Gamecocks Host Clemson at Noon Saturday, Nov. 30

QUICKLY: The South Carolina Gamecocks (4-7) wrap up the 2019 regular season schedule when they host the No. 3/3 Clemson Tigers (11-0) on Saturday, Nov. 30. Game time is set for noon ET from Williams-Brice Stadium (80,250) in Columbia. ESPN will televise the game with Dave Pasch and Greg McElroy in the booth and Tom Luginbill working the sidelines. ESPN Radio has the national radio broadcast.
 
THE HISTORY: 2019 marks the 126th season of intercollegiate football at the University of South Carolina, dating back to 1892. It is the 113th-consecutive year in which South 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 612-586-44, a .510 winning percentage.
 
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY: The 2019 season marks the 50th anniversary of the 1969 South Carolina squad that won the Atlantic Coast Conference title with a perfect 6-0 mark under Paul Dietzel. That team was rewarded with a trip to the Peach Bowl. 2019 also marks the 25th anniversary of the 1994 South Carolina team that went 7-5 including the school’s first bowl victory – a 24-21 win over West Virginia in the Carquest Bowl.
 
LAST GAME OF THE DECADE: This will mark the final game of the decade for Gamecock Football, in what is easily the most successful decade in school history. The Gamecocks have posted a 78-50 record from 2010-19, a .609 winning percentage, their first decade over the .600 mark.
1892-99:   6-15-0     .286     1950-59:   54-41-2   .567
1900-09:   37-26-3   .583     1960-69:   37-59-5   .391
1910-19:   32-41-7   .444     1970-79:   56-55-2   .504
1920-29:   55-37-4   .594     1980-89:   63-49-3   .561
1930-39:   49-49-7   .500     1990-99:   41-67-3   .383
1940-49:   36-43-8   .460     2000-09:   68-54-0   .557
                                            2010-19:   78-50-0   .609
TOTAL: 1892-present:  612-586-44 .510
 
CAROLINA VS. CLEMSON: This is the 117th 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 111-straight meetings, behind only Minnesota – Wisconsin. The Tigers hold a 70-42-4 lead in the all-time series, including a 51-32-3 advantage in Columbia and a 19-10-1 mark in Clemson. However, the teams have split the last 10 meetings evenly.
 
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 4-0 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: South Carolina quarterback Jake Bentley had a career night, completing 32-of-50 passes for 510 yards and five touchdowns, all high-water marks for a Gamecock quarterback against the Tigers, but Clemson’s offense was too much in a 56-35 win for the nation’s second-ranked team on Nov. 24, 2018. Bentley threw touchdown passes of 9-, 67-, 75-, 32- and 20-yards in the contest, as the Gamecocks rolled up 600 yards of offense. The teams combined for 1,344 yards and 13 touchdowns.
 
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.
 
CLEMSON CONNECTION: Gamecock running back Tavien Feaster spent three seasons at Clemson before enjoying his senior season in Columbia. Gamecock tight end Nick Muse is the younger brother of Clemson safety Tanner Muse.
 
NUMBER 100: The Clemson game marks the 100th game as a head coach for Will Muschamp. He owns a 54-45 mark in eight seasons, four at Florida and four at South Carolina.
 
EXTRA PREP TIME: Each of South Carolina’s final four opponents had extra time to prepare for the Gamecocks. Vandy was coming off a bye week before dropping a 24-7 decision in Columbia on Nov. 2. After playing on Thursday, Oct. 31, App State had nine days to prepare for Carolina before posting a 20-15 win. Texas A&M also had a bye week before winning by a 30-6 count in College Station on Nov. 16. Both Carolina and Clemson have two weeks to get ready for this week’s contest.
 
THEY’RE NOT DONE YET: Wide receiver Bryan Edwards, defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw and defensive end D.J. Wonnum have accepted invitations to play in the Reese’s Senior Bowl on Jan. 25 in Mobile, Ala. Tavien Feaster has accepted an invitation to the East-West Shrine Game.
 
EVERY TIME OUT: The Gamecocks have had 10 players start every game this season, three on offense: Sadarius Hutcherson, Kyle Markway and Donell Stanley; and seven on defense: T.J. Brunson, Jaycee Horn, Ernest Jones, Javon Kinlaw, Israel Mukuamu, Kobe Smith, and D.J. Wonnum.
 
NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS: The Gamecocks are 32-10 in their last 42 non-conference games, with five of the 10 losses in that stretch coming against Clemson.
 
PROTECT THIS HOUSE: Carolina has won 31 of its last 35 home games against non-conference foes. The Gamecocks had won a school-record 22-straight home games against non-conference opponents before dropping the final two games of the 2015 regular season to The Citadel and Clemson.
 
