The Sports Xchange
Oct 3, 2015
In a battle of true freshman quarterbacks, Drew Lock outmanaged Lorenzo Nunez as Missouri beat visiting South Carolina 24-10 on Saturday.
Lock, getting his first career start in place of suspended starter Maty Mauk, played a safe if unspectacular game, throwing for 136 yards and two touchdowns on 21 of 28 passing. Nunez, getting his second career start, threw interceptions on three consecutive third-quarter drives before leaving the game with a fourth-quarter shoulder injury.
It was the first game in SEC history with two true freshmen starting quarterbacks.
Missouri (4-1, 1-1 SEC) leaned on its ground game with running back Ish Witter carrying the ball 17 times for a career-high 98 yards and a touchdown. His 1-yard score in the third quarter pushed the 17-10 halftime lead to the 24-10 final. It was the Tigers' first rushing touchdown by a running back this season.
South Carolina (2-3, 0-3) struggled to get its running game going for most of the game, finishing with 112 yards on 34 carries. It was the Gamecocks' lowest rushing output of the season. Running backs David Williams and Shon Carson were held to 45 yards on 17 carries.
The Gamecocks lone touchdown of the day came on a near-interception. In the second quarter, a pass by Nunez was dropped by Missouri cornerback Aarion Penton into the hands of Carson, who took it for an 8-yard score.