October 20, 2001

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – Phil Petty was 13-for-21 for 208 yards and two touchdowns as South Carolina rolled up a school-record 656 yards in a 46-14 victory over Vanderbilt on Saturday night.

The No. 16 Gamecocks set the yardage record a week after scoring only seven points and gaining 272 yards in a loss at Arkansas.

South Carolina’s Brian Scott caught six passes for 143 yards, all in the first half. Andrew Pinnock and Derek Watson both ran for 105 yards and a touchdown.

Saturday’s win left South Carolina (6-1, 5-1) not only bowl eligible for a second year, but also controlling its own destiny in the crowded SEC East.

Greg Zolman was 7-for-20 for 126 yards for Vanderbilt, which was held to 194 yards of total offense. The Commodores slipped to 1-5 and 0-4 in the SEC, nearly guaranteeing a 19th-straight losing season.

Coach Lou Holtz promised junior quarterback Corey Jenkins would see more time. Jenkins threw for 74 yards and ran for 37 yards and a touchdown in three possessions for the Gamecocks.

Third-string freshman Dondrial Pinkins led the team on a 92-yard drive and threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Willis Ham once the blowout was on in the fourth quarter. Holtz even put in fourth-stringer Erik Kimrey before the game ended.

The Gamecocks scored on their first two drives to take a 14-0 lead. Petty threw a 41-yard TD pass to Scott, and Watson scored on an 8-yard run – capping a 14-play, 87-yard drive that included a fourth-and-2 conversion from the Vanderbilt 31.

South Carolina had a brief scare as the Commodores cut the lead to 19-14 after Zolman found tight end Tom Simone for a 19-yard touchdown pass following an interception by Harold Lercius.

But Watson took the ensuing kickoff and returned it 49 yards. Seven plays later, Andrew Pinnock ran 15 yards for a touchdown to put the Gamecocks up 26-14.

The rout was on. Petty threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Chavez Donnings, Jenkins added a 5-yard touchdown run and Ham caught a 10-yard touchdown pass to complete the scoring.