Oct 12, 2002

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By CHRIS DUNCAN
AP Sports Writer

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Ryan Brewer scored on a 6-yard run with 7:54 left and South Carolina’s defense held off Kentucky in the closing minutes to preserve a 16-12 victory Saturday night.

Corey Jenkins went 7-of-15 for 199 yards and rushed for 49 yards for South Carolina (5-2, 3-1 Southeastern Conference), which won its fourth straight and beat Kentucky for the third consecutive time.

Jared Lorenzen went 22-of-37 for 194 yards and Artose Pinner rushed for 117 yards to lead Kentucky (4-2, 0-2), which has lost two in a row after starting 4-0.

Trailing 16-10 after Brewer’s touchdown run, the Wildcats drove to the South Carolina 7 with under three minutes left. Lorenzen threw two incomplete passes and Pinner had a 1-yard run to bring up fourth-and-goal.

Lorenzen tried to hit Aaron Boone in the end zone, but Boone fell down and the ball sailed over his head to end the threat with 1:28 remaining.

The Gamecocks couldn’t get a first down, and punter Tyeler Dean backed out of the end zone for a safety with 33 seconds left.

Kentucky QB Jared Lorenzen gets smacked in the face by USC defender Jason Capers after releasing a pass.

The Wildcats got the ball one more time and drove to the South Carolina 34. Lorenzen’s desperation pass into the end zone was batted down as time expired.

Kentucky went into South Carolina territory on all six of its first-half possessions, but led only 10-0 at halftime.

The Wildcats reached the South Carolina 15 early in the second quarter, but fullback Mike Kamphake fumbled. Kentucky had scored on 19 of 20 drives inside the opponents’ 20-yard line this season before the turnover.

Derek Abney returned a punt 44 yards to set up the Wildcats for their first scoring drive later in the second quarter. Pinner had a 24-yard run on the march and Lorenzen threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Tommy Cook over the middle with 3:14 left before halftime.

Taylor Begley kicked a 40-yard field goal with 13 seconds left for a 10-0 lead.

The Gamecocks were deep in their own territory early in the second half when Jenkins found Troy Williamson wide open behind the Kentucky defense. The 59-yard pass play led to Daniel Weaver’s 38-yard field goal with 9:44 left in the third quarter.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Michael Ages took a short pass from Jenkins and raced 57 yards to the Kentucky 30.

Three plays later, Jenkins fumbled inside the 5 on a scramble. The ball rolled into the end zone, where offensive tackle Watts Sanderson recovered for the tying touchdown.