The Gamecocks looked overwhelmed, outmatched, and flat-out disorganized offensively and defensively in the Gators’ 38-6 drubbing of the Gamecocks
Nov. 12, 2022
BOX SCORE (PDF) / 2022 SEASON STATS / GAME NOTES
VIDEO COURTESY OF USC MEDIA OUTLET
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cjktZ9hxPw
The fast starts South Carolina Gamecocks (6-4, 3-4 SEC) mustered in recent weeks went by the wayside Saturday in The Swamp as Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson ran up, over, and around the Gamecocks' defense. Richardson paced the Gators (6-4, 3-4) to 362 yards in the first half 281 of which came on the ground helping Florida to touchdown drives on its first three possessions. The Gators finished with 374 rushing yards Saturday and outgained the Gamecocks overall by 515 yards to 237.
Billy Napier’s bunch bludgeoned the Gamecocks' defense from the opening, rolling 75 yards on 14 plays in just under six minutes on its opening possession. Richardson put the exclamation point on the Gators’ first scoring drive of the night when he followed a pair of blockers off the right edge and plunged three yards for a touchdown. Florida added two more first-half scores via a dime from Richardson to receiver Ricky Pearsall and an 85-yard touchdown run by tailback Trevor Etienne. The younger brother of ex-Clemson running back Travis Etienne, Trevor’s second-quarter score marked the second-longest run by a Florida player since 1988.
South Carolina mustered its lone blips of life Saturday on special teams. Punter Kai Kroeger reeled back and connected with Dakereon Joyner for a 48-yard fake punt touchdown pass before the end of the first half boosting Kroeger’s career passing numbers to 5 for 5, 150 yards, and two scores
The Gamecock special teams followed up in the second half, first blocking a 36-yard field goal attempt by kicker Adam Mihalek before tackling Florida holder Jeremy Cranshaw on an errant snap two possessions later. Yet for each momentary glimpse of a pulse, the Gamecocks slipped as the Gators circled for the kill. South Carolina received the ball out of halftime down 24-6. It fumbled on three of its next four plays from scrimmage, Florida finally cashing in the knockout blow on a four-yard pass from Richardson to Jonathan Odom.
South Carolina entered the week with momentum. Its offense looked suddenly explosive in a win over Vanderbilt which beat No. 24 Kentucky shortly before South Carolina and Florida kicked off on Saturday. The Gamecocks' defense, banged up as it’d been, had largely held together. Beamer a week ago told “doom and gloom” fans to “find some joy.” Saturday, there was far more of the former than the latter.
South Carolina was without its top two running backs in MarShawn Lloyd and Christian Beal-Smith on Saturday. Lloyd continues to rehab from a thigh contusion he suffered in the loss to Missouri. He didn’t play last week against Vanderbilt. Beal-Smith missed his fourth game this season on Saturday. He was spotted with a boot on his foot ahead of the trip to Gainesville and did not travel with the team. Beal-Smith had previously been recovering from a lingering foot issue.
UP NEXT
South Carolina: The Gamecocks host No. 5 Tennessee next Saturday. The Volunteers have won three straight in the series.
Florida: The Gators play at Vanderbilt next Saturday. The Commodores upset Kentucky to end a 26-game skid in SEC play
Nov. 12, 2022
BOX SCORE (PDF) / 2022 SEASON STATS / GAME NOTES
VIDEO COURTESY OF USC MEDIA OUTLET
The fast starts South Carolina Gamecocks (6-4, 3-4 SEC) mustered in recent weeks went by the wayside Saturday in The Swamp as Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson ran up, over, and around the Gamecocks' defense. Richardson paced the Gators (6-4, 3-4) to 362 yards in the first half 281 of which came on the ground helping Florida to touchdown drives on its first three possessions. The Gators finished with 374 rushing yards Saturday and outgained the Gamecocks overall by 515 yards to 237.
Billy Napier’s bunch bludgeoned the Gamecocks' defense from the opening, rolling 75 yards on 14 plays in just under six minutes on its opening possession. Richardson put the exclamation point on the Gators’ first scoring drive of the night when he followed a pair of blockers off the right edge and plunged three yards for a touchdown. Florida added two more first-half scores via a dime from Richardson to receiver Ricky Pearsall and an 85-yard touchdown run by tailback Trevor Etienne. The younger brother of ex-Clemson running back Travis Etienne, Trevor’s second-quarter score marked the second-longest run by a Florida player since 1988.
South Carolina mustered its lone blips of life Saturday on special teams. Punter Kai Kroeger reeled back and connected with Dakereon Joyner for a 48-yard fake punt touchdown pass before the end of the first half boosting Kroeger’s career passing numbers to 5 for 5, 150 yards, and two scores
The Gamecock special teams followed up in the second half, first blocking a 36-yard field goal attempt by kicker Adam Mihalek before tackling Florida holder Jeremy Cranshaw on an errant snap two possessions later. Yet for each momentary glimpse of a pulse, the Gamecocks slipped as the Gators circled for the kill. South Carolina received the ball out of halftime down 24-6. It fumbled on three of its next four plays from scrimmage, Florida finally cashing in the knockout blow on a four-yard pass from Richardson to Jonathan Odom.
South Carolina entered the week with momentum. Its offense looked suddenly explosive in a win over Vanderbilt which beat No. 24 Kentucky shortly before South Carolina and Florida kicked off on Saturday. The Gamecocks' defense, banged up as it’d been, had largely held together. Beamer a week ago told “doom and gloom” fans to “find some joy.” Saturday, there was far more of the former than the latter.
South Carolina was without its top two running backs in MarShawn Lloyd and Christian Beal-Smith on Saturday. Lloyd continues to rehab from a thigh contusion he suffered in the loss to Missouri. He didn’t play last week against Vanderbilt. Beal-Smith missed his fourth game this season on Saturday. He was spotted with a boot on his foot ahead of the trip to Gainesville and did not travel with the team. Beal-Smith had previously been recovering from a lingering foot issue.
UP NEXT
South Carolina: The Gamecocks host No. 5 Tennessee next Saturday. The Volunteers have won three straight in the series.
Florida: The Gators play at Vanderbilt next Saturday. The Commodores upset Kentucky to end a 26-game skid in SEC play
