Gamecocks Upset Fourth-Ranked Ole Miss
Steve Spurrier Delivers Historic SEC Win for South Carolina
Sep 24, 2009
Ole Miss (2-1) came into Thursday night’s game ranked fourth—a ranking Mississippi football hadn’t reached since Archie Manning led the Rebels in 1970—and needed a strong performance in its SEC opener to establish itself as a legitimate national contender.
Steve Spurrier and the South Carolina Gamecocks (3-1) had other plans.
Stephen Garcia went 16 of 34 for 221 yards and the Gamecock defense hounded Ole Miss quarterback Jevan Snead all night, holding the Rebels’ high-powered offense to just 248 total yards for a 16-10 win at home.
Jevan Snead is the Best SEC Football Quarterback?
When Steve Spurrier admitted in July that he was the sole SEC coach to vote Jevan Snead onto the preseason all-SEC team over Florida's Tim Tebow, Spurrier chalked it up as a mistake. After Snead's performance—going just 3 of 8 for 30 yards in the first half and ending up with just 107 yard for the game—not many will argue with Spurrier's assessment.
South Carolina Struggles in the Red Zone
On three straight first-and-goal possessions, the Gamecocks couldn't punch it in, each drive stalling and ending in field goals. Not until mid-way through the third quarter, after a Snead fumble deep in Ole Miss territory set up Garcia and the Gamecock offense, did South Carolina finally break through for the game's first touchdown, a two-yard plunge from Patrick DiMarco.
Costly Mental Mistakes
The teams combined for 95 yards in penalties in the first half, and each had touchdowns called back due to some yellow laundry. For Ole Miss, Brandon Bolden's impressive 40-yard run was called back by a holding penalty on wideout Shay Hodge. On the other side, Garcia's touchdown screen to Gamecock wideout Tori Gurley was brought back after an over-anxious guard took off down field early.
Ole Miss Late Rally Snuffed
After a Snead touchdown pass in the fourth quarter drew Ole Miss to within six, the Rebels leaned on their star speedster Dexter McCluster--who had only touched the ball twice in the first half. McCluster almost delivered, rushing for nearly 70 yards in the final quarter and driving Ole Miss into Gamecock territory in the game's closing minutes.
But after a failed trick play--a reverse to McCluster on which he intended to throw down field but was stuffed at the line--the Gamecock defense clamped down to seal the upset.
Next Week's Schedule
South Carolina will host South Carolina State in a tune up for Kentucky, while Ole Miss will travel to Vanderbilt for another SEC football match-up.
 |
