Ghastly!
This time, it was Tennessee working the “Black Magic.”
Decked out in black jerseys for the first time in 87 years, first-year head coach Lane Kiffin’s Volunteers turned Knoxville’s Neyland Stadium into a haunted house of horrors for the South Carolina Gamecocks on Halloween night.
Three first half fumbles – including costly cough-ups on each of South Carolina’s first two possessions – led to three Tennessee touchdowns, enabling the Volunteers (4-4, 2-3 SEC) to cruise to a 31-13 win.
The loss dropped No. 22 South Carolina to 6-3 on the season and 3-3 in the SEC. It also enabled No. 1 Florida to clinch its second consecutive SEC Eastern Division title, guaranteeing the Gators a spot in the SEC Championship game this December in Atlanta.
Notorious for choking down the stretch, things won’t get any easier for USC.
After a road game Nov. 7 against SEC West foe Arkansas, South Carolina welcomes top-ranked Florida and Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow to Williams-Brice Stadium on Nov. 14. After a week off, they’ll face off at home Nov. 28 against arch-rival Clemson, which has reeled off three straight wins after starting the season at 2-3.
South Carolina actually out-gained the Volunteers on this rainy night in Knoxville, but the “treats” they coughed-up to the Tennessee defense did them in.
It started on USC’s first possession, when freshman tight end Justice Cunningham fumbled after picking up a first down on USC’s third play from scrimmage.
Two plays later, Tennessee made the Gamecocks pay for their mistake when quarterback Jonathan Crompton hit fullback Austin Johnson in stride for a 38-yard touchdown pass.
On the ensuing possession, it happened again. This time, it was freshman running back Kenny Miles coughing up the football, which led to another short field and another Tennessee touchdown.
Both of USC’s first two fumbles were caused by Tennessee linebacker Rico McCoy.
On USC’s first possession of the second quarter, there was more “fumble-itis.” After scrambling off tackle for a nice gain, USC quarterback Stephen Garcia was hit on his way to the turf. The ball popped out – setting up Tennessee’s offense at the 22-yard line.
Six plays later, the Volunteers converted a key fourth down play from the two-yard line.
“We had two fumbles in five plays,” Garcia noted. “It’s hard to beat a team when you spot them those points.”
Impossible, actually.
In addition to the fumbles, South Carolina also had a punt return for a touchdown called back after a questionable “block in the back” penalty against freshman cornerback D.J. Swearinger.
Garcia finished the night completing 25 of 50 passes for 300 yards. In addition to his first half fumble, he also threw an interception in the fourth quarter that dashed any hopes of a Gamecock comeback.
It was Garcia’s first interception in 120 attempts and only his fifth pick of the season.
In going with the black jerseys, Tennessee was actually taking a page out of Carolina’s playbook. Twenty-five years ago, USC donned black jerseys under the late Joe Morrison en route to a school-record 10-2 season. “Black Magic” was born.
“It’s a player’s game, and our players had been begging for them for a while,” Kiffin said of the black threads. “It was a night game and it was Halloween night. A couple of our players went over to (Tennessee Athletics Director) Mike Hamilton and asked him about it. It was unbelievable to get them done that fast. I think it gave us some energy. I think you saw that in the way they came out and played early.”
Tennessee came out for warm-ups wearing all orange and changed into the black jerseys prior to the opening kickoff.
(Click on any of the images below for larger, high resolution picture).
Caption (^): USC quarterback Stephen Garcia throws against the Tennessee defense.
Caption (^): Tennessee’s Savion Frazier wraps up USC running back Jarvis Giles.
Caption (^): USC’s Chris Culliver gets pounded by Tennessee’s Cory Eichholtz during a first half kickoff return.
Caption (^): Tennessee fullback Austin Johnson celebrates his 38-yard touchdown reception during the first half of Tennessee’s 31-13 win over South Carolina.
Caption (^): Johnson pushes off USC defensive back Chris Culliver en route to the end zone.
Caption (^): Tennessee running back Montario Hardesty brushes aside USC’s Akeem Auguste en route to a touchdown. Hardesty finished the night with 120 rushing yards.
