Gamecocks and Cavaliers Meet in Belk Bowl
Kickoff Set for Saturday, December 29, at Noon
YOU ARE LOOKING LIVE: The South Carolina Gamecocks (7-5, 4-4 SEC) face the Virginia Cavaliers (7-5, 4-4 ACC) in the 2018 Belk Bowl in Charlotte, N.C.. on Saturday, December 29. Game time is set for noon ET at Bank of America Stadium (75,412) and the contest will be televised nationally on ABC.
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 608-578-44.
IT JUST MEANS MORE: South Carolina is in its 27th year in the Southeastern Conference, joining the league, along with Arkansas, prior to the 1992 campaign. The Gamecocks earned their lone SEC Eastern Division title in 2010. The Gamecocks are 94-121-1 (.438) all-time in SEC regular-season play, but are 39-33 (.542) in conference action since the start of the 2010 season.
GOING BOWLING: The 2018 Belk Bowl marks Carolina’s 23rd bowl appearance. The Gamecocks are 9-13 all-time in bowl games. They dropped their first eight bowl games, won three straight from 1995-2002, lost four of the next five but now have won five of their last six bowl appearances since the end of the 2011 season.
BOWL APPEARANCES: Here’s a look at the Gamecocks’ 22 previous bowl appearances:
Year Bowl Opponent Result
1946 Gator Wake Forest L, 14-26
1969 Peach West Virginia L, 3-14
1975 Tangerine Miami (Ohio) L, 7-20
1979 Hall of Fame Missouri L, 14-24
1980 Gator Pittsburgh L, 9-37
1984 Gator Oklahoma State L, 14-21
1987 Gator LSU L, 13-30
1988 Liberty Indiana L, 10-34
1995 Carquest West Virginia W, 24-21
2001 Outback Ohio State W, 24-7
2002 Outback Ohio State W, 31-28
2005 Independence Missouri L, 31-38
2006 Liberty Houston W, 44-36
2009 Outback Iowa L, 10-31
2010 Papajohns.com UConn L, 7-20
2010 Chick-fil-A Florida State L, 17-26
2012 Capital One Nebraska W, 30-13
2013 Outback Michigan W, 33-28
2014 Capital One Wisconsin W, 34-24
2014 Independence Miami (Fla.) W, 24-21
2016 Birmingham South Florida L, 39-46
2018 Outback Michigan W, 26-19
BOWL ELIGIBILITY: The Gamecocks are bowl-eligible for the 14th time in the last 15 years. They elected not to participate in a bowl game following a 6-5 season in 2004, did not receive a bowl bid following a 6-6 campaign in 2007, and did not qualify for a bowl following a 3-9 season in 2015. The Gamecocks are 6-5 in their 11 bowl games played in that stretch, including wins in five of their last six bowl appearances.
BELK BOWL: The Gamecocks are making their first appearance in the Belk Bowl. However, Carolina is a perfect 3-0 in games played at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. The Gamecocks have opened three seasons at BOA Stadium, defeating East Carolina, 56-27 in 2011, posting a 17-13 win over North Carolina to begin the 2015 season, then topping NC State, 35-28, to open the 2017 campaign.
OVER THE AIRWAVES: ABC will have the national television coverage for the Belk Bowl with Adam Amin handling the play-by-play, Anthony Becht providing analysis and Rocky Boiman working the sidelines. Additionally, ESPN Radio will be on hand with Taylor Zarzour and Matt Stinchcomb in the booth and Kris Budden on the sidelines.
ZARZOUR KNOWS: Taylor Zarzour will be calling his seventh Carolina game of 2018. The Gamecocks own a 5-1 record this season with Zarzour working behind the mic, with wins over Coastal Carolina, Vanderbilt, Missouri, Ole Miss and Akron and the lone loss coming to Texas A&M. However, all of the six previous contests came with him laboring on the television side.
GAMECOCKS AND CAVALIERS: The Gamecocks own a 21-12-1 all-time record against Virginia, including a 2-0 mark at neutral sites, in a series that dates back to 1912. Saying those two games were at “neutral” sites is a bit of a misnomer, as the 1952 game was played in Norfolk, while the 1956 contest was played in Richmond. The last meeting was a 31-7 Gamecock win in Columbia during the 2003 season.
