Gamecocks Travel to Clemson for 7 pm Tilt Saturday

YOU ARE LOOKING LIVE: The University of South Carolina Gamecocks (6-4, 4-4 SEC) travel to Clemson, S.C. to renew their Palmetto State rivalry with the homestanding and second-ranked Clemson Tigers (11-0, 8-0 ACC) on Saturday, Nov. 24. Game time is set for 7 pm from Memorial Stadium (81,500). ESPN has the national telecast for this week’s game. Steve Levy will handle the play-by-play with Brian Griese serving as the analyst. Todd McShay will work the sidelines.
 
A HISTORY LESSON: 2018 marks the 125th season of intercollegiate football at South Carolina. It is the 112th-consecutive year in which Carolina has competed on the gridiron. The University did not field a team in either 1893 or 1906. Carolina owns an all-time record of 607-577-44.
 
BLACK JACK: Will Muschamp has tied Steve Spurrier‘s record for most wins in his first three seasons as the Carolina head coach with 21.  Coach Spurrier posted a 21-16 record in his first three seasons (2005-07), guiding the Gamecocks to records of 7-5, 8-5, and 6-6, while Coach Muschamp is currently 21-15 (6-7, 9-4, 6-4) with three games left on the slate. With a sixth win last week, Muschamp becomes the first coach in school history to take the team to bowl games in each of his first three seasons. Coach Spurrier’s third squad was bowl-eligible, but was not selected to play in a bowl game. Joe Morrison is the only coach to record 20 or more wins in his first three seasons at Carolina Morrison logged a 20-14 mark from 1983-85, going 5-6, 10-2, and 5-6.
 
CAROLINA VS. CLEMSON: This is the 116th meeting between these two Palmetto State schools in a series that dates back to 1896. The teams have met every year since 1909, making the Carolina-Clemson series the second-longest running consecutively played series in college football at 110-straight meetings, behind only Minnesota – Wisconsin. The Tigers hold a 69-42-4 lead in the all-time series, including an 18-10-1 mark in Clemson and a 51-32-3 advantage in Columbia. However, the Gamecocks have won five of the last nine and the teams have split the last 12 meetings.
 
THE PALMETTO SERIES: The winner of this week’s game will earn that school another point in the Certified SC Grown Palmetto Series between South Carolina and Clemson. Additionally, another point will be awarded today to the winner of the month-long Food Drive. The Gamecocks are a perfect 3-0 since the Palmetto Series begin in 2015-16. Carolina currently leads this year’s competition by a 4-3 margin.
 
THE LAST TIME THEY MET: Kelly Bryant threw two touchdown passes to Hunter Renfrow as No. 4/3 Clemson posted a 34-10 win over South Carolina on Nov. 25, 2017 in Columbia. Clemson never trailed in the contest, as they got on the board early with a 12-yard interception return for a score from Ryan Carter. The Tigers rolled up 469 yards of offense while limiting the Gamecocks to just 207.
 
THE LAST TIME THEY MET IN CLEMSON: Behind the passing of Deshaun Watson, No. 4/3 Clemson claimed a 56-7 victory over South Carolina on Nov. 26, 2016, in Clemson. The Tigers bolted out to a 21-0 lead in the first period and cruised to the victory. The Gamecocks were held to just 218 yards of offense, while the Tigers rolled up 622 yards in the win.
 
THE LAST GAMECOCK WIN: No. 10/9 South Carolina forced a half-dozen Clemson turnovers, turning three of them into touchdowns, as the Gamecocks won for the fifth-straight time over the No. 6/4 Tigers, 31-17 in Columbia on Nov. 30, 2013. The game was deadlocked at 17 heading into the final period, but Mike Davis scored on a two-yard run to cap a drive that took over six minutes off the clock, then Brandon Wilds scored on a 26-yard pass from Pharoh Cooper to seal the win. Connor Shaw posted 246 yards of total offense, including 94 on the ground, while All-American Kelcy Quarles led the defense with 2.5 sacks. Skai Moore had a fumble recovery and an interception in the contest.
 
COMBINED WINS: Carolina (6-4) and Clemson (11-0) enter this year’s contest with a combined 17 victories. The record for most combined wins in the series at the time the game was played is 19, set in 2012 and matched in 2013. The teams also combined for 18 wins in 2011 and 2017. Prior to this decade, the high was 16 combined wins.
 
