Oct. 12, 2013

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GENERAL NOTES

• South Carolina defeated Arkansas 52-7, the largest margin of victory on the road in the Steve Spurrier era and the largest margin of victory on the road for the Gamecocks since a 68-point win at Charleston on October 26, 1912. The 52-point total is the highest point total by a Spurrier team on the road. The previous high in the Spurrier Era was when the Gamecocks scored 45 points in a 45-42 win at Georgia on September 10, 2011.
• Saturday’s attendance was 66,302 at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
• Captains for South Carolina were senior quarterback No. 14 Connor Shaw, senior cornerback No. 15 Jimmy Legree, senior offensive guard No. 67 Ronald Patrick and senior defensive end No. 90 Chaz Sutton.
• With the win, South Carolina is now 9-13 against Arkansas in the all-time series history. South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier is 7-5 against the Razorbacks as head coach in his career. It is South Carolina’s first victory at Arkansas since November 5, 2005 in a 14-10 win in Fayetteville. The victory also marks the third time in school history that South Carolina recorded back-to-back wins vs. the Razorbacks, the last time was 2004-05. South Carolina also had back-to-back wins from 1996-97.
• Ten players have started all six games this year: Junior offensive guard A.J. Cann, junior spur Sharrod Golightly, senior cornerback Jimmy Legree, senior offensive guard Ronald Patrick, sophomore linebacker Marcquis Roberts, junior offensive tackle Corey Robinson, senior quarterback Connor Shaw, sophomore offensive tackle Brandon Shell, junior defensive tackle J.T. Surratt and senior defensive end Chaz Sutton.

OFFENSIVE NOTES

• South Carolina totaled 537 yards of offense, the second highest of the season and the fourth highest of the Steve Spurrier era. South Carolina has registered over 400 total yards of offense in each game this year.
• South Carolina rushed for a season-high 277 yards besting the previous high of 228 vs. North Carolina on Aug. 29, 2013.
• South Carolina’s time of possession of 43:25 was the highest of the season. The previous high was 30:49 in the 28-25 win at UCF on September 28, 2013.
• South Carolina finished with 32 first downs, the most of the season and tying for the highest total in the Steve Spurrier era. The Gamecocks also had 32 first downs vs. Kentucky on October 8, 2011.
• South Carolina has scored on its opening possession in five of six games this year. Elliott Fry’s 33-yard field goal gave the Gamecocks three points with 7:14 remaining in the first quarter.
• Senior quarterback Connor Shaw has won 22 games as starting quarterback for South Carolina heading into this weekend. The school record is 24 set by Todd Ellis (1986-89). Shaw tallied three touchdown passes as well. He is fourth in career passing touchdowns at South Carolina with 42 and five shy of Stephen Garcia’s (2008-11) total of 47 that ranks third in school history.
• For the game, Shaw was 19-for-28 for 219 passing yards. Shaw has totaled 4,773 career passing yards, ninth best in school history. He is 123 yards shy of Bobby Fuller (1990-91) for eighth in South Carolina history and 143 yards shy of Tommy Suggs (1968-70) for seventh on the all-time list for the Gamecocks.
• Sophomore tailback Mike Davis recorded his fifth 100-yard rushing game of the season carrying 19 times for 129 yards. He tallied his ninth rushing touchdown of the season and moved into the top-10 for a single-season at South Carolina. He has at least one rushing touchdown in each game this year. The school record is 17 set in 2010 by Marcus Lattimore. Davis now has 111 carries for 742 yards on the year.
• South Carolina junior wide receiver Bruce Ellington caught six passes for 96 yards. Ellington now has 78 career receptions, tied for 21st highest in school history along with Danny Smith (1984-87). Ellington’s 53-yard reception in the second quarter was his longest reception of the season.
• South Carolina sophomore wide receiver Shamier Jeffery collected his first career reception in the second quarter. He finished the game with five receptions for 32 yards.
• South Carolina’s third quarter scoring drive of 15 plays and 79 yards for a time of possession of 9:29 is the second longest drive by time of possession in the Steve Spurrier era. The only longer scoring drive was 11:35 on October 29, 2011 at Tennessee.
• South Carolina sophomore wide receiver Kane Whitehurst now has two receptions for two touchdowns. Whitehurst tallied a 15-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter. His previous reception was a 29-yard touchdown reception vs. North Carolina on August 29, 2013.
• Freshman Pharoh Cooper had four carries for a career-high 45 yards. He also tallied his longest rush of his career, a carry for 33 yards in the fourth quarter.
• Freshman quarterback Brendan Nosovitch’s 7-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter marked his first career touchdown.

DEFENSIVE NOTES

• South Carolina limited the Razorbacks to just 248 total yards, the lowest yard total by an opponent this season as well as a season-low 30 passing yards by an opponent. Arkansas was just 4-for-13 for 30 yards in the air.
• Junior cornerback Victor Hampton’s first quarter interception was his second of the season and the fourth of his career.
• Freshman safety Chaz Elder had four tackles, tying a season-high that he set vs. Kentucky on October 5, 2013.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES

• Freshman placekicker Elliott Fry is now 6-for-6 in field goal attempts on the year for the Gamecocks. Fry connected on a 33-yard field goal attempt with 7:14 remaining in the first quarter.
• Freshman Pharoh Cooper registered the Gamecocks’ longest punt return of the season with a 36-yard return in the fourth quarter. The previous long was 13 yards by Victor Hampton vs. North Carolina on Aug. 29, 2013.