THE LAST TIME THEY MET: Dondrial Pinkins completed a 99-yad touchdown pass to Troy Williamson midway through the second quarter to give the Gamecocks a 10-7 lead on their way to a 31-7 rout of No. 15 Virginia on September 6, 2003 in Columbia. Daccus Turman had a career-best 123 yards rushing on the day, as the Gamecock offense piled up 261 yards on the ground. The Carolina defense held Virginia to just 54 yards passing and 170 yards of total offense and forced a trio of turnovers.
CAROLINA VS. THE ACC: South Carolina is 10-6 in its last 16 games against teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference since the start of the 2009 season. Since that time they have faced Clemson (5-5), 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.
WHERE THERE’S A WILL: Will Muschamp becomes the first coach to take South Carolina to bowl games in each of his first three seasons. Steve Spurrier’s first three Carolina teams were bowl-eligible, but the 2007 squad did not receive a bowl bid following a 6-6 campaign.
MORE MUSCHAMP: South Carolina head coach Will Muschamp has surpassed Steve Spurrier’s record for most wins in his first three seasons as the Carolina head coach with 22. Coach Muschamp owns a 22-16 record, posting seasons of 6-7, 9-4 and 7-5. Coach Spurrier logged a 21-16 record in his first three seasons (2005-07), guiding the Gamecocks to records of 7-5, 8-5, and 6-6. 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.
NOT SEC WORTHY: The Gamecocks are 31-7 in their last 38 non-conference games. Carolina had its school-record 18-game non-conference winning streak snapped in the 2015 regular-season finale at Clemson. Five of those seven losses since the start of the 2011 season have come to Clemson, with the other two losses coming to The Citadel in 2015 and to USF in 2016. The Gamecocks are 3-1 against non-conference opponents this season, defeating Coastal Carolina, Chattanooga and Akron, while falling to second-ranked Clemson.
EIGHT IS NOT ENOUGH: The Gamecocks will be looking for their eighth win of the season, something that has been accomplished just 14 times previously in school history, eight of which have come in this century.
RARE AIR: The Gamecocks are looking for their 17th win over the last two seasons, something that has been accomplished just five times previously (2000-01, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14).
SENIOR SALUTE: South Carolina recognized 20 seniors during their Senior Day ceremonies including: Bryson Allen-Williams, Ben Asbury, Jacob August, Zack Bailey, Blake Camper, K.C. Crosby, Dennis Daley, Javion Duncan, Rashad Fenton, Danny Gordon, J.T. Ibe, Steven Montac, Keisean Nixon, Christian Pellage, Deebo Samuel, Michael Scarnecchia, Jason Senn, Donell Stanley, Eldridge Thompson and Malik Young.
IT’S RARELY EASY: The Gamecocks had a stretch earlier this season in which five-consecutive contests were decided by a total of 16 points. Carolina came out on top in three of those five games. The Gamecocks are 5-1 in games decided by three points or less in the three years 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.
TOUGH COMPETITION: The Gamecocks have five losses this season, all coming to teams that finished the season ranked in the top-20 of the CFP rankings. The losses came to No. 2 Clemson, No. 5 Georgia, No. 10 Florida, No. 14 Kentucky and No. 19 Texas A&M. The Gamecocks also defeated No. 23 Missouri.
IT DOESN’T GET EASIER: Next season the Gamecocks have seven teams that finished the 2018 season ranked among the nation’s top-25 according to the final College Football Playoff rankings. The slate includes dates with No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 Clemson, No. 5 Georgia, No. 10 Florida, No. 14 Kentucky, No. 19 Texas A&M and No. 23 Missouri. The schedule also includes Sun Belt Conference champion Appalachian State.
