyd on a short pass and an interception by Rattler in the end zone helped fuel the Arkansas attack.
Rattler finished the game with 361 passing yards and one touchdown, completing 60% of his passes (23-for-38) in an uneven effort. The emergence of Wells at receiver was one of the few offensive bright spots for the Gamecocks. The junior transfer from James Madison made eight catches for a game-high 185 receiving yards.
Once again the Gamecocks' offensive line struggled to open running lanes with the Gamecocks only rushing for 54 yards on 27 carries. Rattler was sacked three times behind that line.
Sept. 10, 2022
Gamecocks lose more than the game as seemingly every few minutes, a Gamecocks defender found himself down on the grass, circled by athletic trainers and coaches, grimacing in pain. The Gamecocks already knew they’d be short-handed defensively at No. 16 Arkansas. But in Saturday’s Southeastern Conference opener, Razorback Stadium felt more like a battlefield than a football field.
QB K.J. Jefferson and tailback Raheim Sanders, (2-0, 1-0 SEC) torched Gamecocks' (1-1, 0-1) banged-up defense, putting up 300 yards on the ground en route to a 44-30 win.
The Gamecocks came into the game without veteran defensive back R.J. Roderick who injured his right arm in Week 1’s win over Georgia State. Fellow defensive back David Spaulding also didn’t travel due to an unspecified injury. Both losses were significant, but they’d only continue to mount throughout the game. At various points of the contest, Gamecock defensive lineman Alex Huntley and Jordan Strachan, linebacker Mo Kaba and defensive backs Darius Rush and Cam Smith all suffered injuries. Smith one of the Gamecocks' top NFL prospects struggled to walk to the locker room with a towel over his head just before halftime, according to the ESPN broadcast.
Gamecock's defensive injuries only opened more holes. Sanders ran for 156 yards and two touchdowns on 24 attempts, while Jefferson added 67 yards on 19 carries and a rushing touchdown as part of a vicious running attack. The quarterback added 182 passing yards and a touchdown throw on 18-of-21 passing.
Even with a hobbled defense and a near-unstoppable Arkansas running attack, the Gamecocks had moments where they seemed on the verge of a comeback. In one of Arkansas’ few mistakes, receiver Matt Landers dropped a wide-open deep shot in the first drive of the second half, forcing the Hogs to punt and giving quarterback Spencer Rattler and the Gamecocks' offense a moment of momentum.
But the Gamecocks couldn’t find the right formula on the offensive end, going 3-and-out on the subsequent drive as the Razorbacks wrestled back control of the game. A fourth-quarter fumble by running back MarShawn Lloyd on a short pass and an interception by Rattler in the end zone helped fuel the Arkansas attack.
Rattler finished the game with 361 passing yards and one touchdown, completing 60% of his passes (23-for-38) in an uneven effort. The emergence of Wells at receiver was one of the few offensive bright spots for the Gamecocks. The junior transfer from James Madison made eight catches for a game-high 185 receiving yards.
Once again the Gamecocks' offensive line struggled to open running lanes with the Gamecocks only rushing for 54 yards on 27 carries. Rattler was sacked three times behind that line.