BEATING THE BEST: The Gamecocks have a chance to defeat the third-ranked team in the country, according to the AP poll, for the second time this season. Their overtime win at Georgia matched the second-best win in school history, based on the AP rankings, topped only by the 2010 win over No. 1 Alabama. Six of Carolina’s top eight wins have come since 2009:
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
          10/12/19        at Georgia               3         20-17
   4.    09/24/09        vs Ole Miss              4         16-10
   5.    10/06/12        vs Georgia               5           35-7
          10/26/13        at Missouri              5         27-24
   7.    09/24/88        vs Georgia               6         23-10
          09/13/14        vs Georgia               6         38-35
   9.    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
 
TOUGHEST SLATE: The Gamecocks have four teams on their schedule that are currently ranked in the Associated Press’s top-10 in Clemson (3), Georgia (4), Alabama (5) and Florida (8). They have also faced No. 22 Appalachian State. Those five teams have combined for a 50-5 record. South Carolina’s Division I opponents have combined for an 82-39 record, a .678 winning percentage. Using the NCAA formula, the Gamecocks (81-41, .664) have faced the toughest schedule in the country, just ahead of Auburn (80-42, .656).
 
AMONG THE LEADERS: Several Gamecocks are listed in the SEC’s top-10 this week:
  Rushing Yds/Game – Tavien Feaster – 10th – 69.4
  Passing Avg/Game – Ryan Hilinski – 5th – 225.2
  Receptions/Game – Bryan Edwards -1st – 7.1
  Receiving Yds/Game – Bryan Edwards – 5th – 81.6
  Total Offense – Ryan Hilinski – 8th – 221.0
  Scoring (Kick) – Parker White – t7th – 6.9
  Kick Returns – Shi Smith – 3rd – 21.9
  Punting – Joseph Charlton -2nd – 48.0
  Field Goals – Parker White – t3rd – 1.55
  PAT Kicking Pct. – Parker White – t1st – 100.0
  Tackles – Ernest Jones – t5th – 8.0
  Sacks – Aaron Sterling – t6th – 6.0
  Sacks – Javon Kinlaw – t6th – 6.0
  Tackles for loss – Aaron Sterling – 5th – 10.0
  Tackles for loss – D.J. Wonnum – t6th – 9.5
  Passes Defended – Israel Mukuamu – t5th – 1.00
  Interceptions – Israel Mukuamu – t1st – 4
  Fumbles Recovered – Javon Kinlaw – t2nd – 2
 
BENTLEY IS IN THE GARAGE: Senior Jake Bentley triggered the offense from the middle of the 2016 season through the first game of the 2019 campaign. A 6-4, 220-pounder from Opelika, Ala., Bentley suffered a Lisfranc injury to his foot on the last play against North Carolina and is out for the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery during the second week of September. Bentley logged a 19-14 record as the starting signal-caller. He ranks near the top of many Carolina career statistical categories:
           Pass Attempts – 1,002 (4th)
           Pass Completions – 626 (3rd)
           Completion Percentage – 62.5 (2nd)
           Passing Yards – 7,527 (4th)
           Passing Touchdowns – 55 (3rd)
           Career Wins – 19 (6th)
           Touchdowns Responsible For – 63 (t3rd)
 
CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’: True freshman Ryan Hilinski has taken the starting quarterback reins. Like Bentley, Hilinski, a highly-touted 6-3, 230-pound signal-caller from California, comes from a quarterbacking family. His brother Kelly played QB at Columbia and Weber State, while his brother, the late Tyler Hilinski, was a quarterback at Washington State. Hilinski joined the team in January and went through spring drills. He made his debut against Charleston Southern by hitting his first 12 passes and finished the day 24-of-30 for 282 yards with a pair of touchdowns and an interception. He followed that up with a 36-for-57, 324-yard, two-touchdown performance against Alabama, earning SEC Freshman of the Week accolades. He recorded his second 300-yard passing game at Tennessee, completing 28-of-51 for 319 yards.  He logged his third 300-yard performance when he completed 30-of-57 passes for 325 yards against App State. The 57 passes and 325 yards were both career highs. He is 4-6 as a starter, connecting on 220-of-379 passes (58.0 pct.) for 2,252 yards with 11 TDs and four interceptions. His 225.2 passing yards per game is tops among SEC freshmen quarterbacks, fifth overall in the SEC and fifth among all freshmen quarterbacks in the country.
 
THE SIXTH MAN: When he got the call against Charleston Southern in week 2, Ryan Hilinski became just the sixth true freshman to start at quarterback for the Gamecocks since joining the SEC. Steve Taneyhill (1992), Mikal Goodman (1999), Lorenzo Nuñez (2015), Brandon McIlwain (2016) and Jake Bentley (2016) were the others. Here’s how they each fared in their first career start:
Quarterback   Opp.        W/L   C      A     I   Yds   TD
S. Taneyhill     Miss State  W      7     14     1   183      2
M. Goodman   Ole Miss     L       8     15     0   147      0
L. Nuñez          UCF          W    12     22     0   184      2
B. McIlwain     ECU          W    16     28     0   195      0
J. Bentley         UMass       W    17     26     0   201      2
R. Hilinski       Chas. So.    W    24     30     1   282      2
 