POST-SEASON ACCOLADES: The Gamecocks were represented on the Associated Press’s All-SEC team with Deebo Samuel as a first team all-purpose performer and a second-team wide receiver. Zack Bailey was a second team offensive guard by the AP. The SEC coaches named Samuel to their first-team unit at both all-purpose and return specialist, and made him a second-team selection at wide receiver. Bailey and punter Joseph Charlton also received second-team accolades by the league’s 14 coaches. Offensive lineman Dylan Wonnum and defensive back Jaycee Horn were selected to the SEC Coaches’ All-Freshman team.
WE’RE NOT DONE YET: Several Gamecocks accepted invitations to appear in postseason all-star games, including Dennis Daley and Deebo Samuel to the Senior Bowl and Zack Bailey and Keisean Nixon to the East-West Shrine Game.
UNUSUAL SCHEDULING: Due to Hurricane Florence which cancelled the Sept. 15 contest with Marshall, 2018 marked the first time since 1990 that Carolina did not finish its regular season against Clemson, but rather Akron in a game that was added in early November. After playing eight-consecutive SEC contests, the Gamecocks ended the 2018 regular season with three-straight non-conference tilts for the first time since joining the league prior to the 1992 season. The 2018 season also marked the Gamecocks’ first regular-season game in the month of December since 1987.
THAT’S A FIRST: The Gamecock offense rolled up 600 yards in back-to-back games for the first time in school history, going for 602 against Chattanooga before collecting 600 at Clemson.
A DANDY DOZEN: The Gamecocks have eclipsed the 600-yard mark a dozen times in school history, including twice in 2018. Here are those contests:
Rk. Date Opponent Rush Pass Total
1. 09/16/95 vs Louisiana Tech 270 409 679
2. 10/20/01 vs Vanderbilt 356 300 656
3. 10/14/95 at Mississippi State 162 490 652
4. 10/08/11 vs Kentucky 288 351 639
11/23/13 vs Coastal Carolina 352 287 639
6. 08/31/85 vs The Citadel 440 196 636
7. 09/18/93 vs Louisiana Tech 281 350 631
8. 10/13/90 vs East Carolina 415 211 626
9. 11/01/14 vs Tennessee 248 377 625
10. 11/22/75 vs Clemson 458 158 616
11. 11/17/18 vs Chattanooga 238 364 602
12. 11/24/18 at Clemson 90 510 600
CAROLINA 500: The Gamecocks had five games this season of 500 or more yards of offense for the first time in school history.
FAST STARTS: After struggling in the first quarter early in the season, the Gamecocks have hit a groove. 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 after the first period at Georgia. They followed that up with 14 first-quarter points at Florida, added 14 against Chattanooga, scored on their first drive at Clemson and had 14 first-quarter points vs. Akron. That’s 66 first-quarter points in the last five games (13.2 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 six games with nine completions of 50 or more yards in that stretch after having just two passes cover 50-plus yards in the first six contests. Deebo Samuel has been on the receiving end of four of the passes of 50-plus yards, while Bryan Edwards has three. The Gamecocks have set a school record for most passes of 70 yards or more with five. The previous high of three was accomplished three previous times: 1975 with Jeff Grantz at quarterback, 2003 with Dondrial Pinkins at QB, and 2014 with Dylan Thompson as the signal-caller.
50-Plus Yard Passes in 2018 (11)
Opponent Receiver Yds Note of Interest
Vanderbilt S. Smith 52
Kentucky Samuel 58
Tennessee Edwards 73
Ole Miss T. Williams 50 Longest for an RB
Ole Miss Edwards 75 Edwards’ career long
Florida Samuel 89 Samuel’s career long
Chattanooga S. Smith 53
Chattanooga Samuel 61
Clemson Pollard 67 Longest for a TE
Clemson Samuel 75
Akron Edwards 70
OUR QB IS A BENTLEY: Junior quarterback Jake Bentley has started 11 of 12 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 a 19-12 record as a starting signal-caller. For the season, he is 223-of-349 (63.9 percent) for 2,953 yards with 27 touchdowns and 12 picks. He ranks second in the SEC in passing yards per game at 268.5, third in total offense at 276.6 and fourth in pass efficiency (153.6).
