Sept. 22, 2007

Recap | Final Stats | Quotes | Photo Gallery

South Carolina Notes

• With today’s 28-16 loss, Carolina’s record falls to 3-1 for the year, including a 1-1 mark in SEC play.
• With his six-yard reception in the first quarter, junior wide receiver Kenny McKinley secured his 25th straight game with at least one catch. Entering Saturday’s contest, his mark was the eighth longest streak in the nation. McKinley caught six passes for 25 yards, also scoring the final Gamecock touchdown in the fourth quarter (1 yard from Chris Smelley), his third receiving touchdown of the season.
• With his blocked punt in the first quarter, freshman defensive end Cliff Matthews became the first Gamecock to block a punt since the 2000 season when Derek Watson was credited with a block against Florida (11/11/00).
• With his one-yard touchdown rush in the opening quarter, junior tailback Mike Davis scored his first touchdown of the season and 12th of his career. Davis finished the game with four yards on 10 rushes, and 3 receptions for a team-best 77 yards.
• The Carolina offense entered the red zone on three occasions against LSU, scoring on all three of those trips (two touchdowns; one field goal). For the season, the Gamecocks are a perfect 14-14 on trips to the red zone.
• Senior strong safety Chris Hampton entered today’s game against LSU with seven tackles on the season. He nearly matched his total for the year during the first half, compiling six tackles (3UA-3A) for the Gamecock defense. Hampton ended the contest with six tackles (3UA-3A).
• Chris Hampton also recorded his first interception of the season in the fourth quarter. The catch marked the third interception of his career.
• In his first kickoff return of the season, freshman wide receiver Chris Culliver returned an LSU kickoff 44 yards in the third quarter, marking the longest Carolina kick return this season.
• In his first appearance since the season opener against Louisiana-Lafayette, freshman quarterback Chris Smelley threw for a season high 174 yards against LSU, including a long pass of 45 yards to Mike Davis in the fourth quarter. Smelley also threw for a touchdown to wide out Kenny McKinley in the fourth quarter, his second touchdown pass of the season.
• Freshman tight end Weslye Saunders caught four passes for 32 yards against LSU, his first receiving yards since the season opener against Louisiana-Lafayette.
• Sophomore strong safety Emanuel Cook entered today’s contest with 10 tackles for the season. Cook better than doubled his season total against LSU, posting 11 tackles against the Tigers. He contributed five tackles in the first half (3UA-2A) and six tackles during the second half (3UA-3A).
• With his 23-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, junior Ryan Succop is now 5-for-6 on the season in field goal attempts and is 21-for-28 in his career.

LSU Notes

• LSU’s game captains were 6 Colt David, 16 Jacob Hester, 93 Tyson Jackson and 81 Mit Cole.
• LSU won the toss and deferred to the second half. South Carolina received the opening kickoff.
• Tigers extending their consecutive starts streak today were: CB Chevis Jackson (30), LB Ali Highsmith (18), LT Ciron Black (17), CB Jonathan Zenon (17), LG Herman Johnson (14) and DT Glenn Dorsey (12).
• First-time starters for LSU in today’s game: WR Demetrius Byrd.
• LSU has recorded at least one sack in 23 straight games after a first quarter sack by Kirtson Pittman and Tyson Jackson in today’s game. The last time LSU’s defense did not record a sack was against North Texas in 2005.
• LSU has converted 25 straight (including 3-3 today) red zone opportunities (17 TD, 8 FG) dating back to the second quarter of the 2007 Sugar Bowl vs. Notre Dame.
• South Carolina became the first team since Alabama (Nov. 11, 2006) to score a point on LSU in the first quarter in Tiger Stadium. South Carolina is also just the second team to score on the Tigers in the first quarter in Tiger Stadium under head coach Les Miles (17 games, 174-14 point differential).
• LSU has outscored it opponents 174-14 in the first quarter in the 17 home games under head coach Les Miles, including the 7-7 score today. South Carolina joined Alabama as the only teams to score on the Tigers in the first quarter during that stretch.
• LSU has outscored its opponents 185-23 over the last 16 quarters, including the 28-16 score today.
• LSU’s fake field with 1:10 left in the second quarter (Colt David 15-yard run) was the first fake field goal for a touchdown by the Tigers since holder Blain Bech scored on a 35-yard run at Florida on Oct. 12, 2002.
• Today’s attendance of 92,530 is the fourth largest in Tiger Stadium history.
• LSU extended several streaks tonight with the victory … The Tigers extended their overall winning streak to 11 games … LSU stretched its home winning streak to 16 games and five straight against teams ranked in the Top 25 … The 16 consecutive home wins are just one shy of the school record of 17 set between 1935-37 … The overall winning streak of 11 games ties for the third longest win streak in school history.
• The Tigers accumulated 290 rushing yards, which is the most by the team since posting 360 yards against Ole Miss on Nov. 20, 2004.
• In the four games this season, LSU opponents have only managed 107 yards on 118 carries.
• RB/WR/RS Trindon Holliday scored his first rushing touchdown of the season and the second of his career on a 33-yard run with 1:16 left in the first quarter.
• Holliday finished with six carries for a career-high 73 yards.
• PK Colt David’s four extra points today were the junior’s 113th, 114th, 115th and 116th of his career. He now trails LSU career PAT leader John Corbello (129 PATs) by 13 PATs.
• David scored the first touchdown of his career on a 15-yard run on a fake field with 1:10 left in the second quarter.
• TE Richard Dickson pulled down the first receiving touchdown of his career on a 1-yard pass from QB Matt Flynn with 12:13 left in the second quarter.
• Dickson’s four receptions today marked a career-high. His previous high was two catches twice before, including last week against Middle Tennessee.
• QB Matt Flynn tossed his third touchdown of the season and the 13th of his career on a 1-yard pass to TE Richard Dickson with 12:13 left in the second quarter.
• DT Al Woods recovered a fumble, the second of his career, with 11:34 left in the second quarter. The fumble was forced by S Craig Steltz.
• S Danny McCray recorded the third interception of his career and second of the season with a juggling catch with 3:45 left in the second quarter.
• McCray’s 11 total tackles today marks a career-high for the sophomore.
• RB Jacob Hester scored the 10th rushing touchdown of his career and the second of the season on a nine-yard run with 6:02 left in the third quarter.
• Hester tallied career-highs in both rushes (17) and rushing yards (88).
• CB Chevis Jackson collected his first interception of the season and the fourth of his career with a pick late in the third quarter.