LEONIDAS APPROVES: True freshman Ryan Hilinski has already thrown for more than 300 yards in three games this season. Making just his second career start and his first against an FBS opponent, Hilinski completed 36-of-57 for 324 yards with two touchdowns against Alabama, earning SEC Freshman of the Week accolades. The 57 attempts were the second-most in a single-game in school history, topped only by the 58 that Steve Taneyhill threw against East Carolina in 1994, while the 36 completions ranks third in school history, topped only by Taneyhill on two occasions – 39 vs. ECU in ’94 and 38 vs. Mississippi State in 1995. Hilinski became just the second freshman in program history to throw for more than 300 yards against an SEC opponent, joining Todd Ellis, who threw for 342 yards against Georgia in 1986. Hilinski then completed 28-of-51 passes for 319 yards at Tennessee, becoming the first Carolina true freshman to throw for over 300 yards twice. He set a career high with a 325-yard effort on 32-of-57 passing against Appalachian State. Todd Ellis had three 300-yard passing games as a redshirt freshman in 1986.
 
300-YARD PASSING GAMES – CAREER
      QUARTERBACK    YEARS        STARTS     300+
  1.  Todd Ellis…………… 1985-89……….. 43……….. 10
  2.  Steve Taneyhill…….. 1992-95……….. 40………… 8
  3.  Stephen Garcia…….. 2007-11……….. 34………… 6
  4.  Jake Bentley…………. 2016-19……….. 33………… 5
      Blake Mitchell……… 2003-07……….. 23………… 5
      Dylan Thompson…. 2010-14……….. 16………… 5
  7.  Ryan Hilinski……….. 2019…………. 10………… 3
      Connor Shaw………. 2010-13……….. 32………… 3
      Tommy Suggs……… 1967-70……… N/A……….. 3
 
PASS ATTEMPTS – GAME
  1.  Steve Taneyhill vs. East Carolina (10/8/94)……. 58
  2.  Ryan Hilinski vs. Alabama (9/14/19)………….. 57
      Ryan Hilinski vs. Appalachian St. (11/9/19)… 57
  3.  Todd Ellis vs. Virginia Tech (10/8/88)………….. 53
      Stephen Garcia at Georgia (9/12/09)…………….. 53
  5.  4 players tied, last: Hilinski at Tenn. (10/26/19)… 51
 
PASS COMPLETIONS – GAME
  1.  Steve Taneyhill vs. East Carolina (10/8/94)……. 39
  2.  Steve Taneyhill vs. Mississippi St. (10/14/95)…. 38
  3.  Ryan Hilinski vs. Alabama (9/14/19)………….. 36
 
PROTECT THE BALL: Between throwing pick-sixes at Missouri and again versus Appalachian State, Ryan Hilinski threw a school record 180 passes without an interception, breaking the previous record of 177, held by Connor Shaw.
SOUTH CAROLINA CONSECUTIVE PASSES WITHOUT AN INT
  1.     Ryan Hilinski (2019)……………………………. 180
  2.     Connor Shaw (2012-13)………………………… 177
  3.     Steve Taneyhill (1995)…………………………… 163
 
FRESHMAN RECORDS: Ryan Hilinski holds the school record for a true freshman quarterback in pass completions (220), pass attempts (379), yards passing (2,252) and touchdowns thrown (11). His pass completion and attempt numbers are the highest for any freshman quarterback at Carolina, true or redshirt.
 
DO IT ALL DAKEREON: Redshirt freshman Dakereon Joyner began the season as the number 3 quarterback, moved to wide receiver, returned to quarterback on a full-time basis and is now splitting time between QB and WR. Joyner saw his first extended action at quarterback at Missouri, completing 6-of-11 passes for 89 yards. He was not available for the Kentucky game with a hamstring injury, then, despite not being 100 percent, was forced into second-half action at Georgia after Hilinski was injured. He was 6-for-12 in that contest for 39 yards and rushed six times for 28 yards. He sat out the next two games while continuing to allow the hamstring to heal, before returning against Vanderbilt. He played both quarterback and wide receiver against both App State and Texas A&M. For the season, he is 16-of-28 for 168 yards, has rushed 29 times for 107 yards and a touchdown, and has six receptions for 46 yards.
 
TAILBACK BY AVAILABILITY: Running backs coach Thomas Brown has had a trio of senior running backs at his disposal in Rico Dowdle, graduate transfer Tavien Feaster and Mon Denson but, due to various injuries, has also dipped into the deep stable to use a pair of freshmen in Deshaun Fenwick and Kevin Harris.
 
FIVE TOP 100: The Gamecocks have had five running backs reach the 100-yard mark this season, with Rico Dowdle and Tavien Feaster both eclipsing the mark twice, and Mon Denson, Kevin Harris and Deshaun Fenwick each doing so once. South Carolina is one of only three schools in the country to have five different 100-yard rushers in a game this season, joining Georgia Southern (6) and Houston (5).
 
