Sept. 9, 2006

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GAME NOTES — SOUTH CAROLINA VS. GEORGIA — 9/9/06
South Carolina Game Notes

The first quarter interception by senior Fred Bennett was his second of the season and ninth of his career. Bennett had an interception in the season opener at Mississippi State. Chris Hampton recorded his second interception of the season in the second quarter. He had one in the season opener at Mississippi State.

Sophomore corner back Stoney Woodson got his first career interception and South Carolina’s third of the game in the third quarter. The Gamecock defense has five interceptions in two games.

The 46 yard first quarter field goal by Georgia kicker Brandon Coutou were the first points scored against South Carolina this season. It was the first of three Georgia field goals in the game. Cotou kicked a second 46 yard field goal on the final play of the half to give Georgia a 15-0 lead at intermission. He added a 42 yard three pointer in the fourth quarter.

Danny Ware scored the first touchdown of the season against South Carolina on a nine yard run with 10:05 remaining in the second quarter, capping an 11 play, 72 yard drive. It was the only touchdown surrendered by the South Carolina defense in the first two games of 2006.

Georgia scored a safety with 51 seconds remaining in the first half, the first safety allowed by South Carolina since Tennessee recorded a safety Oct. 29, 2005 in South Carolina’s 16-15 win at Knoxville.

The announced attendance of 82,513 was the 25th largest crowd in Williams Brice Stadium. There have been 31 crowds of 81,409 or more in Williams Brice. The largest was 85,000 for the Clemson game in 2001.

South Carolina drove to the Georgia one and two yard lines in the second half but failed to score. The first drive ended on a fourth down fumble at the one and the second on an incomplete pass.

Freshman quarterback Chris Smelley entered the game with just under 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. He completed six of nine passes for 54 yards and gained five yards for a first down on a keeper play in the drive that died at the Georgia two yard line. Smelley finished with seven completions in 11 attempts for 64 yards.

Blake Mitchell completed 16 of 22 passes for 156 yards before leaving the game with a hand contusion in the fourth quarter,

South Carolina in losing to Georgia 18-0 was shut out for the first time since Arkansas defeated the Gamecocks 23-0 Nov. 9, 2002 in Columbia. The Gamecocks had scored in 37 consecutive games. Georgia registered its first road shutout since 1982.

The last time Coach Steve Spurrier was shut out as a coach was at Duke in 1987 when the Blue Devils failed to score against Rutgers.

The 18-0 win was Georgia’s fifth consecutive over South Carolina and improved Georgia’s lead in the series to 44-13-2. South Carolina and Georgia first played each other in 1895.