CAROLINA VS. THE ACC: South Carolina is 10-5 in its last 15 games against teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference since the start of the 2009 season. Since that time they have faced Clemson (5-4), North Carolina (2-0), NC State (2-0), Miami (Fla.) (1-0), and Florida State (0-1). South Carolina was a member of the ACC from 1953-1970.
 
LOOKING FOR A SIGNATURE WIN: The Gamecocks will be playing their fifth ranked opponent of the season when they take on No. 2/2 Clemson. Carolina will be looking to knock off a ranked opponent for the first time since a 24-21 win over No. 18 Tennessee on Oct. 29, 2016. Since that time, the Gamecocks have dropped nine-straight games to ranked opponents, including four contests (No. 3 Georgia, No. 17 Kentucky, No. 22 Texas A&M and No. 19 Florida) in 2018.
 
BEATING THE BEST: Clemson enters the game as the nation’s second-ranked team, according to the Associated Press. A win over the Tigers would be considered the second-best victory and the top road win in Carolina history, based on the AP rankings. Five of Carolina’s top seven wins based on the AP rankings have come since 2009, including a win over top-ranked Alabama in 2010. Here are the top-10 wins in school history:
No.    Date               Opponent         AP Rank    Score
   1.    10/09/10        vs Alabama              1         35-21
   2.    10/24/81        at North Carolina    3         31-13
   3.    09/24/09        vs Ole Miss              4         16-10
   4.    10/06/12        vs Georgia               5           35-7
          10/26/13        at Missouri              5         27-24
   6.    09/24/88        vs Georgia               6         23-10
          09/13/14        vs Georgia               6         38-35
   8.    10/04/07        vs Kentucky             8         38-23
          11/21/87        vs Clemson              8           20-7
          11/14/53        at West Virginia      8         20-14
 
PLAYING THE BEST: South Carolina has played a top-5 ranked team in 12 of the past 13 seasons. That stretch is likely to continue into 2019, as the Gamecocks have Alabama, Georgia and Clemson on the schedule.
 
NOT SEC WORTHY: The Gamecocks are 30-6 in their last 36 non-conference games. Carolina had its school-record 18-game non-conference winning streak snapped in the 2015 regular-season finale at Clemson. The Gamecocks are 2-0 against non-conference opponents this season.
FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME: Due to Hurricane Florence which cancelled South Carolina’s Sept. 15 contest with Marshall, the Gamecocks have added Akron to their regular-season schedule, with the Zips visiting Williams-Brice Stadium next Saturday for a noon kick. It’s the first time since 1990 that Carolina’s final regular season game is not against the Clemson. After playing eight-consecutive SEC contests, the Gamecocks will end the 2018 regular season with three-straight non-conference tilts for the first time since joining the league prior to the 1992 season.
 
THE LAST TIME OUT: The Gamecocks rolled up an easy 49-9 rout of FCS Chattanooga last Saturday night in Columbia, their largest margin of victory under Coach Muschamp. Carolina posted several Will Muschamp Era leading superlatives on the offensive side of the ball:
CATEGORY…………………………. No…………….. Rank
Most Points……………………………. 49………………. T1st
Most Total Yards……………………. 602……………….. 1st
Most First Downs…………………… 33………………… 1st
Most Passing Yards…………………. 364………………. 2nd
Most Passing Completions……….. 29……………….. 3rd
Most Rushing Yards……………….. 238……………….. 4th
Most Pass Attempts…………………. 36……………… T5th
 
EVERYONE HAVE FUN TONIGHT:
• Jake Bentley had one of his best days as a Gamecock, completing 25-of-29 passes for 339 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. The four TD passes matched his career high.
• Deshaun Fenwick, a true freshman running back, made his collegiate debut in the second half against the Mocs and responded with 112 yards on 17 carries with a touchdown. He averaged 6.6 yards per carry with a long of 37 yards.
• Deebo Samuel hauled in five passes for 112 yards, including a 61-yard touchdown reception. It was his second-straight game with over 100 yards receiving.
• A.J. Turner carried eight times for 65 yards and a touchdown and caught three passes for 34 yards and two scores. It marked the first time that a Gamecock had scored three TDs in a game since Deebo Samuel accomplished the feat in the 2017 season opener against NC State.
 