DOWDLE DOES IT: Rico Dowdle (6-0, 215) has started nine of 11 games, missing a pair of games with knee injury. He has rushed 99 times for 478 yards and four scores. He has two 100-yard rushing games in 2019 (Alabama and Kentucky), and eight in his career. He owns 2,147 career rushing yards, 15th on the school’s all-time list. He has scored 16 rushing TDs (three shy of breaking into the school’s top 10) in 38 games including 27 starts.
 
FEASTER STEPS IN: Tavien Feaster (6-0, 221) leads the team with 112 carries, 625 rushing yards and five touchdowns. He has a pair of 100-yard rushing games this season, going for 107 in the win over Kentucky and for a career-high 175 yards on 25 carries against Florida. He has sat out the last two games with a groin injury. Feaster, who played at Clemson in each of the previous three seasons, has rushed 334 times for 1,955 yards with 20 touchdowns over 50 career games including 14 starts.
 
NO FAMINE FOR FEASTER: When starting running back Rico Dowdle left the Florida game with a knee injury after just one carry, senior Tavien Feaster stepped in and put together the best game of his career, rushing 25 times for 175 yards and a touchdown. It was the most rushing yards for a Gamecock since Dowdle logged 226 yards against Western Carolina in 2016 and the most for a Carolina running back against an SEC opponent since Mike Davis went for 183 against Kentucky in 2014. Here are the top rushing performances by Carolina running backs against SEC defenses:
Date           Name                        Opponent     Yards
11/13/10    Marcus Lattimore      Florida              212
10/12/96    Duce Staley               Kentucky          193
10/30/10    Marcus Lattimore      Tennessee         184
10/04/14    Mike Davis                Kentucky          183
09/11/10    Marcus Lattimore      Georgia             176
10/19/19    Tavien Feaster          Florida             175
 
HE’S THE MON: Mon Denson (5-10, 215) has carried the ball in five games this season, including nine times for a career-high 118 yards against Charleston Southern, highlighted by a 57-yard touchdown burst, his third-career 100-yard rushing game. For the season, he is averaging 5.9 yards per carry, rushing 39 times for 232 yards. He has seven rushing touchdowns in 31 games including a pair of starts. He has not played the last two weeks due to a neck stinger.
 
DESHAUN DE MAN: Redshirt freshman Deshaun Fenwick had not had a carry all season and had not seen the field since the season opener against North Carolina when his number was called against Vanderbilt in game 9. He responded with an 18-carry, 102-yard performance in the 24-7 win. The situation was not completely unfamiliar for Fenwick, as he watched the first nine games of the 2018 season from the bench before making his collegiate debut against Chattanooga, and responded with a 17-carry, 112-yard effort in that contest. He has carried 22 times for 111 yards this season and 43 times for 226 yards in six games in his career.
 
WHO’S THE NEW GUY? True freshman Kevin Harris made his Gamecock debut a memorable one against Charleston Southern. He rushed six times for 147 yards with three touchdowns. The three rushing TDs tied the school record and he became the first true freshman to score three rushing touchdowns since Marcus Lattimore in 2010. Harris scored from 1-, 45- and 75-yards out. He became the third true freshman to rush for 100 yards in his debut in the last 20 years, joining Derek Watson (118 vs. NC State in 1999) and Deshaun Fenwick (112 vs. Chattanooga in 2018). Harris was sidelined with a sports hernia for what was originally thought to be a season-ender, but has made a speedy recovery and returned to the active roster, logging 10 carries for 20 yards and a touchdown against Vanderbilt. Harris is averaging 8.9 yards per carry in his limited duty.
 
THIS GUY IS ON FIRE: Senior wide receiver Bryan Edwards is having a tremendous final campaign, as he continues to make his mark among the top wide receivers in school history. He has caught a pass in all 48 games in which he has appeared in his career, surpassing Kenny McKinley’s mark of 43 for a school record. He is the school record holder with 234 career receptions, breaking McKinley’s mark of 207, and in career receiving yards with 3,045, breaking Alshon Jeffery’s mark of 3,042. Edwards owns 22 career TD receptions, third on the school’s all-time list, just one behind Sidney Rice and Jeffery’s mark of 23. He has eight career 100-yard receiving games, including three this season.
 
MR. CONSISTENT: After being limited to just one catch for seven yards against North Carolina, Edwards has been “Mr. Consistent,” catching at least five passes in every game since in which he has appeared, while putting together consecutive games of 5 catches, 112 yards vs Charleston Southern, 9-for-79 vs. Alabama, 6-for-113 at Mizzou, 6-for-37 vs. Kentucky, 6-for-78 yards at Georgia, 7-for-78 vs. Florida, 8-for-83 at Tennessee, a career-best 14-for-139 against Vanderbilt, and a 9-for-90 effort against App State. He sat out the Texas A&M game with a knee injury and had arthroscopic surgery last week to repair a meniscus. He leads the SEC in receptions per game (7.1) and is fifth in receiving yards per game (81.6).
 
