South Carolina gets back on track, beats Kentucky, 24-7

After a tough few weeks, South Carolina got back in the win column.

Thanks to a strong defensive performance and efficient offense from Ryan Hillinski, Rico Dowdle, and the rest of the running game, the Gamecocks picked up a big SEC win by beating Kentucky, 24-7, with the Wildcats tacking on a touchdown with under three minutes to go to spoil the shutout.

Kentucky’s offense was completely bottled up for most of the game, as the Gamecocks held Asim Rose and the rest of the Wildcat backs to under three yards a carry for most of the game.

Both offenses struggled, but Kentucky only managed a paltry 2-15 3rd down completion percentage, and had barely over 100 yards deep into the 3rd quarter, finishing with just 212, thanks to a healthy bit of offense in garbage time. Two Kentucky turnovers didn’t help either, including a third quarter fumble that directly lead to a South Carolina touchdown.

Tavien Feaster plunged into paydirt from two yards out on the game’s opening drive, ultimately providing the only points South Carolina would need, but added a second touchdown in the 4th quarter. Rico Dowdle also added a touchdown run.

Full stats and additional analysis to come.