Gamecock Digest

South Carolina Defeats Missouri in a Back and Forth Affair

Alex Joyce

Nov 16, 2024; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Jared Brown (14) makes a 38-yard reception against the Missouri Tigers in the second quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images
Nov 16, 2024; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Jared Brown (14) makes a 38-yard reception against the Missouri Tigers in the second quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images / Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

A game featuring two AP top 25 teams lived up to the hype, as the #23 South Carolina Gamecocks took down the #24 Missouri Tigers in a close one. This is South Carolina's first win over the Tigers in the Shane Beamer era, and first since 2018.

It was all Gamecocks in the first half as they led Missouri 21-6 going into the locker room with seemingly all momentum on their side, but the Tigers showed fight in the second half.

Missouri would score on their first three drives of the half to take a 22-21 lead. The Tigers gashed the Gamecocks' defense with the run game, while South Carolina's offense had no answers. In a had to have it drive now down for the first time since the opening drive of the game, South Carolina needed answers. And they found them.

Gamecocks' QB LaNorris Sellers broke a would-be sack and found TE Brady Hunt for a big third down conversion. On the very next play, WR Dalevon Campbell catches a pass and makes three Tiger defenders miss on his way to a 47-yard completion. Sellers would find freshman TE Michael Smith two plays later for the score. After the two point conversion failed, South Carolina found themselves up 27-22 with under 4:00 remaining in the game. But the fireworks didn't stop there.

On the ensuing Tigers drive, Brady Cook finds star WR Luther Burden III for a 37-yard touchdown on fourth down. The two point try is good, which gave Missouri a 30-27 lead with just over a minute left in the game.

With 1:02 on the clock and all three timeouts, South Carolina needs a field goal to tie and a touchdown to win. Heading onto the field with the famous Rocky Balboa music ringing in the Stadium, the crowd was electric.

Needing a statement drive, the Gamecocks went down the field on plays and scored a touchdown with seconds remaining in the game. Star tailback Rocket Sanders would not be denied on a 15-yard touchdown run. The 34-30 score would effectively put this Mayor's Cup battle to rest.

With the crowd shouting U-S-C at the top of their lungs, this was another huge win in the 2024 season for the Gamecocks. With two games left against Wofford and Clemson, South Carolina has an opportunity to win nine games for the first time since the Spurrier era.

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Alex Joyce
ALEX JOYCE