SOUTH CAROLINA RECEPTIONS – SEASON
  1.  Alshon Jeffery (2010)………………………………….. 88
  2.  Kenny McKinley (2007)……………………………… 77
  3.  Sterling Sharpe (1986)………………………………… 74
  4.  Sidney Rice (2006)…………………………………….. 72
  5.  Bryan Edwards (2019)………………………………. 71
 
TAKING AIM ON THE SEC: Bryan Edwards is also among the SEC all-time receivers. He is tied for third in career receptions with A&M’s Christian Kirk and is fourth in career receiving yards.
 
AND NATIONALLY: Bryan Edwards ranks first among all current Power 5 receivers with 234 receptions and is third among active Division I players, trailing only James Proche of SMU and Ty Lee of Middle Tennessee State. He also is first among Power 5 receivers in receiving yards and is third among active Division I players, trailing only Proche and Liberty’s Antonio Gandy-Golden.
 
SECOND FIDDLE: Junior Shi Smith (5-10, 190) is the Gamecocks’ No. 2 receiver. Smith had the best game of his career at Tennessee, catching 11 passes (tying for the 10th-best single game total in school history) for 156 yards (the most by a Gamecock this season), including a career-long 75-yard TD reception. He is second on the team with 38 catches for 449 yards, despite sitting out a pair of games with a hamstring injury.
 
OTHERS IN THE MIX: The Gamecocks have used a slew of other wide receivers this season, as OrTre Smith has been limited while coming back from a knee injury, Chavis Dawkins has been slowed with a hamstring injury and Josh Vann is out for the rest of the season with a broken hand. True freshman Xavier Legette has started each of the last three games and has responded with eight catches in those three contests, including his first career touchdown. Chad Terrell had the best game of his career at Texas A&M with three catches for 45 yards. Walk-on Trey Adkins has worked his way into the rotation over the last two games.
 
REVAMPED TIGHT ENDS: Bobby Bentley took over as the tight ends coach and came into a room that had just seven career Division I receptions entering the 2019 campaign. He lost K.C. Crosby and Jacob August to graduation, then lost Kiel Pollard to a career-ending medical situation during fall camp, while Evan Hinson elected to pursue a basketball career at Austin Peay.
 
MARKWAY A MARKED MAN: Fifth-year junior Kyle Markway (6-4, 250) is having a career year. Markway is third on the team with 28 catches for 310 yards and two TDs on the season after having just six catches coming into 2019. He had a career-high four receptions against Charleston Southern, then topped that with five catches for 46 yards against Alabama and five for 43 vs. App State before recording the best game of his career at Texas A&M with five catches for 47 yards.
 
MUSE NICKED UP: Junior Nick Muse (6-3, 232), a transfer from William & Mary and the brother of Clemson safety Tanner Muse, got a waiver for immediate eligibility a day prior to the CSU game. He made an immediate impact with two catches for 22 yards in that contest and had four catches for 21 yards against Alabama. He had a career-high 31 receiving yards at Georgia and matched his career high with four receptions at Tennessee. He has 17 receptions for 158 yards on the season, but left the Vanderbilt game with a torn ACL, and will miss the rest of the season. 
 
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN: Senior tight end Kiel Pollard was forced to give up his playing career during fall camp. Pollard suffered a small fracture in his neck, which was to have sidelined him for 4-6 weeks. However, during an MRI, the doctors discovered a cyst on his spinal cord, which apparently has been there since he was a child. The severity of the situation and the possible long-term consequences from that medical condition forced him to retire as a player. Pollard, who will graduate in December, is helping as a student-assistant coach. He served as a team captain in the opener vs. North Carolina.
 
ATHLETIC O-LINE: The Gamecocks have what offensive line coach Eric Wolford considers his most athletic unit since rejoining the Carolina staff. He has two veterans in left tackle Sadarius Hutcherson and center Donell Stanley, but the other three spots are manned by freshmen or sophomores.
 
STANLEY SET THE TONE: Sixth-year senior Donell Stanley (6-3, 325) anchors the O-line. Stanley worked at left guard in the season opener, but has since moved back to center. He worked primarily at center during the 2018 season and has made 24 consecutive starts.
 
CAN’T MOVE THIS HUTCH: Redshirt junior Sadarius Hutcherson (6-4, 320) protects the quarterback’s blind side from the left tackle position. Hutcherson played guard in 2018, but is strong and athletic enough to handle the tackle position. He has made 25-consecutive starts and earned a spot on Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks” list.
 
LIL’ BRO: Sophomore Dylan Wonnum (6-5, 310) started each of the first four games at right tackle before suffering an ankle injury in the Missouri game, which has kept him out of the next five contests. He returned to the starting lineup against App State. Wonnum, who is the younger brother of Gamecock defensive end D.J. Wonnum, was a Freshman All-American last season as a true freshman.
 