SINGLE-SEASON SUCCESS: Jake Bentley has thrown 27 touchdown passes this season, second on the school’s all-time single-season list, two shy of Steve Taneyhill’s record of 29. He also ranks sixth in passing yards (2,953), seventh in completion percentage (63.9) and eighth in both pass attempts (349) and completions (223).
RISING UP: Jake Bentley continues his climb on the Carolina career charts. He ranks second in completion percentage (63.6), third in pass completions (593), third in passing touchdowns (54), fourth in passing yards (7,167), fourth in pass attempts (933) fourth in touchdowns responsible for (62) and fifth in total offense (7,327).
ANOTHER MILESTONE: Jake Bentley became just the fourth quarterback in school history to eclipse the 7,000-yard passing mark for his career. With 7,167 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 five games, tossing 16 TD passes while completing 67 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 5 111 166 4 1650 16 66.9 330.0
Totals 223 349 12 2953 27 63.9 268.5
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.
CAROLINA QUARTERBACKS:
2018 Career
Player C-A-I-Yds-TD C-A-I-Yds-TD
Jake Bentley 223-349-12-2953-27 593-933-28-7167-54
M. Scarnecchia 29-51-0-353-4 30-52-0-362-4
Jay Urich 1-1-0-9-0 1-1-0-9-0
D. Joyner 1-2-0-1-0 1-2-0-1-0
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 and each of whom has also missed time due to injury this season. The Gamecocks produced six 100-yard rushers this season, with Rico Dowdle accounting for three and Mon Denson for two. Carolina is averaging 4.6 yards per carry after averaging just 3.9 yards a year ago. The Gamecocks are 20-4 when rushing for 100 yards or more under Will Muschamp, including a 15-1 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 seven games this season, but was limited to just seven carries over a four-game stretch after suffering an ankle injury early in the Ole Miss contest. He is the squad’s leading rusher this season with 633 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 1,648 career yards, ranking 24th in school history.
• Ty’Son Williams started back-to-back games against Tennessee and Ole Miss, but did not play in the last four games after breaking a bone in his hand against the Rebels. Williams, who spent one year at North Carolina, had his best game of the season in the opener against Coastal, rushing 11 times for 82 yards and a touchdown. He is third on the squad in rushing with 319 yards, averages 4.8 yards per carry, and is tied for the team lead with 4 rushing TDs.
• A.J. Turner picked up the slack in Dowdle and Williams absence, 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, but did not have any carries in the final two contests while nursing a shoulder injury. He ranks 30th on Carolina’s all-time rushing list with 1,322 yards. He is averaging 6.4 yards per carry this season and is also one of the squad’s top special teams performers. With the numerous injuries on the defensive side of the ball, Turner saw brief action at Nickel against Akron.
• Mon Denson was slowed early in the season by a hamstring injury, but saw more action late in the season. 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. He had the bulk of the carries at Clemson, rushing 17 times for 62 yards, then went for a career-high 110 yards on 17 carries, including a 61-yard burst in the win over Akron. Prior to the breakout game at Ole Miss, he had just 66 yards this season and 218 in his career.
CAROLINA RUNNING BACKS:
2018 Career
Player Rush-Yards-TD Rush-Yards-TD
Rico Dowdle 117-633-4 316-1648-12
A.J. Turner 46-294-2 260-1322-8
Ty’Son Williams 66-319-3 180-847-4
Mon Denson 83-417-1 124-569-3
Deshaun Fenwick 21-115-1 21-115-1
Slade Carroll 4-46-0 4-46-0
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 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 Gamecock to rush for over 100 yards in his debut since Derek Watson in 1999.
