Sports

South Carolina Outlasts Tennessee, But Loses Its Star

VICTORY MARRED BY DEVASTATING KNEE INJURY TO MARCUS LATTIMORE The University of South Carolina football team forced a pair of fourth quarter turnovers to hang onto a 38-35 victory over the Tennessee Volunteers, although the outcome of the game took a back seat in the minds of many Gamecock fans…

VICTORY MARRED BY DEVASTATING KNEE INJURY TO MARCUS LATTIMORE

The University of South Carolina football team forced a pair of fourth quarter turnovers to hang onto a 38-35 victory over the Tennessee Volunteers, although the outcome of the game took a back seat in the minds of many Gamecock fans given the devastating – and potentially career-ending – knee injury sustained by star running back Marcus Lattimore.

The school’s career scoring leader suffered a positively gruesome injury to his right knee midway through the second quarter of the game – which was televised nationally by ESPN.  Initial unconfirmed reports from sources close to the program indicate that Lattimore suffered a dislocated knee with possible arterial damage.

Obviously that’s a frightening diagnosis given the seriousness of any injury involving the circulatory system.  In fact a year ago high school standout quarterback Jacob Rainey had to have his right leg amputated below the knee after suffering a similar injury.

Officially, USC is referring to Lattimore’s situation only as a “right leg injury.”

Marcus Lattimore is helped onto a cart following his injury.

As Lattimore was helped onto a cart, all of his teammates – as well as numerous players from the Tennessee bench – poured onto the field to offer him their support.

Meanwhile 80,000 fans chanted his name as he was carted off of the field – clutching a towel to his face.

Moments later Lattimore was transported to a local hospital to undergo further study and treatment.

“He’s going to do wonderful things,” USC head coach Steve Spurrier said after the game.

However Spurrier quickly acknowledged “I don’t know (in) what field of life.”

Gamecock players said Lattimore exhorted them to “act like every play is your last play” as he left the field.

Lattimore – who extended his school record by scoring his 41st career touchdown just moments before his injury – was having a big game for No. 13 South Carolina (7-2, 5-2 SEC) when he went down.  The preseason All-American – who missed the final six games of last season with an injury to his left knee – had amassed 65 yards on eleven carries in leading USC to a 21-7 lead.

After Lattimore went down South Carolina not only let Tennessee back into the game – they nearly gave it away.

In fact it took a pair of big defensive plays – including a forced fumble by superstar linebacker Jadeveon Clowney in the waning moments of the fourth quarter – to keep the Volunteers (3-5, 0-5 SEC) from completing their comeback.

Junior quarterback Connor Shaw – who suffered through two terrible starts against LSU and Florida – got it back on track against the porous Volunteer passing defense, completing 22 of 32 passes for a career-high 356 yards.  Shaw’s big day included three scoring strikes and one interception.  He also ran for 33 yards and another touchdown as he moved to 14-3 as USC’s starting quarterback.

Meanwhile three Gamecocks – tight end Justice Cunningham (6 catches, 108 yards), wide receiver Bruce Ellington (6 catches, 101 yards) and wide receiver Ace Sanders (5 catches, 79 yards) – had career highs in receiving yardage.

Victor Hampton seals USC win with a fourth-quarter interception.

South Carolina’s offense – held to just nine points and 191 yards a week ago against No. 2 Florida – exploded for 38 points and 510 yards against one of the SEC’s worst defenses.

The only problem?  Tennessee’s offense nearly matched them score-for-score and yard-for-yard.  Quarterback Tyler Bray bounced back from a pair of sub-par performances against Mississippi State and Alabama by shredding the Gamecocks’ defense for 368 passing yards and four touchdowns.  In fact the Volunteer offense was on the verge of dealing the Gamecocks’ their third consecutive defeat of the season – but two Tennessee drives in the last two minutes of the game were thwarted by turnovers.

After leading the Vols’ 61 yards in eight plays, Bray fumbled after being hit from behind by Clowney – who had been held in check for most of the game.  However USC failed to pick up a first down and had to punt on the ensuing drive – giving the Volunteers the football back with just under a minute remaining.

Two plays later, though, Bray was intercepted by Gamecock defensive back Vic Hampton – who made a leaping grab on a pass that was nearly hauled in by Tennessee wide receiver Justin Hunter.

Although it came up with big takeaways late in the game to seal the win, South Carolina’s defense looked overwhelmed at times in dealing with Tennessee’s passing attack.  In fact the Volunteers’ 472 total yards were the most surrendered by South Carolina all year.