REVOLVING DOOR AT RIGHT TACKLE: When Dylan Wonnum was unable to answer the bell, true freshman Jaylen Nichols (6-5, 320) made his first career start against Kentucky at right tackle and started four-straight contests. Nichols suffered an ankle injury himself in the Tennessee game, so true freshman Jakai Moore (6-5, 295) made his first start against Vanderbilt.
 
WHO’S ON GUARD DUTY?: The Gamecocks started a new pair of guards against Charleston Southern, with redshirt sophomore Jordan Rhodes (6-4, 330) taking over at left guard and redshirt freshman Jovaughn Gwyn (6-2, 305) getting the nod at right guard. They both have now started 10-straight games.
 
A LITTLE MISLEADING: The Gamecocks have allowed an average of 25.0 points per game this season, but it’s a little unfair to chalk that all up to the defense. The Gamecocks have surrendered five touchdowns when the defense was not on the field. Taking those points away, the Carolina defense is allowing 21.8 points per game. The Gamecocks have held three opponents to 10 points or less this season.
 
JAVON LAYS DOWN THE LAW:  Most of the accolades on the defensive side have gone to Javon Kinlaw (6-6, 310), who many NFL experts have labeled a first-round NFL draft pick. He has filled up the stat line with 31 tackles including 6.0 sacks, sixth in the SEC, four quarterback hurries, two pass breakups, a pair of fumble recoveries and a blocked kick. He was the SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week for his performance at Georgia, was a midseason All-American by both the AP (first team) and The Athletic (second team), and is a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award.
 
BIG BRO: The older of the Wonnum brothers, D.J. Wonnum (6-5, 260) is back after missing eight games a year ago with an ankle injury. Wonnum was named a team captain in 2017 after logging 13.0 tackles for loss including 6.0 sacks. He is on the Mayo Clinic list for Comeback Player of the Year this season. He was the SEC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against Kentucky when he registered a career-high 3.0 sacks among his five tackles and forced a fumble. He has been recognized as an SEC weekly award winner four times in his career. He has 37 tackles on the season including 9.5 tackles for loss, tied for second in the SEC, and 4.5 sacks with three hurries. He has moved into ninth on the school’s all-time list in tackles for loss with 29.5 and, with 14.0 career sacks, is one sack away from tying four others for ninth on the school’s all-time list.
 
THE GLUE GUY: Kobe Smith (6-2, 300) is a “glue guy” in the middle of the line and has recorded 28 tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss. He gets extra mention in the notes after serving as a summer marketing intern for Gamecock Athletics.
 
A STERLING PERFORMANCE: The Gamecocks have been getting stellar play from junior defensive end Aaron Sterling (6-1, 250). For the season, Sterling has registered 37 tackles, while leading the SEC with 10.0 tackles for loss and is tied for sixth with 6.0 sacks. He also is tied for the team lead with four QB hurries, has forced a fumble and has recovered a fumble.
 
GETTING IN THE SACK: Carolina has logged 23 sacks, with Aaron Sterling and Javon Kinlaw leading the way with 6.0 each, while D.J. Wonnum is right behind with 4.5. The Gamecocks are the only SEC school to have at least three players with 4.0 or more sacks this season.
SACKS                                      2019           CAREER
D.J. Wonnum                             4.5                 14.0
Javon Kinlaw                               6.0                 10.5
Aaron Sterling                             6.0                  9.0
T.J. Brunson                               0.0                  6.0
Kier Thomas                               0.0                  5.5
Daniel Fennell                             0.0                  4.0
Kingsley Enagbare                       2.5                  3.5
Brad Johnson                               0.0                  3.5
Jaycee Horn                                 1.0                  3.0
Kobe Smith                                 0.5                  2.0
Ernest Jones                                 1.0                  1.0
R.J. Roderick                               1.0                  1.0
Jabari Ellis                                   0.0                  1.0
Sherrod Greene                           0.5                  0.5
Rick Sandidge                              0.0                  0.5
 
BRUNSON BRINGS IT: Senior linebacker T.J. Brunson (6-1, 230) is the veteran leader of the defense. The first player that Coach Muschamp recruiting at Carolina, Brunson has logged 277 career tackles, including 106 last season alone, with 20.0 tackles for loss. A 2018 team captain, he opened the 2019 season with nine stops against UNC, had a season-high 12 tackles at Missouri, had 10 stops at Georgia and at Tennessee, and is currently second the team with 71 stops. He had his first career interception in the Vandy game.
 
ERNEST GOES TO TOWN: Sophomore Ernest Jones (6-2, 235) earned the starting spot at the MIKE position, allowing Brunson to move back to WILL. An excellent communicator, Jones starred in his first start against UNC, registering a team-high 12 tackles, along with a pair of pass breakups. He also logged a team-high 12 tackles at Georgia. He leads the team with 88 tackles, tying for fifth in the SEC, including 5.5 TFLs.
 