IT’S RARELY EASY: Prior to the blowout win over Chattanooga, the Gamecocks previous five contests were decided by a total of 16 points with Carolina coming out on top in three of those five contests. The Gamecocks are 5-1 in games decided by three points or less under Will Muschamp, 12-5 in games decided by seven points or less and 14-6 in games decided by 10 points or less under Coach Muschamp.
 
FAST STARTS: After struggling in the first quarter early in the season, the Gamecocks have hit a groove of late. Carolina put up 17 first-quarter points at Ole Miss, the most points they have scored in the first quarter of a road game since 2009 when they had 17 on the board after the first period at Georgia. They followed that up with 14 first-quarter points at Florida, scoring touchdowns on each of their first two possessions, and added 14 more first-quarter points against Chattanooga last week. That’s 45 first-quarter points in the last three games (15.0 per game) after scoring just 44 first-quarter points in the season’s first seven contests (6.3 per game).
 
CHICKS DIG THE LONG BALL: Jake Bentley has connected on a bomb in each of the last four games with six completions of 50 or more yards in that stretch after having just two passes cover 50-plus yards in the first six contests. In the win over Tennessee, junior wide receiver Bryan Edwards was on the receiving end of a 73-yard completion from Bentley. At the time, it was the longest pass play for either player during their careers at Carolina and was the longest pass play for the Gamecocks since Perry Orth and Pharoh Cooper hooked up on a 78-yard completion against Vanderbilt in 2015. That lasted just one game however, as the duo teamed up again at Ole Miss with a 75-yard touchdown strike. Bentley went deep again at Florida, hooking up with Deebo Samuel on an 89-yard catch-and-run. It was the seventh-longest pass play in Carolina history and the longest that did not go for a touchdown. Last week against Chattanooga, Bentley had touchdown strikes of 53 yards to Shi Smith and 61 yards to Samuel. The Gamecocks have tied a season record for most passes of 70 yards or more, also throwing three of 70-plus yards in 1975 with Jeff Grantz at quarterback, in 2003 with Dondrial Pinkins at QB, and most recently in 2014 with Dylan Thompson as the signal-caller.
 
WIN THE TURNOVERS, WIN THE GAME: Carolina is 4-0 when winning the turnover margin this season and 2-3 when losing the turnover battle. For the season, the Gamecocks are minus-3 in turnovers, losing 14 while gaining 11. The -0.30 turnover margin per game ranks 10th in the SEC and 91st in the country. Last season, South Carolina was plus-11 in turnovers, gaining 28 while losing 17. Their 0.85 turnover margin ranked second in the SEC and 13th in the nation.
 
OUR QB IS A BENTLEY: Junior quarterback Jake Bentley has started nine games this season, missing the Missouri contest with a knee injury, which snapped a streak of 24-consecutive starts. The 6-4, 224-pounder from Opelika, Ala., owns an 18-11 record as a starting signal-caller. For the season, he is 177-of-272 (65.1 percent) for 2,244 yards with 19 TDs and nine INTs. He ranks fourth in the SEC in passing yards per game at 249.3 and fifth in total offense at 263.1. His 19 touchdown passes this season ranks seventh on the school’s all-time single-season list, 10 shy of Steve Taneyhill’s record of 29. On the Carolina career charts, he ranks second in completion percentage, fourth in pass completions, fourth in passing yards, fifth in passing touchdowns, fifth in pass attempts, and fifth in total offense.
 
ANOTHER MILESTONE: Jake Bentley became just the fourth quarterback in school history to eclipse the 6,000-yard passing mark for his career. With 6,458 passing yards, he trails only Todd Ellis (9,953), Steve Taneyhill (8,782) and Stephen Garcia (7,597) on Carolina’s all-time list.
 
BETTER OF LATE: Jake Bentley has been on fire over the last three games, tossing eight TD passes with just one INT while completing 73 percent of his attempts. Here’s a look at his season:
Games   Com   Att   Int   Yds.   TD   Com %  Avg. Yds
First 6     112   183    8    1303    11      61.2        217.2
Last 3      65     89     1     941      8       73.0        313.7
Totals     177   272    9    2244    19      65.1        249.3
 
A SCAR IS BORN: Fifth-year senior Michael Scarnecchia made the first start of his career against Missouri in place of an injured Bentley, and made it a memorable one. The 6-3, 216-pounder from Fleming Island, Fla., completed 20-of-35 passes for 249 yards and three touchdowns with no turnovers in the 37-35 win. He connected on touchdown passes of 5, 17 and 8 yards, and led the Gamecocks on a 9-play, 53-yard drive in just over a minute, setting up the game-winning field goal with just two seconds remaining in the contest.
 
