Entering the week on the outside of the AP Poll top-25 looking in, the South Carolina Gamecocks delivered a 28-7 statement win over the No. 24 ranked Vanderbilt Commodores in Week 11 of college football. Here are the highlight’s and what we learned from Saturday’s contest:
A slow start for the Gamecocks
South Carolina’s opening drive was 15 plays and over six-and-a-half minutes long; yet it didn’t result in any points. The Gamecocks drove 62 yards total, before kicker Alex Herrera missed a 42-yard field goal attempt, which has become a recurring problem this season. The only other excitement in the opening quarter was the teams trading fumbles. Both teams’ quarterbacks lost control when they were hit from their blind side by defenders.
Early in the second quarter, the Gamecocks got the scoring started with a 17-yard touchdown reception by tight end Joshua Simon. That was Simon’s team-leading fifth touchdown grab of the season.
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— Gamecock Football (@GamecockFB) November 9, 2024
After the two teams combined for another three punts, the halftime score was a dull 7-0 Carolina lead.
Second half scoring
The second half began in the complete opposite fashion. South Carolina’s offense came out firing, with two of the best offensive plays of the season. The first was wizardry from quarterback LaNorris Sellers, as he evaded a tackler at his own 3-yard line and heaved a bomb down the right sideline that Jared Brown somehow hauled in for 51 yards. Two plays later, Rocket Sanders tore through three levels of defenders for a 34-yard touchdown run, putting the Gamecocks up 14-0.
Will not be denied 🚀💪 https://t.co/gDVH2b0mON pic.twitter.com/beReorqmjN
— Gamecock Football (@GamecockFB) November 9, 2024
After being shut down offensively the entire night, Vanderbilt followed that up with their best drive of the day. The Commodores marched 75 yards and quarterback Diego Pavia capped it off with an illusive 17-yard touchdown run.
This guy 2️⃣#2Turnt | #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/zVReHlhWP8
— Vanderbilt Football (@VandyFootball) November 9, 2024
The South Carolina Gamecocks quickly extended the football game back to a two possession lead, with Rocket Sanders’ second touchdown in two drives. This time, he bounced to the outside and went untouched from one yard out, making it a 21-7 contest.
South Carolina’s defense continued to dominate by forcing back-to-back turnovers on downs. The Gamecocks made Vandy pay the second time with a third Sanders touchdown. This time, through the air with a 44-yard catch and run.
“Mr. Do-It-All” 💪 https://t.co/90VA4ALrY7 pic.twitter.com/gCfJMxOZPh
— Gamecock Football (@GamecockFB) November 10, 2024
Final score from Nashville: South Carolina 28, Vanderbilt 7.
South Carolina Game Takeaways
South Carolina has one of the best defenses in the country
In this game, the Gamecocks shut down the offense that led the Commodores to a top-25 ranking in the AP Poll. South Carolina’s defense will be put to the test, having to face Mizzou and Clemson in two out of their three final games. This defense has established itself as a group that makes big plays. This is the second week in a row where South Carolina’s defense has both recovered a fumble and stopped its opponent twice on fourth down.
Rocket Sanders’ career day
Sanders racked up 126 yards and two touchdowns in the running game. He added another 52 yards and a touchdown in the passing game, giving him a hat trick of touchdowns. Sanders has elevated the Gamecocks’ offense to new levels, with two running styles that work perfectly together.
First, his hardcore and gritty play allows him to shed tacklers and push the pile for extra yardage. He also has explosive play ability, turning on the jets as he enters into the secondary. When Sanders is completely healthy, it is very hard to stop him.
The offensive line has begun to gel
This is the second week in a row the front five haven’t allowed a sack (though Sellers was repeatedly forced to scramble last week by A&M). The Gamecocks’ offensive line are also communicating well and getting into the second level of the defense on running and screen plays, as evidenced by Rocket Sanders’ two long touchdown plays.
A big part of the reason why they are able to play so well is they have stayed healthy. Last season, the starting offensive line was almost never out there together. Yet this year, it’s been the same starting combination in every game played.
Converting third down
Having success on 9-of-12 third-down conversions will win you football games. The Gamecocks did a good job of setting themselves up for success by getting into a lot of short yardage situations on third down. At the same time, they also made some big plays to keep drives alive. The ability to convert third downs demonstrated the progress of the offensive unit and Sellers’ confidence in his passing abilities.
A serviceable Sellers
Sellers didn’t have his best game, but he was more than serviceable. He only threw six incompletions, going 14-of-20 for 238 yards and two touchdowns. It is worth noting that there was constant precipitation thought the game, which might have affected play-calling from offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains.
Bowl bound
This win puts the South Carolina Gamecocks at 6-3 (4-3), locking up a spot for postseason football. Additionally, the they have now moved into the AP Poll top-25, sitting at No. 23.