GREENE HAS HIS DAY: Sherrod Greene (6-1, 230) started every game last season but began this season in a reserve role. He has been coming on as the season has progressed, starting each of the last eight games as Carolina has opened with a 4-3 look, and is playing his best football. He has 34 stops including 6.5 tackles for loss, with three TFLs coming against App State.
 
EASON-RIDDLE AT YOUR SERVICE: Junior linebacker Spencer Eason-Riddle is one of 22 student-athletes selected for the 2019 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®. The 22 players stood out for their leadership in local communities and overall commitment to giving back. Eason-Riddle has been a regular at both the Dorn VA Medical Center and at the oncology center of the Prisma Health Children’s Hospital. He founded and developed the “Sandstorm Buddies Program” which matches USC student-athletes with patients and their families, where they can serve in a mentor capacity with cancer patients. Just prior to the start of the 2019 academic year, walk-on linebacker Eason-Riddle was rewarded with a scholarship.
 
BLOWIN’ HIS HORN: Jaycee Horn (6-1, 200), who is considered the top cover corner, has 35 tackles on the season with a team-high nine PBUs and a team-high two forced fumbles.
 
SIMPLY THE BEST: Sophomore cornerback Israel Mukuamu had a memorable game in the win at Georgia. He logged a career-high 11 tackles and intercepted Jake Fromm three times, returning one 53 yards for a score. Fromm had entered the game without an INT this season. He became the first Gamecock to record three picks in a game since Patrick Hinton vs. NC State in 1988. Mukuamu was recognized as the Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week, the Chuck Bednarik Award National Player of the Week, the Bronko Nagurski Trophy National Defensive Player of the Week, the CollegeSportsMadness.com SEC and National Defensive Player of the Week, and the SEC Defensive Player of the Week.
 
MORE ON MUK: Israel Mukuamu (6-4, 205), who ranks third on the team with 55 tackles while playing cornerback, He is one of only four players in the country with three picks in a game this season. He is tied for the SEC lead and is tied for seventh in the country with four interceptions.
 
SAFETY FIRST: J.T. Ibe (5-10, 195), a sixth-year graduate transfer, is the veteran in the secondary. He has 51 tackles, including a team-high eight stops against Florida and a career-high 12 stops at Texas A&M. Sophomore R.J. Roderick (6-0, 205) is right behind Ibe with 50 tackles and has two interceptions.
 
NEWBIE STARTING DB’S: True freshmen Jammie Robinson (5-11, 200) and John Dixon (6-0, 190) both started in the season opener vs. UNC. They became the eighth and ninth true freshman to start a season opener for the Gamecocks since the 2009 season, joining Stephon Gilmore (2009), Marcus Lattimore (2010), Jadeveon Clowney (2011), Bryson Allen-Williams (2014), Al Harris Jr. (2014), Bryan Edwards (2016) and Jaycee Horn (2018).
 
HERE’S TO YOU MR. ROBINSON: Making just his second start and his first since the opener, Jammie Robinson recorded 15 tackles against Texas A&M. It was the most tackles recorded by a Gamecock this season and the most for a freshman at Carolina since Ben Washington notched 15 stops against Mississippi State in 1994.
 
PICK THIS: After logging just six interceptions in 2018, the Gamecocks have 12 picks this season, including three against Charleston Southern, the most in a game since the Vanderbilt win in 2015, and three more at Georgia (all by Israel Mukuamu). The 12 picks ties for 18th in the country.
 
INTERCEPTIONS                  2019             Career
Israel Mukuamu                            4                     5
Ernest Jones                                  2                     2
R.J. Roderick                                2                     2
T.J. Brunson                                 1                     1
John Dixon                                   1                     1
Sherrod Greene                             0                     1
Jammie Robinson                         1                     1
D.J. Wonnum                               1                     1
 
KICKING IT WITH PARKER: Three-year starter Parker White is 17-for-21 in field goals this season (81.0 pct.) with three of his four misses coming from 50 yards and beyond. He hit a then career-long 48-yarder vs. Alabama, topped that with a 49-yarder at Georgia, had another 49-yarder vs. Florida and boomed a career-long 50-yarder against App State. He is 44-of-62 (71.0 pct.) in career field goal tries, including 31-of-34 (91.2 pct.) from inside 40 yards. He is 96-for-97 on extra point attempts, including 25-for-25 this season.
CAREER POINTS SCORED
   1.   Elliott Fry (2013-16)………………………………. 359
   2.   Collin Mackie (1987-90)…………………………. 330
   3.   Ryan Succop (2005-08)…………………………… 251
   4.   Marcus Lattimore (2010-12)…………………….. 246
   5.   Parker White (2017-19)…………………………. 228
 