1,000 YARDS AND COUNTING: The Gamecocks have had 44 career 1,000-yard rushers in school history, including the current duo of Rico Dowdle and A.J. Turner. Here’s where the duo rank on the all-time list:
No. PLAYER (YEARS) ATT. YARDS
1. George Rogers (1977-80) 954 5,204
——————————————————————-
21. Rob DeBoer (1990-93) 386 1,810
22. Connor Shaw (2010-13) 452 1,683
23. Spencer Clark (2976-79) 319 1,652
24. Rico Dowdle (2016-18) 316 1,648
25. Mike Dingle (1988-90) 389 1,634
26. Troy Hambrick (1996-98) 302 1,586
27. Jeff Grantz (1972-75) 405 1,577
28. Alex Hawkins (1956-58) 339 1,490
29. Kenny Miles (2009-12) 315 1,341
30. A.J. Turner (2016-18) 260 1,322
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. He has scored 28 career touchdowns (16 receiving, 7 rushing, 4 kickoff returns and 1 fumble return) moving into the school’s all-time top-10 list.
TOUCHDOWNS SCORED – CAREER
1. Marcus Lattimore (2010-12)………………………. 41
2. George Rogers (1977-80)…………………………… 33
Harold Green (1986-89)……………………………. 33
4. Brandon Bennett (1991-94)……………………….. 28
Cory Boyd (2003-07)……………………………….. 28
Deebo Samuel (2015-18)…………………………. 28
DEEBO IN 2018: Deebo Samuel has been the Gamecocks’ top receiver, catching 62 passes for 882 yards with 11 TD. He tied the school record with three-straight 100-yard receiving games, going for 120 yards including an 89-yarder at Florida, then 112 including a 61-yard scoring strike against Chattanooga, before having the best game of his career, a 10-catch, 210-yard, 3-touchdown effort at Clemson. His 5.2 receptions per game ranks fifth in the SEC, his 73.5 receiving yards per game ranks seventh, his 123.2 all-purpose yards ranks second, while his 24.8-yard kickoff return average ranks fourth. He also ranks seventh in the league averaging 6.5 points per game.
CONSECUTIVE 100-YARD GAMES
Sterling Sharpe (1987)……………………………………….. 3
Troy Williamson (2004)…………………………………….. 3
Sidney Rice (2005)……………………………………………. 3
Pharoh Cooper (2015)……………………………………….. 3
Deebo Samuel (2018)……………………………………….. 3
DEEBO DOES IT ALL: Deebo Samuel earned first-team All-SEC honors as an all-purpose performer, according to both the Associated Press and the Coaches. He also was a Coaches’ first-team selection as a return specialist. Both groups named him to the second-team unit at wide receiver.
BULLY FOR HIM: Deebo Samuel announced shortly after the regular season that he would not participate in the Belk Bowl, instead focusing on the upcoming NFL Draft.
NO SECOND FIDDLE: While Samuel has received many of the accolades, junior Bryan Edwards has better career numbers. Just a junior, Edwards already ranks among the top wide receivers in school history. He has three 100-yard receiving games this season (111 vs. Georgia, 109 at Ole Miss and 109 against Akron) and five in his career. He is second on the squad with 52 receptions, 809 receving yards and seven TDs and has caught a pass in every game in which he has appeared, second on the all-time list. He ranks eighth in the SEC with 67.4 receiving yards and 10th with 4.3 receptions per game. He also owns a 7.9-yard punt return average, good for eighth in the SEC.
TWO OF THE BEST EVER: Bryan Edwards eclipsed the 2,000-yard receiving mark for his career in the win over UTC. Deebo Samuel reached the same plateau at Clemson. The tandem rank seventh and 10th in school history with 2,192 and 2,076 yards, respectively. Edwards is fifth in school history with 160 career receptions, while Samuel ranks eighth with 148. Both have 16 career receiving touchdowns, which ties Bruce Ellington for ninth on the all-time list.
HE’S NOT SHY: Shi Smith is the third wideout for the Gamecocks. The sophomore has hauled in 39 passes for 597 yards this season, a team-best 15.3-yard average, with four touchdowns. He went for 119 yards and a score on five receptions vs. Vanderbilt, then caught a career-high nine passes for 109 yards and a score at Clemson.
