KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Connor Shaw
threw for one touchdown and ran for another as No. 14 South Carolina
survived Tennessee with a 14-3 victory on Saturday night.
The Gamecocks (7-1, 5-1) remain in control of the Southeastern
Conference's East Division heading into the final month of the season.
It was their first game without star Marcus Lattimore, who had 818 yards
rushing for the year when he suffered a season-ending knee injury Oct.
15 against Mississippi State. Coach Steve Spurrier had a bye week to
prepare a plan for Brandon Wilds and the rest of the South Carolina
backfield.
Wilds gradually picked up steam as the game wore on and finished with
137 yards on 28 carries.
He was the centerpiece of a methodical drive that ate up much of the
third-quarter. He ran 11 times for 51 yards on the 20-play drive, and
Shaw finished it off with a 5-yard touchdown run on a draw that gave the
Gamecocks a 14-3 lead with 47 seconds in the third quarter.
The drive threatened to deflate the Vols (3-5, 0-5), who had second-half
meltdowns in three previous games. After picking up one first down,
Justin Worley threw three straight incomplete passes, and the Vols
punted.
But Brian Randolph recovered a fumble by Wilds on the next drive at the
South Carolina 27. The breath of life was short-lived as Worley threw an
interception on the very first play to Stephon Gilmore.
Tennessee's defense managed to keep pressure on Shaw most of the night,
sacking him three times. Shaw was 10 for 18 for 87 yards and an
interception in addition to his scores, and top wide receiver Alshon
Jeffery was limited to just 17 yards on three catches.
Early in the second half, Shaw was picked off by Prentiss Waggner, who
ran the ball 54 yards to the 2-yard line before being tackled, but
Worley threw an interception of his own two plays later to D.J.
Swearinger that set up the Gamecocks' 20-play drive.
Tennessee coach Derek Dooley named Worley the starter this week after
Matt Simms struggled against No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama. Worley has
been the third-string quarterback most of the season as Simms had
replaced Tyler Bray, who broke his thumb Oct. 8 against Georgia.
The true freshman was 10 of 26 for 105 yards and the two interceptions.
He had several long, accurate passes but just as many glaring misses.
The Vols managed to take advantage of one South Carolina mistake. After
going three-and-out on their first drive, the Vols punted the ball only
to get it back at the Gamecocks 18 when Ace Sanders muffed the return.
They got as close as the 4-yard line, but Worley missed DeAnthony Arnett
and overthrew Da'Rick Rogers, and Tennessee settled for a 22-yard field
goal by Michael Palardy.
Tennessee again reached the red zone just before the first quarter
ended. Dooley was ready for the Vols to go for it on fourth-and-1 at the
20, but they committed back-to-back false start penalties, and Palardy's
47-yard field goal attempt was tipped by Gilmore and sailed wide right.
South Carolina's only first-half score came on a fourth-and-1. Tennessee
blitzed, but Shaw went instead for the play-action pass and hit Rory
Anderson on a 23-yard touchdown to give the Gamecocks a 7-3 lead with
7:43 left in the second quarter.
South Carolina finished with 318 yards -- 231 of them on the ground --
compared to 186 yards for Tennessee. The Gamecocks held on to the ball
for 12:36 longer than the Vols.
The win was only the second by South Carolina against Tennessee in
Knoxville in 16 tries.
