The South Carolina Gamecocks’ defense had been rock solid for most of the night, but when it mattered the most, they couldn’t get the job done. Two fourth-quarter touchdowns were the difference in a 21-20 Missouri Tigers win at Williams-Brice Stadium.
But the groundwork for this loss was probably laid at the beginning.
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Much of the first half was a frustration for the Gamecocks as they shot themselves in the foot with numerous bad penalties on offense and poor offensive line play that got Dylan Thompson sacked three times (See the last drive of the first quarter as an example). The big question: was it a good or bad idea to go for it on 4th and 1 at their own 42 on the first drive? It certainly didn’t pay off as Mizzou found the end zone on the ensuing drive to make it 7-0. It could have been 10-0 if not for our good friend, Andrew Baggett, missing a 48-yarder wide right. (At least he didn’t hit the upright, but he didn’t hit much else.) Elliot Fry showed him how it’s done with a 33-yarder to cut to 10-3.
The defense certainly kept the Gamecocks in it throughout the game as poorly as the offense had been playing. It finally paid off with 1:36 left as—who else?—Mike Davis stole the show.
Unfortunately, the offense sputtered at the beginning of the second half despite the defense holding its own. On the Gamecocks’ first drive, they went three and out, and on the second drive, they got down to the Mizzou six before Thompson was sacked twice in a row to force another Fry field goal, which should have been six if not for a drop by Rory Anderson. Their third drive, which looked promising: thwarted by a untimely false start by the aforementioned Anderson.
The fourth quarter didn’t have much to talk about–until we had this beauty by Dylan Thompson to Pharoh Cooper. In case you’re wondering, this kid is the real deal.
But Mizzou got it right back on the next drive, taking just 36 seconds to score to cut it to 20-14. After the Mizzou defense forced a three and out, they got to work again and drove it down to the Carolina two yard line with just over two minutes left. Would the Gamecocks defense hold them out?
Not tonight. Russell Hansbrough pushed the pile with a second effort right on the doorstep for his third touchdown of the game to put Mizzou up 21-20 with 1:36 left. That would be it as the Gamecocks failed to advance the ball a single yard on their final possession.