BE LIKE MIKE: Prior to his heroics against Missouri, Michael Scarnecchia had seen limited duty in his career. He entered the season having appeared in just three games, completing his only pass attempt, a 9-yarder, back in 2015. He was 7-of-12 for 89 yards and a touchdown this season heading into the Missouri game. Scarnecchia, who earned a finance degree in May, was recognized as the 2017 Dr. Harris Pastides Outstanding Student-Athlete. He is on record naming Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller and Shakespeare as the three people he would most like to dine with.
 
RUSHING BY COMMITTEE: The Gamecocks feature a stable of four junior running backs, each of whom has led the team in rushing at various times this season. Carolina is averaging 4.6 yards per carry after averaging just 3.9 yards a year ago. The Gamecocks are 19-4 when rushing for 100 yards or more under Will Muschamp, including a 14-1 mark when eclipsing the 150-yard barrier. They have gone over the 200-yard mark twice this season, rushing for 224 against Tennessee, the second-highest mark against a Power-5 foe, and 238 against Chattanooga, the fourth-highest single-game mark under Coach Muschamp.
• Rico Dowdle has started six games this season, but has been limited to just three carries over the last three games after suffering an ankle injury at Ole Miss. He is the squad’s leading rusher with 498 yards and is tied for the team lead with four rushing touchdowns. He has gone over the 100-yard barrier three times this season (105 vs. Coastal, 112 at Vandy and 140 vs. Tennessee) and six times in his career, all Carolina wins. He has 1,513 career yards, ranking 27th in school history.
• Ty’Son Williams started back-to-back games against Tennessee and Ole Miss, but has not played in the last two games after breaking his hand against the Rebels. Williams had his best game of the season in the opener against Coastal, rushing 11 times for 82 yards and a touchdown. He is second on the squad in rushing with 319 yards, averages 4.8 yards per carry, and is tied for the team lead with 4 rushing touchdowns.
• A.J. Turner had picked up the slack in Dowdle and Williams absence over the last two games, rushing a dozen times for 81 yards at Florida, then collecting 65 yards on the ground and scoring three times (one rushing, two receiving) against UTC. He ranks 30th on Carolina’s all-time rushing list with 1,322 yards. He is averaging 6.4 yards per carry this season.
• Mon Denson was slowed early in the season by a hamstring injury, but has seen more action of late. He exploded at Ole Miss, carrying 12 times for a career-high 102 yards, including a 69-yard burst that set up the winning score, earning his first career start at Florida. Prior to the breakout game at Ole Miss, he had just 66 yards this season and 218 in his career.
 
WHO’S THE NEW GUY?: The plethora of injuries at the running back position, along with the new redshirt rule, gave true freshman Deshaun Fenwick an opportunity to see game action for the first time in his career last week against Chattanooga. He responded with 112 yards rushing on 17 carries, a 6.6-yard average, with a touchdown and a long of 37 yards, all in the second half. He became the first true freshman to rush for 100 yards in his debut since Derek Watson went for 118 against NC State in 1999.
 
SAMUEL IS KING: One of the most electrifying players in college football is 6-0, 210-pound senior Deebo Samuel. Samuel earned numerous preseason All-America and All-SEC accolades as a wide receiver, kick returner and all-purpose performer. In 2016, Samuel had 1,320 all-purpose yards and became one of just six Power 5 players in the past five years to record a passing, rushing, receiving and kickoff-return touchdown in the same season. He scored six TDs in three games a year ago before suffering a season-ending leg injury. He has scored 22 career touchdowns (11 receiving, 7 rushing and 4 kickoff returns). He needs two more touchdowns to move into the school’s all-time top-10 list.
 
DEEBO IN 2018: Deebo Samuel has been the Gamecocks’ top receiver this season, catching 48 passes for 639 yards with six touchdowns. He also has rushed eight times for 26 yards and has 20 kick returns for 505 yards. He has put together back-to-back 100-yard receiving games, going for 120 yards including an 89-yarder at Florida, then logging 112 receiving yards including a 61-yard scoring strike against Chattanooga. His 4.8 receptions per game ranks sixth in the SEC, his 63.9 receiving yards per game ranks 10th, his 117.0 all-purpose yards ranks third, while his 25.2-yard kickoff return average ranks fourth.
 