CAREER FIELD GOALS MADE
   1.   Collin Mackie (1987-90)…………………………… 72
   2.   Elliott Fry (2013-16)………………………………… 66
   3.   Ryan Succop (2005-08)…………………………….. 49
   4.   Parker White (2017-19)…………………………… 44
   5.   Mark Fleetwood (1981-83)………………………… 39
        Reed Morton (1993-96)……………………………. 39
 
CAREER FIELD GOALS ATTEMPTED
   1.   Collin Mackie (1987-90)…………………………… 98
   2.   Elliott Fry (2013-16)………………………………… 88
   3.   Ryan Succop (2005-08)…………………………….. 69
   4.   Parker White (2017-19)…………………………… 62
   5.   Reed Morton (1993-96)……………………………. 54
 
CAREER PATs MADE
   1.   Elliott Fry (2013-16)………………………………. 161
   2.   Scott Hagler (1983-86)……………………………. 117
   3.   Collin Mackie (1987-90)…………………………. 114
   4.   Ryan Succop (2005-08)…………………………… 104
   5.   Parker White (2017-19)…………………………… 96
 
WINNER, WINNER: Parker White owns five fourth-quarter or overtime game-winning field goals in his career. He provided the deciding points in wins over Louisiana Tech (2017), Tennessee (2017), Missouri (2018), Tennessee (2018) and Georgia (2019).
 
I’M CHARLTON YOUR PUNTER: Senior Joseph Charlton handles the punting chores for the Gamecocks and is an All-American candidate. Charlton ranks second in the country in punting average at 48.0 yards. He punted nine times for a 51.2-yard average against Kentucky with a 65-yarder, earning SEC Special Teams Player of the Week accolades. He boomed a season-best 66-yarder at Tennessee. For the season, 25 of his 61 punts have traveled at least 50 yards, while 27 have been marked inside the 20 with five touchbacks. He is a five-time “Ray’s 8” weekly watch list member and one of 10 semifinalists for the Ray Guy Award.
 
CHARLTON THE G.O.A.T.: Joseph Charlton is the school record holder for career punting average at 45.6-yards per punt. Charlton currently ranks third among Division I punters in career average, behind only Colorado State’s Ryan Stonehouse (47.1) and Kentucky’s Max Duffy (46.5).
CAREER PUNTING AVERAGE (Min. 75 Punts)
1.  Joseph Charlton (2015-19)… 45.6 (164 for 7472)
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)
 
DROP AND GIVE ME 50: Joseph Charlton is second in the nation in punts of 50 yards or more this season. The senior All-America candidate has boomed 25 punts of 50-plus yards this year.
         NAME, SCHOOL                                   50+ Yd
  1.    Dom Maggio, Wake Forest……………………….. 27
  2.    Joseph Charlton, South Carolina……………… 25
  3.    Braden Mann, Texas A&M……………………….. 24
  4.    Trenton Gill, NC State…………………………….. 23
         Brandon Heicklen, San Diego State……………. 23
         Trent Schneider, USF……………………………….. 23
 
PINNING THEM DEEP: Joseph Charlton has had 27 of his punts land inside the 20-yard line. That is a school record for the most inside the 20 punts since the stat started being kept in 1999.
 
SNAPPING BACK: Graduate transfer Matt Oliveira handles the short and deep snapping duties. Oliveira has experience, having been the long snapper each of the last two seasons for Maryland. He was added to the Patrick Mannelly Award Watch List for the nation’s top long snapper.
 
OLD-TIMERS GAME: The Gamecocks have four players – Caleb Kinlaw, J.T. Ibe, Donell Stanley and Eldridge Thompson – who are in their sixth-year of eligibility. Their first collegiate season was in 2014. South Carolina and Akron are the only Division I schools with four sixth-year players on the roster.
 
WORKING OVERTIME: The Gamecocks are 3-4 all-time in games decided in overtime, including a 2-0 mark when it goes to a second 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
10/12/19  at Georgia        W     20-17          2
 
FAMILY TIES: Cornerback Jaycee Horn is the son of former NFL wide receiver Joe Horn, linebacker Damani Staley is the son of former Gamecock and NFL running back Duce Staley, while safety Shilo Sanders is the son of former NFL and MLB standout Deion Sanders.
 
TOTING THE SHEEPSKIN: Thirteen Gamecocks already have their undergraduate degree in hand including: Joseph Charlton, Mon Denson, Spencer Eason-Riddle, Chandler Farrell, Tavien Feaster, Daniel Fennell, Bailey Hart, J.T. Ibe, Caleb Kinlaw, Kyle Markway, Matt Oliveira, Donell Stanley and Eldridge Thompson.
 
THE CAP AND GOWN AWAITS: Fifteen Gamecocks are on track to graduate in December. The list includes: Michael Almond, Jake Bentley, T.J. Brunson, Rico Dowdle, Bryan Edwards, Daniel Fennell (Master’s), Sadarius Hutcherson, Javon Kinlaw, Kiel Pollard, Kobe Smith, Keir Thomas, Will Tommie, A.J. Turner, D.J. Wonnum and Alexander Woznick.