The Gamecocks have a week off before hosting the Razorbacks (3-5, 2-3 SEC) at Williams Brice Stadium on Nov. 10. Without Lattimore a year ago they managed to go 5-1 down the stretch – including wins over No. 17 Clemson and No. 20 Nebraska.

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Pics: Travis Bell, Sideline Carolina

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31 comments

Travis Zachary October 27, 2012 at 5:12 pm

USC is done for the season. Will lose two more games. USC will also lose its bowl game. Chicken curse is in full force.

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Original Good Ole Boy October 28, 2012 at 1:06 am

Fuck you.

Kenny will run over you for the third time in his career.

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Todd October 27, 2012 at 5:39 pm

My guess is ACL, PCL, LCL, and fractured tibia? I still think he will be back on the field next year though. All is not lost. Lattibeast is the man!

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BigS October 27, 2012 at 5:44 pm

Great wishes to Lattimore….a true warrior.

Has anyone noticed how Spurrier has lost his tactical strategy thinking edge relative to his peers? Some of his decisions the last three games have bothered me, especially with LSU and quarterback management. Today, we won with grit and intestinal fortitude. I’m worried we’ve peaked.

And what the hell are the bottom stands doing half empty today?

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A Humble Chef October 29, 2012 at 10:21 am

I was looking at the student section the entire game, disgusted in the back of my head but with the game going on I didn’t really think about it enough to get too peeved. After the game was over though, sitting outside the stadium thinking about Latty’s injury and how close we came to losing the game, I was very disappointed in the students AND everyone else that left early.

We put on a big show for the recruits with the big win over UGA, a big success from the ground up. The Tennessee game was the total opposite, putrid. We have top recruits giving us a second look and this is how we react?! Pathetic.

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BigT October 27, 2012 at 6:49 pm

FITS is REALLY going LOW w/ his hoped prognosis against Latti…

He better be right…and even then he looks like a FILTHY pOS in his glee in reporting it…

Disgusting…

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Bob Marshall October 27, 2012 at 6:53 pm

It is in the win column, but it is big loss. Best of luck to Lattimore.

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BigT October 27, 2012 at 6:57 pm

Win was not MARRED…

Nothing was marred. It was a very sad and unlucky event for Latti and us. But to Allude to that Hideios injury that FITS refers to, is the method of a trashy, uncaing @$$hole…

It really sickens me…

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Frank Howard October 27, 2012 at 8:17 pm

Boy, you sho B.C. Inabinet didn’t hit you on the head too many times? Wait, you too young to have played against that Lower Richland and Clemson legend.

You sho you Momma didn’t break her rolling pin on yo head?

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BigS October 27, 2012 at 8:41 pm

Huh?

Twas a clean hit. When u carry the ball, one be tackled.

Hats off to Latti, but the win was definitely marred. Also, in some senses, lucky. USC is very very lucky that we are not in OT. UTenn had us inside of two minutes. Minimally, a FG…a TD to win.

I watched the same game u guys did, Big T. Just callin’ it like I see it.

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Tetley October 27, 2012 at 10:14 pm

Come on Will. Can’t you put the “Big T” persona back on the shelf at a time like this? Yeah, you’ve done a great job of creating an antagonist that all the faithful readers love to hate, but seriously, dude… he jumped the shark *long* ago, and nowadays he’s just tiresome.

Bring back Ballsack… please?

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Original Good Ole Boy October 28, 2012 at 1:10 am

Unless Will has been posing as “big t” since 1998, then “Big T” is not a Will Folks invention. Big T has been around many Gamecock boards for years.

Just ignore him.

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Straight Forward October 27, 2012 at 8:48 pm

His football career is most likely over.

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Jeffy01 October 27, 2012 at 9:54 pm

Scoreboard

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lawdog October 27, 2012 at 10:40 pm

As A Tiger fan, I must say that I have been impressed with the way he has carried himself. A true Team player. I hope that all of Tiger Nation wished him well and a speedy recovery.

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Swingline October 28, 2012 at 3:57 pm

Hearing the same from so many of my Clemson friends. It means a lot that people can set aside their partisanship to wish this young man well. It’s a testament to him as a person and to the fact that our differences are ultimately just not that important.

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SparkleCity October 27, 2012 at 10:56 pm

As a lifelong “Vol” fan (UT is my sentimental college favorite- they used to recruit heavily in the coalfields of Appalachia when I was growing up and the only TV stations we could receive came out of Knoxville (WBIR-TV) or Bristol,Tn/Va – WCYB-TV and the only big Sunday paper was the Knoxville News Sentinel),I was hoping for a UT victory and it was close but hated that Lattimore’s injury marred the outcome.

