Vanderbilt Commodores vs South Carolina Gamecocks Match Player Stats On Oct 28, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Oct 28, 2017

South Carolina quarterback Jake Bentley rushed for two touchdowns and passed for a third as the Gamecocks beat Vanderbilt 34-27 to gain bowl eligibility Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, S.C.

South Carolina (6-2, 4-2 SEC) employed a multifaceted rushing attack against a Vanderbilt defense that came in ranked No. 122 in the nation defending the run. Running back A.J. Turner set the pace on the Gamecocks' 212-yard rushing day, carrying 15 times for 121 yards and a touchdown.

Bentley added 47 yards rushing to his efficient 19-of-29 passing for 174 yards, including a 9-yard scoring strike to Shi Smith. Smith led the South Carolina receiving corps with five catches for 76 yards.

Bentley's second rushing touchdown -- an 11-yarder -- gave South Carolina a 31-20 cushion with 3:54 to go in the third quarter, and then placekicker Parker White extended the lead to 14 points with his second field goal early in the final period.

Vanderbilt (3-5, 0-5) came at South Carolina early with an offensive game plan predicated on deep passing plays. Quarterback Kyle Shurmur averaged 12.3 yards per completion, connecting on 27 of 49 passes for 333 yards and four touchdowns. Kalija Lipscomb caught seven passes for 128 yards with a 47-yard touchdown.

Wide receiver C.J. Duncan caught his second touchdown late in the fourth quarter, bringing the Commodores within 34-27. They regained possession with 1:10 left and moved just past midfield, driving for the tie, before time expired.

South Carolina senior linebacker Skai Moore recorded six tackles, including one for loss, a quarterback hurry and a pass break-up. Defensive back Steven Montac intercepted a pass for the day's only turnover. Linebacker Oren Burks recorded nine tackles to lead Vanderbilt.