(From the Associated Press)- Shane Beamer had multiple reasons to savor his first road win in over a year. The win at Kentucky was just the 2nd win for the Gamecocks since 2014 in the annual series. Not only did South Carolina provide his initial Southeastern Conference victory away from home, it never trailed while conquering No. 13 Kentucky 24-14 on Saturday night. The way his shorthanded Gamecocks imposed their will over the Wildcats made it even better.
“This was really big for us in so many ways,” said Beamer, whose team had allowed 40-plus points in SEC losses to No. 16 Arkansas and top-ranked Georgia. “We were missing so many guys. Proud of our team. I said take all three phases, and it did.”
Spencer Rattler overcame two early turnovers and threw the go-ahead touchdown pass in the third quarter, Jalen Brooks ran for an insurance score midway through the fourth and South Carolina scored 17 unanswered points for its third consecutive victory.
Kentucky started true Freshmen Kaiya Sharon at quarterback in place of injured senior Will Levis, who wore a protective on his left foot. Gamecock RB MarShawn Lloyd had 22 carries and 110 rushing yards. He scored on a 2-yard touchdown run on the Gamecocks’ first snap, immediately after Kentucky’s Chris Rodriguez Jr. fumbled on the opening play.
South Carolina (4-2, 1-2) moved ahead early in the third quarter, when Rattler (14 of 19, 177 yards) hit Antwane Wells Jr. in the flat and the junior darted past a defender for a 42-yard touchdown and 14-7 lead. Mitch Jeter’s 32-yard field goal later in the period provided a 10-point cushion that Brooks extended to 17 points with a 24-yard TD run with 7:02 remaining.
“First half, we had opportunities to score and didn’t capitalize,” Rattler said. “We locked in and executed and couldn’t be stopped.”
South Carolina won its first road game since topping East Carolina in Beamer’s second game on Sept. 11, 2021.
The Gamecocks also earned their first win over a ranked team since beating No. 15 Auburn at home on Oct. 17, 2020, and first on the road since topping third-ranked Georgia on Oct. 19, 2019. They were coming off consecutive 50-point performances in wins over Charlotte and FCS South Carolina State.
Sheron (15 of 27, 178 yards) tossed a 10-yard TD pass JuTahn McClain with 2:49 left, his second of the game, but the Wildcats fell for the second consecutive week in league play.
Mystery preceded this defeat as Levis entered Kroger Field with a boot on his left foot and did not participate in warmups with teammates. Earlier this week, Kentucky coach Mark Stoops referred to a finger injury Levis sustained in last week’s 22-19 loss to No. 9 Mississippi, but didn’t mention any foot injury and remained mum on the quarterback’s status on Thursday.
Stoops said after the game that Levis has a foot injury and wasn’t sure when he’d be able to return.
“It’s been day to day, and it’s day to day,” the coach said. “So, I can’t tell you how that’s going to respond.”
Disaster quickly followed with Rodriguez’s fumble, a blocked punt and Matt Ruffolo’s missed 45-yard field goal that bounced off the left upright. Sheron regrouped to fake a toss to Rodriguez and hit wide-open Jordan Dingle for the tying touchdown in the second quarter, but Kentucky was held to its lowest output since losing 30-13 to top-ranked Georgia 30-13 last season.
The Gamecocks now have a bye week before returning to action. They'll host Texas A&M October 22nd at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia.