I think that the Vols will be back to the tradition of being a powerhouse again but it will have to wait another few years(either fire the present coach or light a fire under the staff & players).

Living near District 5 in Spartanburg County for a number of years, I know of the football powerhouse that Byrnes HS has become and produced Lattimore.

I am truly sorry for his injury and don’t feel qualified to speculate on what will happen but I truly hope for a complete recovery.

********Once a “Vol”, always a “Vol”*******

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CousinCaldwell October 28, 2012 at 1:42 am

Nice post, SparkleCity.

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Principle October 28, 2012 at 2:53 am

Lattimore was done anyway after the way Spurrier used him up early in his career. At least he’ll always be a local legend. He can come to games with Demetrius Summers and Derrick Watson.

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Astonished October 28, 2012 at 8:42 am

You Sir, are a turd!!!

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Bonhoeffer October 28, 2012 at 9:49 am

Principle, Marcus Lattimore was named NATIONAL 2010 NCAA “Freshman of the Year” by CBS Sports, among others. Of course, an idiot like you wouldn’t know the diffetence between “local” and national.

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Bonhoeffer October 28, 2012 at 9:51 am

That would be “difference,” and probably in your case I should capitalize it.

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FU October 28, 2012 at 12:31 pm

Principle, you dont know jack shit you stupid moron. i hope someone knocks you on your ass you low class piece of dog turd

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BigT October 28, 2012 at 5:29 am

FITS’ words like “DEVASTATING” and “positively gruesome injury” are the height of bad taste.

To rush to lust in this case is just sensational bathing in bad news.

The word exposes the mind of the writer. And the way FITS is playing this incident exposes him to be a talentless and low brow opportunist.

And to be so click to throw in “career-ending” is so indicative and typical of FITS.

He is trash, and an example of when you don’t have anything else, to sell you peddle swill.

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Judy Chop October 28, 2012 at 12:48 pm

“If it bleeds it reads” BigT, FitsNews is SC’s version of the National Enquirer. Will Folks is Larry Flint and Hugh Hefner rolled into one. He’s got a gig going and he is going to ride this thang till it drops.

Funny thing is, of late, is that more and more people think that Will Folks has fabricated YOU to get more hits. It gets stranger every day around here. Go figure.

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BigT October 28, 2012 at 3:35 pm

Intellect and the ability to be interesting w/ REAL substance is the reson I draw such a following…

If FITS were close to me in talent, insight or creativity, this site could really be unique and he would not have to gutter swill to attract traffic…

As it is: South Carolinians (including me) are so desperate for an alternative, they’ll accept this. I just make it so much more relevant by paying attention to FITS, and giving him enough credit that I comment on him…

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Miss Information October 28, 2012 at 10:17 am

This is an injury, but is not a career ending injury. Lattimore has a very bright future. I’m sure he’ll stay in the football arena, it just may be coaching on the side lines instead of playing. I’m praying for this fine young man and still excited about his future. He’s a role model for young players and he has so much to offer. It’s a bend in the road, and nothing more. God controls his destiny. He couldn’t be in better hands. And, I want to thank the Vol’s, they showed they were a true class act on the field. They may not have won the game, but more importantly, they won the hearts of the fans by they overwhelming show of compassion for Lattimore.

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BigT October 28, 2012 at 12:12 pm

Remember last season, FITS was immediatley wondering out loud if THAT injury was not career ending. He was quoting “sources” as saying it looked BAD…and speculated that Marcus may not be able to recover…before we had heard any official word…

Lattimore has more Character in his urine than FITS has in his entire soul.

It disturbs me (and should disturb ALL of us) to see a person of FITS’ reputation and infamy attaching his opinion to Marcus’ prospects, no matter how bad or hopeful they may be…

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Smirks October 28, 2012 at 4:02 pm

They are going to release more information about his injury later today, but from the sounds of it, the injury is not career-threatening. I have a bad feeling he may be out for a few weeks, if not the rest of the season, but it sounds like it won’t be the last time we see Lattimore on the field.

Hang in there man!

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BigT October 28, 2012 at 4:15 pm

Smirks, I hope and pray you are right. Not for Carolina, but for Marcus Lattimore. He is one of the highest-charater athletes ever to play at SC, imo.

If he were to lose football. I’d gladly and genorously contribute to a fund to give him to make up for the millions any inury may cost him. and tell the NCAA to get lost.

But I’d much rather see him come back.

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womanbeater will cheering over lattimore's tragedy October 29, 2012 at 8:41 am

of course womanbeater will is praying for the worst. he’s proven he’s no fan of carolina, the same way he’s no fan of women, unless he’s defaming them, scandalizing them, or punching them in the face.

Reply

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