South Carolina was in a must-win scenario coming off the bye week. A matchup at home had every trend pointing in the direction of a win for Carolina. Nobody told Florida that plan as the Gators were too much for the Gamecocks. There were three critical sequences in this game that changed the outcome entirely. Overall, the Gamecocks secondary once again gave up a career night to the opposing quarterback. It is the second time in three home games this season that this has happened. With a final score of 41-39, any one stop would’ve changed the winner of the game. However, none of the needed stops were made and the Gators passing offense proved to be too much for the Gamecock defense.
Head coach Shane Beamer said at halftime that players needed to step up and “Make a freaking play.” Some players answered this call in the second half, but still not enough for Beamer’s liking. He referenced a lack of execution as the culprit for the loss in his post-game press conference. The third-year head coach said there were times when coaches had the “perfect call” and it wasn’t executed or flat out wasn’t run.
Critical Sequence One
Midway through the second quarter, South Carolina had the ball in a third and medium situation. They were leading the game 14-13 and had an opportunity to extend the lead. A bad snap rolled past Spencer Rattler’s feet. Not only was the snap low, but Rattler was clearly not expecting the ball. The Gamecocks went with a repositioned offensive line that had Nick Gargiulo starting his first game at center in the garnet and black. Rattler fell on the ball and Gamecocks punted. On the ensuing drive, Florida punched it in for a touchdown and tacked on a two-point conversion. The wildcat quarterback pass from Trevor Etienne was a major play in the game as it put Florida ahead but a full seven points, 21-14.
Critical Sequence Two
Before the half, South Carolina once again squandered an offensive opportunity as Rattler was sacked on third down. Kai Kroeger, who was undoubtedly one of the best punters in the country last season, has been inconsistent this year. He shanked the punt and gave Florida a favorable field position. The Gators turned that into a field goal and took a 24-21 lead into halftime. This coaching staff has preached about details since the loss at Tennessee. Although Carolina won many critical statistical categories, the Gators were too much for the Gamecocks in most of the little things.
Critical Sequence Three
The most obvious critical moment came near the end of the game. South Carolina had an opportunity to run out the clock up 37-34. After failing to convert, Florida started their winning march from the Gamecocks 25-yard line. On that game-winning drive, Florida converted a fourth and ten on one of many impressive grabs for Ricky Pearsall. Then, a deep pass to Pearsall went off his hands and popped into the air. Pearsall was in the slot and running mate Eugene Wilson was running just outside of him. The ball was batted from Pearsall to Wilson almost in stride to advance the Gators 22 yards downfield. A holding call against Florida then set South Carolina up once again to get a game-clinching stop. However, Graham Mertz found Pearsall one more time for the game-winning touchdown with 47 seconds remaining.
Game Plan Succeeded, Execution Failed
Two Florida running backs have been successful all season. The Gators’ running game as a whole looked to be too much for the Gamecocks coming into this game. The primary defensive strategy had to be against the rushing attack. In fact, prior to the game, most said it would bode well for Carolina if Florida had to win this game on the arm of Mertz. That’s exactly what they did. South Carolina was able to contain the run for the most part as Florida only rushed for 71 yards and averaged just 2.2 yards per carry. But, and this is a big caveat, Mertz had the night of his life.
The Gators quarterback had a previous career high of 299 yards while playing at Wisconsin. He went for 423 and three touchdowns against the Gamecocks. Carolina’s defensive backs, who are often touted as the strength of the defense, were torched for a second straight home contest. Although Pearsall had ten catches for 166 yards and the game-winning score, he was not at all the only weapon for the Gators through the air. Eight different Florida players caught passes and four had over 50 yards receiving.
Big Night On Offense
Although it happened in a losing effort, many Gamecock offensive stars had standout nights as well. Rattler was, once again, electric. He was 23 of 30 for 313 yards and four touchdowns. He did have a late interception as well as the Gamecocks attempted to score in desperation. His accuracy and ability to find receivers open deep downfield were on display. Rattler had to move around frequently and improvise, which he is proven efficient at. He did well to move under pressure, make plays, and throw the ball away when necessary. Carolina only gave up two sacks.
Rattler’s favorite target, Xavier Legette, had another big night with five receptions for 110 yards. Most notably, in the face of intense pressure, Rattler just chunked the ball deep to Legette in a one-on-one situation. Legette soared over his defender and brought in the pass for a 46-yard gain inside the five-yard line. Joshua Simon got in on the action with a 33-yard touchdown reception. The talented tight end finally got an opportunity to showcase his advanced skills as a pass catcher. Freshman phenom, Nyck Harbor, also got lots of meaningful snaps and caught a long 45-yard pass from Rattler in the first half. Starting running back, Mario Anderson had an impressive catch and run. He showcased his athleticism, hurdling a defender at the goal line and scoring on a 20-yard pass from Rattler.
In the running game, Anderson got the majority of the work. He had 20 carries for 98 yards. Anderson looked like an SEC running back in this game. He has great forward lean and rarely loses yards. The offensive line for the Gamecocks had some shuffling mid-game due to an injury but managed to be serviceable and even open some gaping holes for Anderson at times. Beamer said that Anderson fought through a first-half ankle injury as well. South Carolina rushed for 152 yards as a team, averaging 4.2 yards per carry. This is a major improvement and a bright spot for the Gamecocks in the remainder of the season.
Moving Forward
The Gators were too much for the Gamecocks on Saturday afternoon, but will this loss be too much to overcome moving forward? South Carolina now sets out on a two-week road stand before returning home for the final four games of the season. While the four-game home stretch is promising, there is a realistic chance the Gamecocks will be 2-6 when they make there. Back-to-back road games to Missouri and Texas A&M will present a great challenge for South Carolina.
Beamer and staff will need to regroup quickly and get this Gamecocks team ready to play at Mizzou next weekend. The Tigers have plagued the Gamecocks in recent history, beating them in the last four matchups. South Carolina is at 2-4 halfway through in a season where many fans set the standard at eight wins. Carolina wants to keep the wheels from falling off and they have their work cut out for them.