CAROLINA WIDE RECEIVERS:
2018 Career
Player Rec-Yards-TD Rec-Yards-TD
Bryan Edwards 52-809-7 160-2192-16
Deebo Samuel 62-882-11 148-2076-16
Shi Smith 39-597-4 68-1003-7
OrTre Smith 3-25-0 33-351-3
Josh Vann 18-118-1 18-118-1
Chavis Dawkins 6-60-1 16-147-1
Randrecous Davis 2-23-1 12-123-1
Chad Terrell 0-0-0 3-20-0
Bailey Hart 1-11-0 1-11-0
NEXT MAN UP: 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 while Pollard had 94 yards and a score at Clemson.
CAROLINA TIGHT ENDS:
2018 Career
Player Rec-Yards-TD Rec-Yards-TD
K.C. Crosby 11-101-0 36-329-4
Jacob August 5-41-1 20-199-2
Kiel Pollard 15-181-2 17-203-2
Kyle Markway 3-53-1 6-110-1
Will Register 1-9-0 1-9-0
Evan Hinson 1-1-0 1-1-0
O-LINE EXPERIENCE: The Gamecocks front line boasts a wealth of experience with 131 combined starts. Senior left guard Zack Bailey owns the most starts on the team with 38 and was a second-team All-SEC performer. Fifth-year junior Donell Stanley moved to center this season where he was a Rimington Award candidate. He has made 25 career starts. Senior left tackle Dennis Daley, a former junior college transfer and a Senior Bowl invite, 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. He has started 22 of the last 23 games. Highly-regarded redshirt sophomore right guard Sadarius Hutcherson has made 16 starts, True freshman Dylan Wonnum has started each of the last six games at right tackle, replacing Blake Camper, who has made 10 starts. Wonnum earned a spot on the SEC All-Freshman squad. 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.
SACK FREE ZONE: The Carolina offense allowed just 20 sacks this season after surrendering 29 in 2017. It was the fewest sacks allowed in a season since 2003.
SAY IT AIN’T SO: Senior left guard Zack Bailey suffered a broken fibula against Akron in the final regular season game of his career and will miss the bowl game. Bailey had accepted an invitation to play in the East-West Shrine Game.
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. The younger Wonnum earned a spot on the SEC All-Freshman squad as selected by the league’s 14 coaches.
YOU WONNUM, WE GOT ‘EM: 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.
GETTING IN THE SACK: The Gamecocks have recorded 24 sacks, with Javon Kinlaw (4.5) and T.J. Brunson (4.0) leading the way.
SACKS 2018 CAREER
D.J. Wonnum 2.0 9.5
Bryson Allen-Williams 2.0 6.5
T.J. Brunson 4.0 6.0
Keir Thomas 1.5 5.5
Javon Kinlaw 4.5 4.5
Daniel Fennell 1.0 4.0
Brad Johnson 2.5 3.5
Aaron Sterling 1.0 3.0
Kobe Smith 1.5 1.5
Shameik Blackshear 1.0 1.0
Kingsley Enagbare 1.0 1.0
Jaycee Horn 1.0 1.0
Steven Montac 0.5 0.5
Rick Sandidge 0.5 0.5
Rashad Fenton 0.0 0.5
BRUNSON BRINGS IT: Junior linebacker T.J. Brunson is the Gamecocks’ top tackler. He leads the team with 94 tackles on the season, ranking ninth in the SEC. He has filled up the stat sheet 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 in 2017. He earned a spot on the AP’s All-Bowl team following his 13-tackle, two-sack performance in the Outback Bowl win.
B-A-W IS B-A-C-K: After missing much of last season following a season-ending shoulder injury, senior Bryson Allen-Williams came back better than ever. Listed as the starter at SAM linebacker, Allen-Williams has also put his hand in the dirt and give Carolina a solid rush off the edge. He has recorded 36 tackles, including a team-leading 10.0 tackles for loss, second on the squad, 2.0 sacks and a team-leading five quarterback hurries, despite suffering an ankle injury against Ole Miss and missing the final four games of the regular season. He had one of his best efforts against Missouri as he logged six tackles, all solo stops, including a career-high 3.0 tackles for loss and a sack, along with two quarterback hurries. He followed that up against Texas A&M with seven stops including 1.5 tackles for loss. Off the field, he is the Vice Chair of the SEC Football Leadership Council. With nearly two months off, Allen-Williams is
NEW FACES IN THE 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 played in the last three games. Jaycee Horn was not able to answer the bell in the final two regular season games after suffering an ankle injury on the first play of the Chattanooga game. True freshman R.J. Roderick and Israel Mukuamu, are now both seeing significant playing time in the secondary. Senior walk-on Jason Senn made his Gamecock debut on Senior Day against Chattanooga, 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 and was an SEC All-Freshman selection by the league’s coaches. Horn, the son of former NFL standout wide receiver Joe Horn, has 39 tackles with a team-high eight pass breakups in 10 games. 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, then had a team-high 10 stops at Clemson. He now has 51 tackles on the year, second among SEC freshmen, with 42 coming in the last five games.
