SportsDirect Inc. staff
Oct 27, 2012
No. 16 South Carolina 38, Tennessee 35: Connor Shaw threw for a career-high 356 yards and three touchdowns, and Jadeveon Clowney forced a late fumble to help seal a Gamecocks victory that was dampened by the loss of star running back Marcus Lattimore.
The Gamecocks (7-2, 5-2 SEC) were dealt a blow when Lattimore took a
helmet-on-knee hit to his right leg and was later taken to the hospital
after being carted off with 4:45 left in the second quarter. The junior
standout, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear in his left knee last
season, had run for 70 yards on 11 carries, including a
28-yard touchdown that gave South Carolina a 21-7 advantage earlier in
the quarter.
Tyler Bray had 368 yards and four touchdown passes, including a pair to Zach Rogers, for the Volunteers (3-5, 0-5), but had his arm hit by Clowney inside the South Carolina 20-yard line with 1:08 to play.
Each of Shaw's scoring passes went for more than 20 yards. He converted a third-and-goal from the 26-yard line to give the Gamecocks a 14-7 lead, going down the middle to Rory Anderson, who split a pair of would-be Tennessee tacklers at the 5 before reaching the end zone.
Bray tossed a pair of first-half touchdown passes, but the Volunteers trailed 28-14 at halftime after Shaw ran in a 1-yard score with just 14 seconds remaining. Tennessee has allowed an average of 42.2 points in its five league losses, all to ranked opponents.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Shaw completed his first seven pass attempts of the game, including a 33-yard scoring strike to Bruce Ellington that gave the Gamecocks a 7-0 lead. … Tennessee had a fumble recovery negated by a horse collar personal foul with the game tied at 7. … Players from both squads came from the sidelines and surrounded Lattimore in a nice show of sportsmanship as he was taken off the field. Lattimore had shaken off a hip injury that caused him to miss most of last week's loss to Florida. … Rogers finished with six catches for 107 yards, including a 22-yard score that pulled the Vols to within 38-35.