NO SECOND FIDDLE: While Samuel received much of the preseason accolades, and rightly so, junior Bryan Edwards has better career numbers. Just a junior, Edwards already ranks among the top wide receivers in school history. He has two 100-yard receiving games this season (111 vs. Georgia and 109 at Ole Miss) and four in his career. He is tied for the team lead with six TDs and has caught a pass in every game in which he has appeared, third on the all-time list. He ranks ninth the SEC with 65.9 receiving yards and 10th with 4.2 receptions per game. He also owns a 7.4-yard punt return average, ranking eighth.
 
TWO GRAND: Bryan Edwards eclipsed the 2,000-yard receiving mark for his career in the win over UTC. He became the 10th player in school history to accomplish that feat.
 
HE’S NOT SHY: Shi Smith is the third wideout for the Gamecocks. The sophomore has hauled in 30 passes for 488 yards this season, a team-best 16.3-yard average. He went for 119 yards and a score on five receptions vs. Vanderbilt this season.
 
REPLACING HAYDEN: The Carolina offense has four upperclassmen filling the tight end vacancy created when All-SEC performer Hayden Hurst went to the NFL as a first-round pick. Seniors K.C. Crosby and Jacob August, and juniors Kyle Markway and Kiel Pollard all play extensively. Crosby was limited this season after undergoing surgery on a fractured finger, Both August and Markway hauled in TD passes at Florida.
 
O-LINE EXPERIENCE: The Gamecocks front line boasts a wealth of experience with 121 combined starts. Senior left guard Zack Bailey owns the most starts on the team with 36 and has been given some preseason All-SEC recognition. Fifth-year junior Donell Stanley moved to center this season where he is a Rimington Award candidate. He has made 23 career starts. Senior left tackle Dennis Daley, a former junior college transfer, moved into the starting lineup early in the 2017 season and made 18-straight starts until that streak was snapped at Ole Miss due to an ankle injury. Highly-regarded redshirt sophomore right guard Sadarius Hutcherson has made 14 starts, True freshman Dylan Wonnum has started each of the last four games at right tackle, replacing Blake Camper, who has made 10 starts. Senior Malik Young, who replaced Daley at left tackle at Ole Miss, has made 14 career starts.
 
CLAP FOR THE WOLF, MAN: Offensive line coach Eric Wolford was nominated for the Frank Broyles Assistant Coach of the Year honors. Wolford’s front line has been the Gamecocks’ most consistent group all season.
 
THE YOUNGER WONNUM: True freshman Dylan Wonnum made his first career start against Tennessee and was recognized as the SEC Freshman of the Week. Wonnum became the first true freshman to start on the offensive line since Mike Matulis in 2011. With Dylan starting at right tackle and D.J. Wonnum starting at Buck, they became the first set of brothers to start for Carolina since the 2014 season when Gerald Dixon and Gerald Dixon Jr. were starters along the defensive line.
 
YOU WONNUM, WE GOT ‘EM: Junior Buck D.J. Wonnum was selected a team captain a year ago as a sophomore, and is the leader up front. Wonnum was voted the Gamecocks’ Most Productive Defensive Player in 2017 after logging 13.0 tackles for loss, including 6.0 sacks. He had three tackles, including a tackle for loss, in the season opener before leaving with a foot injury. The injury has kept him off the field until he returned to the lineup against Tennessee. He responded in that contest with three tackles including a pair of sacks, one of which sealed the victory in the waning minutes of the game, earning SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week accolades for the third time in his career.
 
THE BROTHERS WONNUM: When junior defensive end D.J. Wonnum was named the SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week and younger brother Dylan Wonnum was the SEC’s Freshman of the Week against Tennessee, it marked the first time in SEC history that brothers garnered Player-of-the-Week recognition in the same week.
 
THE LONG ARM OF KINLAW: Junior defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw is a force in the middle of the line. Down to around 305 pounds after coming in a year ago at about 340, Kinlaw has been credited with 33 tackles, He leads the team with two forced fumbles, is second with 3.5 sacks, and third with 9.0 tackles for loss. He was the SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week for his outstanding performance in the win at Vanderbilt.
 