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.
INTERCEPTIONS 2018 Career
Rashad Fenton 3 5
Bryson Allen-Williams 0 4
Jamyest Williams 1 3
Steven Montac 0 3
Keisean Nixon 0 2
Sherrod Greene 1 1
Israel Mukuamu 1 1
Nick Harvey 0 1
KICKING IT WITH PARKER: Redshirt sophomore Parker White has been successful on 58-of-61 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 45-for-46 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 71-for-72 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 43 punts this season for a 44.8-yard average, fifth in the SEC, with a long of 66. 24 of the 43 have been fair catches, with just two resulting in touchbacks, 13 traveling over 50 yards and 16 inside the 20. 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)……. 44.8 (43 for 1926)
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 44.0 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).. 44.0 (98 for 4316)
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 fifth in the SEC and 12th in the nation in net punting with a 41.00-yard average.
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 is the school’s all-time leader with a 29.0-yard kick return average. His 24.8-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) 42 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 will play the Belk Bowl without the services of several players, who are sidelined with injuries:
Javon Charleston – foot
Daniel Fennell – knee
Jovaughn Gwyn – foot
Tavyn Jackson – Forced to retire from football
Tyreek Johnson – knee
Caleb Kinlaw – knee
Javon Kinlaw – hip
OrTre Smith – kneecap
Aaron Sterling – ankle
Eldridge Thompson – shoulder
Jamyest Williams – shoulder
D.J. Wonnum – ankle
WORKING OVERTIME: The Gamecocks are 2-4 all-time in games decided in overtime.
Date Opponent W/L Score No. of OT
09/27/03 at Tennessee L 20-23 1
10/27/07 at Tennessee L 24-27 1
10/26/13 at Missouri W 27-24 2
11/01/14 vs Tennessee L 42-45 1
11/15/14 at Florida W 23-20 1
12/29/16 USF (Birmingham) L 39-46 1
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: A total of 20 Gamecock football players have their degrees in hand. Six student-athletes 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 11 players finished up their bachelor’s degree in December, including Zack Bailey, Dennis Daley, Javion Duncan, Daniel Fennell, Danny Gordon, Caleb Kinlaw, Steven Montac, Deebo Samuel, Donell Stanley, Eldridge Thompson and Ty’Son Williams.
GRADUATION SUCCESS RATE: The Gamecocks ranked eighth in the nation in the latest graduation success rate data. Carolina checked in with a 93 percent GSR, behind only Charlotte (100), Northwestern (99), Duke (96), Notre Dame (95), Stanford (95), Utah (95), and Vanderbilt (95).
GAMECOCK TIDBITS:
* 41 players made starts during the season, including 12 players who made their first career start.
* 14 true freshmen saw playing time.
* Quarterback Jake Bentley is the son of running backs coach Bobby Bentley. Jake’s brother, Chas Dodd, is a graduate assistant on Jeff Dillman’s strength & conditioning staff.
* Freshman Jaycee Horn is the son of former NFL wide receiver Joe Horn.
* Sophomore tight end Evan Hinson has spent the past two winters playing with Frank Martin’s South Carolina men’s basketball team.
* Senior linebacker Bryson Allen-Williams is the vice chair of the SEC Football Leadership Council.
UP NEXT: The 2019 Garnet & Black Spring Game has been set for Saturday, April 6 at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia.