Caption (^): Tennessee quarterback Jonathan Crompton hands the ball off to Hardesty during the second half of Tennessee’s 31-13 win over South Carolina Saturday night in Knoxville.
Caption (^): USC wide receiver Moe Brown celebrates his second half touchdown grab, one of the few bright spots on the night for the Gamecocks.
Caption (^): Brown keeps his eye on Stephen Garcia’s pass as the pair connect for South Carolina’s only touchdown of the night.
Caption (^): USC freshman running back Kenny Miles fights to hang onto the football against Tennessee.
Caption (^): Tennessee’s Greg King evades USC’s Miles after picking off a Stephen Garcia pass in the second half.
Caption (^): Tennessee’s Chad Cunningham boots a late field goal over the outstretched arms of USC freshman defensive lineman Devin Taylor.
Pics: Travis Bell, Sideline Carolina
Comments
By countryboy on November 1st, 2009 at 10:55 am
In a word, the Cocks were pathetic and I don’t want to hear that the defense played well. Bull$hit. UT scored 31 damn points, that’s not playing defense. Sure SC gave up the ball 3 times inside it’s own 30 but UT is not good enough to score 3 times in the red zone (against a good defense). So lets face it. Yes we have some bonafide stars but they are surrounded by mediocre talent. Matthews is a star and it was evident when he went out that his replacement was a dud as UT kept running and passing to the side Matthews normally covers. To be a winner, a lot of guys have to step up on this team and number one is the offensive line, which, come to think about it, is offensive (to me). Damn if you can’t run block at least keep the defense off Garcia and give him another second or two. I’m sick of seeing the Cocks lose to mediocre teams.
By James the Foot Soldier on November 1st, 2009 at 12:40 pm
Where do we go bowling with a 6-6 team? Anchor Lanes?
By Volfan on November 1st, 2009 at 1:37 pm
What a wonderful night. It was cold and rainy but worth the drive. Carolina should leave football to states who know how to win.
By joe morrison on November 1st, 2009 at 11:17 pm
carolina simply handed the game to tennessee from the first minutes of the game. they immediately cracked under pressure and instead of basking in the moment, they, collectively, wilted, and simply gave up rather than struggle. they were mentally defeated from the beginning. and it seemed they were relieved to have any pressure removed from them. talentwise, carolina is better than tennessee. the only players on tennessee worth a damn are berry, williams and mccoy on defense, and the ONLY good player they have on offense in hardesty. this game was an exact reverse of last years game, where carolina took an early 3 score lead and easily held on. bottom line, carolina was scared and intimidated and they let kiffin/those loser vol fans/the ugliest jerseys in college football history get in their head. tennessee kind of bluffed their way to victory and carolina folded, what was at worst, an even hand. the ONLY credit i’ll give tennesse is that they forced three fumbles early and instead of running it up the middle and kicking field goals, they threw passes to their fullbacks…and somehow that lame gameplan worked out. in the end, the game was a typical cosmic joke on all gamecocks fans that we’ve seen countless times before. personally though,i’d rather have garcia, alshon, gurley, miles, giles and gilmore for the next 2-3 years over ANYBODY on tennesee’s roster. and yes, tennessee fans are the most obnoxious fans in the nation. they’re kind of the equivalent in their interests in football to south carolinians in their relation to politics.
By The Douche on November 2nd, 2009 at 1:13 am
countryboy-
You should probably get accustomed to USC losing to mediocre teams given that USC is a mediocre team … if it’s a good season.
Joe-
I noticed you named four Tennessee players with talent, but can you name three USC players that are actually talented? I’m going to give you Norwood. I also have to disagree with you on the Tennessee fans being the most obnoxious. I have been to a Clemson game and the fans are ten times worse. By the way, should probably not call anyone obnoxious when you post a 200+ word run-on sentence.
Simply put, USC lost because Tennessee had a much better defense that setup their struggling offense to score.
USC being ranked in the top 25 was ridiculous and if you don’t think so you were kidding yourself.
By OhNoNotAgain on November 3rd, 2009 at 12:44 am
Hey, aptly named “the Douche”
He named five — garcia, alshon, gurley, miles, giles and gilmore.
That’s in addition to Norwood, whom you grant is talented. Thanks for that. We oh so appreciate it.