BRUNSON BRINGS IT: Junior linebacker T.J. Brunson is the Gamecocks’ top tackler. He leads the team with 83 tackles on the season, ranking ninth in the SEC, including 48 solo stops. He has filled the stat line lately, collecting 14 tackles vs. Tennessee, logging 15 tackles with 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks at Ole Miss, then matching his career high with a season-best 16 stops at Florida including 3.0 tackles for loss with a pair of sacks. Brunson, who was the first player that Coach Muschamp recruited upon his hire, was second on the squad with 88 tackles a year ago. He earned a spot on the AP’s All-Bowl team following his 13-tackle, two-sack performance in the Outback Bowl win over Michigan.
 
YOUNG SECONDARY: The Gamecocks have been battered with injuries in the secondary. Seniors J.T. Ibe and Nick Harvey have not played for several weeks, while Jamyest Williams and Javon Charleston were injured in the Ole Miss game and are out for the season. Jaylin Dickerson, who missed all of last season with an injury, suffered a hamstring injury at Florida and did not play last week. Three true freshman, Jaycee Horn, R.J. Roderick and Israel Mukuamu, are now seeing significant playing time, although Horn left the UTC game after one play with an ankle injury. Redshirt senior walk-on Jason Senn made his Gamecock debut on Senior Day against the Mocs, playing extensively at safety.
 
FEELS LIKE THE FIRST TIME:  True freshman defensive back Jaycee Horn became just the seventh true freshman to start for the Gamecocks in the season opener since the 2009 season joining Stephon Gilmore (2009), Marcus Lattimore (2010), Jadeveon Clowney (2011), Bryson Allen-Williams (2014), Al Harris Jr. (2014) and Bryan Edwards (2016).
 
DON’T MESS WITH THE BULL: Jaycee Horn was recognized on the 247Sports midseason true freshman All-America team. Horn, the son of former NFL standout wide receiver Joe Horn, has 39 tackles with a team-high eight pass breakups. He was named the SEC Freshman of the Week for his efforts in the win over Mizzou when he was credited with four pass breakups. He also logged three tackles, including a key diving trip, forcing Damari Crockett to step out of bounds on the 11-yard line instead of taking it in for a touchdown. The Tigers ended up not scoring on that drive, which was a key turning point in the game.
 
SAFETY FIRST: True freshman safety R.J. Roderick stepped up in the Ole Miss win after injuries sidelined Jamyest Williams and Javon Charleston. He responded with 13 tackles after having just 11 through the first seven games. It was the most tackles for a freshman at South Carolina since James Seawright logged 17 in 1981 against Kentucky. He earned his first start at Florida and collected nine more tackles.
 
FENTON ISLAND: Senior cornerback Rashad Fenton has half of the team’s six interceptions this season, giving him five in his career, the most among active players. He had interceptions in three consecutive games, picking off Georgia’s Jake Fromm, Vanderbilt’s Kyle Shurmur and Kentucky’s Terry Wilson. He is tied for third in the SEC with his three picks.
 
KICKING IT WITH PARKER: Redshirt sophomore Parker White has been successful on 49-of-52 attempts this season, going 13-for-15 on field goal attempts (including a career-high tying 3-for-3 at Vanderbilt and vs. Missouri) and 36-for-37 on extra points. For his career, he is 27-of-40 (67.5 percent) on field goal attempts, including 21-of-23 (91.3 percent) from inside 40 yards, and 62-for-63 on extra points.
 
SEC RECOGNITION: Parker White earned co-SEC Special Teams Player of the Week accolades for his performance in the win over Missouri. The sophomore hit on all three of his field goal attempts, connecting from a season-long 42 yards on two occasions, and a 33-yard game-winner with just two seconds remaining. All three of his field goals came in the second half when the field conditions were soggy due to a rainstorm, and gave Carolina the lead (24-23, 34-32 and 37-35).
 
ICE ICE BABY: Parker White has three fourth-quarter game-winning field goals in his career, including two this season. He hit from 33-yards out in the final seconds to defeat Missouri and connected from 25 yards for the difference-maker with about six minutes remaining in the win over Tennessee. Last season, he connected from 31-yards out in the final seconds against Louisiana Tech to lift Carolina to victory.
 
 JOE’S GOT THE TOE: Junior Joseph Charlton handles the punting chores for the Gamecocks and is an All-SEC candidate. He has booted 34 punts this season for a 45.5-yard average, third in the SEC, with a long of 66. 21 of the 34 have been fair catches, with just one (his 66-yarder) resulting in a touchback, and 11 traveling over 50 yards. He was named the Ray Guy National Punter of the Week for his performance against Texas A&M when he punted six times for a 50.7-yard average.
 
