Orange crushed

Gamecocks post milestone victory over Volunteers

Published on 10/30/05

BY CHARLES BENNETT
The Post and Courier

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — South Carolina needed an unlikely turn of events to beat Tennessee, and the Gamecocks got just what they needed Saturday night at Neyland Stadium.

Josh Brown kicked a career-long 49-yard field goal with 2:45 to play and South Carolina ended more than a decade of frustration against Tennessee by beating the Vols 16-15 in front of a crowd of 107,716.

"I've got a new line," said South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier. "God is smiling on the Gamecocks. That was my line after close wins at Florida. But we had a lot of good fortune tonight. I'm really proud of our guys. Defense, offense, it was tough out there."

Brown, who had just missed earlier in the game from 53 yards, said he was confident when he went on the field to try to the game-winner.

"Coach Spurrier asked me before the game if I was ready to kick one to win the game," Brown said. "I told him I was. It was just like a good golf shot. I knew it was good when I hit it."

South Carolina (5-3, 3-3) still had to hold off the Vols, but the defense was up to the task. And when Rick Clausen's fourth-down pass sailed incomplete, South Carolina took over at the Tennessee 40-yard line with only 1:37 standing between the Gamecocks and their first victory over the Vols in Knoxville and their third in a series Tennessee leads 19-3-2.

"It was a lot of fun," Spurrier said. "It was a great win for all of South Carolina."

It was Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer's first loss to South Carolina after 12 consecutive victories.

"That was unacceptable," Fulmer said.

South Carolina (5-3, 3-3) trailed 15-13 after Tennessee's James Wilhoit kicked a 43-yard field goal with 7:39 to play to put the Vols (3-4, 2-4) ahead.

But Gamecocks quarterback Blake Mitchell drove South Carolina just close enough for Brown's field goal to clear the crossbar with a few feet to spare.

Prior to Wilhoit's field goal, South Carolina had

taken a 13-12 lead on a five-yard touchdown pass from Mitchell to Sidney Rice.

The Gamecocks trailed 12-7 at the half and were fortunate it wasn't worse after committing three turnovers on two fumbles and an interception.

None of the three turnovers led to points for Tennessee, and the Vols helped out even further by turning it over twice, on an interception and a fumble.

Johnathan Joseph's interception of a Rick Clausen pass set up the Gamecocks at the Tennessee 19, and on third and 10 from there, Mitchell passed to Rice for a touchdown that put South Carolina ahead 7-0 with 8:07 to play in the first quarter.

The Vols came right back to tie it by driving 72 yards on 12 plays with Arian Foster scoring on a 1-yard run.

Tennessee took the lead on a 38-yard field goal by Wilhoit with 14:16 to play.

Good special teams play helped set up another score for Tennessee when the Vols were able to down a Britton Colquitt punt at the South Carolina 2-yard line.

On third and eight from the 4, Jason Hall sacked Mitchell in the end zone for a safety to put the Vols ahead 12-10 with 6:08 to play in the half.

The Vols missed on a golden opportunity to put a little more distance between themselves and the Gamecocks.

Tennessee had recovered a fumbled punt by Kenny McKinley at the South Carolina 18, but on

third and one from the South

Carolina 9-yard line, Foster rushed just short of the goal line and

fumbled into the end zone while trying to stretch out for the touchdown.

South Carolina's Stoney Woodson recovered in the end zone for a touchback.

Charles Bennett can be reached at cbennett@postandcourier.com.

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