Oct 5, 2002

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By PETE IACOBELLI
AP Sports Writer

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Corey Jenkins threw for one touchdown and ran for another as South Carolina beat Mississippi State for the third straight time Saturday, 34-10.

The Gamecocks (4-2, 2-1 SEC) held the Bulldogs to 97 yards of offense in the first half and did enough after halftime to win their third straight game.

And just like last year, Mississippi State (1-4, 0-3) had no answer for Jenkins.

As a little-used backup quarterback in 2001, Jenkins rushed for 75 yards and led South Carolina to its decisive field-goal drive in a 16-14 win at Mississippi State.

Jenkins didn’t need any late-game surprises this time.

He had a 16-yard run as part of an 89-yard first-quarter drive that ended with Andrew Pinnock’s 1-yard touchdown.

The next possession, Jenkins ran into receiver Ryan Brewer right after the snap, stayed up, looked around and found wide-open tight end Hart Turner for a 26-yard touchdown.

Two series later, Jenkins stretched the ball across the goal line for a 3-yard touchdown to put the Gamecocks ahead 21-0. The touchdown was set up when safety DeAndre Eiland picked up a fumble by fullback Justin Griffith – the first of five Bulldog turnovers – and returned it 32 yards.

Jenkins, a 26-year-old player who was a former first-round pick by the Boston Red Sox, sat out most of the second half with a sprained left ankle. He finished 5-of-10 passing for 103 yards and also ran for 52 yards.

It has been a disappointing season for Mississippi State, whose only win came against Division I-AA Jacksonville State. The Bulldogs’ offense ranked 11th in the SEC entering the game, and their run defense ranked 100th in Division I-A.

Those problems continued at Williams-Brice Stadium. The Bulldogs went three-and-out on their first three series. They didn’t get a first down until 12:24 to go before halftime. And they allowed the Gamecocks 158 yards rushing by the end of the half.

Kevin Fant threw for 194 yards, but much of that came on back-to-back completions of 27 yards to Griffith and 54 yards to Terrell Grindle that set up the Bulldogs’ only touchdown.

The last blow came with 1:53 left, when the stadium’s public-address announcer let the remaining crowd know that Ole Miss, Mississippi State’s heated rival, had pulled off a 17-14 upset of Florida.