Oct. 3, 2015

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri broke open a close contest midway in the third quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run by Ish Witter and shut South Carolina out in the second half on the way to a 24-10 victory on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium. South Carolina drops to 2-3 and 0-3 in SEC play with Missouri now 4-1 and 1-1 in league play.

Gamecock wide receiver Pharoh Cooper caught 9 passes for 102 yards and moved up to 16th on the Gamecocks’ all-time career reception list with 97, two shy of Ace Sanders for 15th in school history. It was Cooper’s second 100-yard receiving game of the season and sixth of his career. Freshman quarterback Lorenzo Nunez tallied a career-high with 15 completions and finished 15-for-24 for 172 yards including a touchdown pass. Missouri quarterback Drew Lock was 21-for-28 for 136 passing yards with Witter carrying 17 yards for 98 years to lead the Tigers.

Both teams forced 3-and-outs to open the game. Missouri would then grab a 7-0 lead on their second possession as Lock led the Tigers down the field in an 11-play 51-yard drive capped by an 8-yard touchdown pass to Nate Brown.

Late in the first quarter South Carolina cut the deficit to 7-3 on a 34-yard field goal by Elliott Fry. The Gamecocks set up the field goal on a great catch down the sideline by Cooper on a 35-yard completion from Nunez to put the Gamecocks in scoring position.

Missouri would add a field goal early in the second quarter to extend their lead to 10-3 as Andrew Baggett kicked a 21-yard field goal with 13:42 remaining in the second quarter.

South Carolina answered with a 14-play 75-yard drive to tie the game at 10-10 capped by an 8-yard touchdown pass from Nunez to Shon Carson. Nunez went 4-for-4 on the drive and sophomore tailback David Williams came up with a key 16-yard run to convert a 4th down. After a targeting penalty on Missouri freshman defensive tackle Terry Beckner Jr. moved the Gamecocks inside the Missouri 10, the Gamecocks would score three plays later as Nunez’s pass was tipped by a Missouri defender into the hands of Carson, who scampered in for the Gamecock score.

Missouri regained the lead on their ensuing drive as Lock and Brown connected again for 9-yard pass as the Tigers went 11 plays, 65 yards in 4:32 to take a 17-10 lead.

Missouri defensive end Walter Brady picked off a Nunez pass midway in the third quarter to give the Tigers the ball on the Carolina 31-yardline. Seven plays later, the Tigers would score as tailback Ish Witter scored from 1 yard out giving Missouri a 24-10 advantage.

GAME CHANGER

Walter Brady’s third quarter interception led to a Missouri touchdown and increased the Tigers’ lead to 14 points.

KEY STAT

South Carolina was shut out in the second half after 10 points in the first half.

NOTABLES

Junior wide receiver Pharoh Cooper caught 9 passes for 102 yards and moved up to 16th on the Gamecocks’ all-time career reception list with 97, two shy of Ace Sanders for 15th in school history. It was Cooper’s second 100-yard receiving game of the season and sixth of his career.

Senior offensive tackle Brandon Shell made his 41st career start in a Gamecock uniform. That is tied for eighth-most by a Gamecock player in school history.

The Gamecocks finished with eight tackles for loss as a team including a pair of sacks.

Junior linebacker Skai Moore tallied 12 tackles tying his career-high. He also had 12 last year vs. Florida and 12 this year vs. Georgia.

UP NEXT

South Carolina returns home to host LSU at Williams-Brice Stadium. Kickoff is set for noon on ESPN.