South Carolina football: Gamecocks use turnovers to upset Auburn

The South Carolina football team earned its first signature win of the young season.

The Gamecocks were outgained 481 to 297. The South Carolina offense was held to -2 yards in the first quarter. Collin Hill threw for less than 150 yards. Auburn rushed for over 200.

Still, the Gamecocks emerged victorious behind a fantastic second half defensive performance. South Carolina picked Auburn quarterback Bo Nix off on three occasions, cashing in touchdowns following each turnover.

After going down 9-0 in the first period, the Gamecocks outscored the Tigers 30-13 from the second quarter on. Kevin Harris, again, provided a spark on the ground, and reserve Deshaun Fenwick had his best game on the ground as the team ran for 153 yards on the day.

Shi Smith was back to being the top target, hauling in eight passes for 76 yards and a score. He and the Auburn defenders were going back and forth all afternoon.

But the game was won on the defensive side of the ball. South Carolina proved to be a “bend but don’t break” group, allowing nearly 500 yards of offense, but only letting the Tigers reach paydirt twice.

The unit stiffened inside the redzone, forcing Anders Carlson to kick three short field goals, and three key interceptions allowed the Gamecocks to capitalize on short fields throughout the day.

The win was Will Muschamp’s third over a ranked opponent in his time in Columbia, and the first in three tries this year. After an 0-2 start, South Carolina is now 2-2, and just a single game behind Georgia in the SEC East.

Let’s run through some key players and moments in the Gamecocks’ upset win of No. 15 Auburn.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

This is a no-brainer. Jaycee Horn recorded the first two interceptions of his career on Saturday, nearly returning one for a touchdown. His pick in the third quarter set up what proved to be the game sealing score.

Both of Horn’s picks set the Gamecocks up on the Auburn side of the 50-yard line, providing short fields for ensuing offensive possessions. He also deflected a pass right before halftime, which was intercepted by Jaylin Dickerson to set up another score.

Horn battled Auburn’s top receiver Seth Williams all day long, holding the pass catcher to just four catches. Even Williams’ longest catch of the afternoon, a 44-yard jump ball, was well covered by Horn.

PLAY OF THE GAME

Smith’s longest catch of the day was this one-handed grab over an Auburn defender that would set up the Gamecocks’ final field goal of the afternoon. On the day, Smith caught eight passes for 76 yards and a touchdown, but this was the most impressive.

UNSUNG HEROS

OFFENSE

Kevin Harris and Deshaun Fenwick

20

Kevin Harris RB

25 ATT, 83 YDS, 2 TD

Harris was again productive on the ground, wearing down the Auburn defense. He scored twice on the Tiger unit, bumping his season total to six rushing touchdowns on the year. That total ranks second in the SEC.

Harris’ numbers could’ve been a lot higher had he not had a 75-yard touchdown run erased by a phantom holding call early in the game. Still, the Gamecock starter continues to impress as we approach the halfway point in the season.

14

Deshaun Fenwick RB

12 ATT, 68 YDS

Fenwick had his best day of the year, averaging nearly six yards a carry. He gashed the Auburn defense on multiple occasions, breaking off long runs time after time. His 68 yards on the ground helped the South Carolina offense rush for over 150 yards for the second consecutive week.

DEFENSE

Shilo Sanders and Keir Thomas

21

Shilo Sanders DB

10 TKL

Sanders had by far his best day in garnet and black, racking up 10 tackles on the day to lead the Gamecock defense. The safety has become more and more involved in the Carolina defense, and it looks like he’ll be a mainstay in the lineup after making his first career start last weekend.

Sanders’ biggest hit of the day came as Auburn’s star running back Tank Bibsby raced down the sidelines for a long run. The defender cleanly lowered his shoulder and popped Bigsby, effectively knocking the back out of the game. Over the last two games, Sanders has tallied 16 total tackles, with 14 being solo takedowns.

5

Keir Thomas DL

8 TKL, 2 SACK

Thomas led the Gamecocks in sacks, taking down Bo Nix twice throughout the day. He also tallied eight tackles, all of which were solo takedowns, as he helped the Carolina defense hold Auburn to just 22 points on the afternoon.

WHAT’S NEXT

The Gamecocks will travel to Baton Rouge next Saturday as they try to take down another group of Tigers, defending national champs LSU. South Carolina hasn’t won in Death Valley since 1994, and they’ve opened as a 6.5 point underdog.

But Will Muschamp has the Gamecocks playing solid football, and the Tigers have struggled much of the year. They’ll also be returning after a week off as their matchup with Vanderbilt last Saturday was postponed. Kickoff is set for 7 PM.