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Oct. 23, 2010

Recap | Final Stats | AP Photo Gallery media-icon-photogallery.gif

  • Head Coach Steve Spurrier: Improves to 182-70-2 (.720) as a collegiate head coach, 40-30 in his fifth year at South Carolina. He improves to 16-2 all-time against Vanderbilt, including a 4-2 mark as the Gamecocks’ head coach.
  • Moving Up the Charts: Tonight was Steve Spurrier’s 70th game at South Carolina, tying him with Lou Holtz for fifth all-time in that category. He also won his 40th game as the Carolina head coach, becoming just the fourth head coach in school history to reach that mark, joining Rex Enright (64 wins), Jim Carlen (45) and Paul Dietzel (42).
  • Records: South Carolina improves to 5-2 overall, 3-2 in SEC play. Vanderbilt falls to 2-5, 1-3 in the SEC. The Gamecocks are now 16-4 all-time against the Commodores, including a 9-2 mark in games played in Nashville.
  • It’s Been a While: South Carolina snapped a seven-game losing streak in SEC road games, dating back to Oct. 11, 2008, when Carolina took a 24-17 victory over Kentucky. Carolina also won away from the friendly confines of Williams-Brice Stadium for the first time since the 2009 season-opener at NC State, a span of seven games (including neutral site games).
  • As a Ranked Team: The Gamecocks are 10-11 when ranked in the top 25 under Spurrier, improving to 4-2 this year. Carolina is 2-8 as a ranked squad in road games in the Spurrier era.
  • Opening Statement: South Carolina failed to score in the first quarter for the first time all season. So far this season, the Gamecocks have outscored their opponents 100-38 in the opening frame.
  • LB Rodney Paulk was suspended for the first half of tonight’s game because of a helmet-to-helmet hit in last week’s game at Kentucky.
  • South Carolina has led after three quarters in every game so far this season (led 14-7 after three periods tonight).
  • The announced crowd of 33,425 was the smallest crowd to witness a South Carolina game in 10 years and 2 days – Oct. 21, 2000 at Vanderbilt (33,369).

OFFENSIVE NOTES

  • For the first time in school history, the Gamecocks had a 100-yard rusher (RB Brian Maddox) and two 100-yard receivers (WR Tori Gurley, WR Alshon Jeffery). It is the second time this season for Carolina to have a 100-yard rusher and 100-yard receiver; Jeffery (103 receiving) and RB Marcus Lattimore (182 rushing) pulled off the feat against Georgia on Sept. 11.
  • RB Brian Maddox had a career night, rushing 24 times for 144 yards (both career highs) and a touchdown. Maddox’s previous career highs were 23 carries (at NC State, 2009) and 82 yards (vs. Florida, 2009).
  • WR Tori Gurley posted a career-high 13 catches for a career-best 109 yards and a touchdown. With 13 catches, he tied for the second-best game in that category in school history, falling one reception shy of the school record shared by Zola Davis (14 receptions vs. Vanderbilt, 10/24/98) and Kenny McKinley (14 vs. Tennessee, 10/27/07). His previous career high coming into tonight was four catches, which he had accomplished on six occasions. He racked up 100 receiving yards vs. Florida Atlantic last season for his previous career-best in that category.
  • WR Alshon Jeffery topped the 100-yard mark for the fifth time in seven games this season, racking up 155 yards on a caree-high nine receptions. now has 845 receiving yards this season and 1,608 for his career.
  • Jeffery now ranks 10th all-time at South Carolina with 1,608 receiving yards, passing Ira Hillary (1,566) for 10th on the all-time list.
  • QB Stephen Garcia tied a career-high with 31 completions (39 attempts) for 355 yards and two touchdowns. Garcia now has 5,375 career passing yards, inching closer to the school’s all-time top five.
  • RB Marcus Lattimore did not play for the first time this season, still nursing an ankle injury suffered in the Kentucky game. He did travel with the team and dress for the game, however.
  • South Carolina is 32-8 under Spurrier when rushing for 100 or more yards. The Gamecocks racked up 129 rushing yards tonight.
  • The Gamecocks’ 355 passing yards marked the fourth-highest total under Spurrier.
  • The Gamecocks’ 484 total yards marked a season high.

DEFENSIVE NOTES

  • Vanderbilt totaled just 70 yards in the second half as South Carolina’s defense dug in after allowing 180 yards in the first half. The Commodores had just 11 first downs in the game, tying for the second-fewest allowed by a Spurrier-coached Carolina team. Vandy had just three first downs in the second half.
  • The Gamecocks did not allow Vanderbilt to cross midfield until the Commodores’ final offensive play of the game, which resulted in a turnover on downs at the South Carolina 48.
  • DE Devin Taylor had 2.0 sacks and 3.0 tackles for loss, giving him 8.5 career sacks (6.5 this season) and 15.5 tackles for loss (10.0 this year).
  • DT Travian Robertson had a career-high 7 tackles in tonight’s game, including 1.0 tackles for loss.
  • SPUR Antonio Allen and LB Josh Dickerson each had six tackles, with Dickerson recording a tackle for loss and Allen notching a pass broken up.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES

  • Ace Sanders returned punts for the first time in his career in tonight’s game.
  • P Spencer Lanning punted seven times – a season high – for a 42.1-yard average, including a long punt of 48 yards and two inside the Vanderbilt 20.
  • Lanning attempted a field goal for the first time in four games (last attempt was vs. Furman), but the 26-yard attempt in the fourth quarter was blocked.

UP NEXT
The Gamecocks will return home for the first time in three weeks with another SEC Eastern Division showdown against the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday, Oct. 30, at Williams-Brice Stadium. Kickoff is set for 12:21 p.m. ET with the broadcast on the SEC Network.

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