SportsDirect Inc. staff
Sep 28, 2013
No. 13 South Carolina 28, Central Florida 25: Mike Davis rushed for a career-high 167 yards and three touchdowns as the Gamecocks rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to hand the host Knights their first loss of the season.
Dylan Thompson, who relieved starting quarterback Connor Shaw (right shoulder injury) in the first quarter, passed for 261 yards and also rushed for a touchdown for South Carolina (3-1).
Blake Bortles completed 25-of-36 passes for 358 yards, including fourth-quarter touchdown tosses of 73 and 7 yards to Rannell Hall. Storm Johnson rushed for 64 yards and a touchdown for Central Florida (3-1), which failed to score at least 30 points for the first time this season.
Central Florida dominated the first half en route to a 10-0 lead, holding the Gamecocks to just 45 yards rushing and 164 total yards. Johnson capped a game-opening 75-yard drive for the Knights with a 1-yard touchdown run and Shawn Moffitt added a 27-yard field goal in the second quarter.
South Carolina regrouped at halftime, taking the second half kickoff and driving 75 yards in four plays - all runs - capped by a 53-yard touchdown rush by Davis. The Gamecocks followed that up with an impressive 96-yard, 11-play drive as Thompson scored on a 2-yard run to take a 14-10 lead. Davis added a pair of 13-yard touchdown runs early in the fourth quarter to increase the margin to 28-10 before the Knights rallied behind Bortles' two touchdown passes to Hall.
GAME NOTEBOOK: South Carolina WR Shaq Rowland, who entered the game as the team's leader in receiving yards, did not make the trip after being suspended for what was called a violation of athletic department policy. ... Central Florida starting LB Willie Mitchell missed his second straight game following his arrest for a DUI. ... Bortles has thrown a touchdown pass in 12 consecutive games.