RECORD PACE: Joseph Charlton is on pace for the Gamecocks’ single-season record for punting average. Here’s where he currently stands:
PUNTING AVERAGE
   1.   Joseph Charlton (2018)……. 45.5 (34 for 1548)
   2.   Daren Parker (1989)………….. 44.3 (49 for 2170)
        Sean Kelly (2015)………………. 44.3 (55 for 2434)
   4.   Spencer Lanning (2010)……… 44.1 (54 for 2383)
   5.   Ryan Succop (2006)…………… 43.7 (29 for 1267)
        Tom O’Connor (1985)………. 43.7 (52 for 2270)
 
THE G.O.A.T? Joseph Charlton owns a career punting average of 44.2 yards. He ranks atop the Carolina all-time punting average list for punters with at least 75 attempts.
PUNTING AVERAGE (Min. 75 Punts)
   1.   Joseph Charlton (2017-18).. 44.2 (89 for 3938)
   2.   Sean Kelly (2015-16)………… 43.3 (127 for 5496)
   3.   Spencer Lanning (2007-10).. 42.6 (171 for 7292)
   4.   Ryan Succop (2005-08)…….. 42.3   (85 for 3597)
   5.   Tom O’Connor (1984-85)… 41.8 (118 for 4934)
 
RAISING THE NET: The Gamecocks rank third in the SEC and sixth in the nation in net punting with a 41.97 average. Here are the leaders:
Rk.       Team                             Punts           Net Yds
  1.        Cincinnati                        52                44.08
  2.        Texas A&M                     42                43.95
  3.        Georgia State                    45                42.73
  4.        Georgia Tech                    27                42.70
  5.        Auburn                             49                42.00
  6.        South Carolina                35                41.97
 
DEEBO TO THE HOUSE: Deebo Samuel notched his fourth career kickoff return for a touchdown at Ole Miss. The 90-yard return extended his school record for kickoff returns for touchdowns and tied the SEC record. He finished with 178 yards on five returns, earning SEC Special Teams Player of the Week honors for the third time in his career. He is the school’s all-time leader with a 29.6-yard kick return average. His 25.2-yard average in 2018 ranks fourth in the SEC.
 
BEST IN THE BUSINESS: Deebo Samuel has tied the SEC career record with four kickoff returns for touchdowns. He has accomplished the feat while needing significantly fewer attempts than the other five players who are tied with four:
Player                  School                 Years             KOR
Deebo Samuel      S. Carolina       (2014-18)       39 att.
Evan Berry           Tennessee        (2014-17)        53 att.
Felix Jones            Arkansas          (2005-07)        62 att.
Willie Gault          Tennessee        (1979-82)        78 att.
Andre DuBose      Florida             (2009-14)        79 att.
Brandon Boykin   Georgia            (2008-11)      110 att.
 
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN: The Gamecocks have lost several players with regular season-ending injuries including:
Bryson Allen-Williams – ankle
Javon Charleston – foot
Jovaughn Gwyn – foot
Tavyn Jackson – Forced to retire from football
Tyreek Johnson – knee
Caleb Kinlaw – knee
OrTre Smith – kneecap
Eldridge Thompson – shoulder
Jamyest Williams – shoulder
 
HAPPY, HAPPY, JOY, JOY: Two former walk-ons, redshirt senior long snapper Ben Asbury and redshirt sophomore center Chandler Farrell, were rewarded for their hard work and dedication by being placed on scholarship prior to the 2018 season.
 
TOTING THE SHEEPSKIN: Six Gamecocks earned their undergraduate degree in May, including Bryson Allen-Williams, Ben Asbury, Jacob August, Javon Charleston, K.C. Crosby and Michael Scarnecchia. Malik Young earned his degree in August. Additionally, Nick Harvey (Texas A&M) and J.T. Ibe (Rice) joined the team as graduate transfers. Another 13 players are slated to finish up their bachelor’s degree in December, including Zack Bailey, Dennis Daley, Javion Duncan, Daniel Fennell, Danny Gordon, Caleb Kinlaw, Javon Kinlaw, Steven Montac, Christian Pellage, Deebo Samuel, Donell Stanley, Eldridge Thompson and Ty’Son Williams.