COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) Syvelle Newton threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Troy Williamson with 1:09 left to make South Carolina bowl eligible for the first time since 2001 with a 35-32 victory over Arkansas on Saturday.<br>
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The Gamecocks (6-3, 4-3 Southeastern Conference) blew an 11-point lead in the second half, trailed 32-28 with 3:24 to go and looked ready to extend their sorry string of defeats when needing a win to qualify for the postseason to 11 in a row.<br>
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But Newton, South Carolina's sophomore backup quarterback, led the 62-yard scoring drive down the stretch. His 2-yard sneak on third down kept things going, and then he completed a 15-yard pass to Noah Whiteside to get the Gamecocks to Arkansas' 14 with 1:29 remaining.<br>
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On the next play, Newton zipped a throw near the right sideline to Williamson, who broke out of the grasp of safety Vickiel Vaughn and ran in for the winning score.<br>
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Arkansas (3-5, 1-4) had one last chance and quarterback Matt Jones, who has accounted for seven touchdowns his past three games against South Carolina, got things started with a 17-yard run into Gamecock territory. But his deep throw down the middle was intercepted by South Carolina's Ko Simpson at the 2-yard line with 46 seconds to go.<br>
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South Carolina ran out the clock and guaranteed its first winning season in three years.<br>
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Jones looked like he would again vex the Gamecocks he was 3-0 against them coming in when he led Arkansas on back-to-back fourth-quarter scoring drives. The last ended with De'Arrius Howard's 7-yard run and gave the Razorbacks their last lead with less than four minutes to go.<br>
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This time, Jones was outperformed by Newton, a reserve who came on when starter Dondrial Pinkins reinjured his shoulder right before halftime. Newton had a 5-yard touchdown run in the third quarter as South Carolina took its 28-17 lead.<br>
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Newton completed 11 of 16 passes for 98 yards. He also added 49 yards on the ground.<br>
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Jones, already the SEC's leading rushing quarterback, ran for 111 yards. He was 12 of 24 passing for 130 yards.<br>
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Simpson's closing interception was far from his only big play. Down 17-14, Simpson picked up a fumble from Arkansas runner Peyton Hillis and went 57 yards for a touchdown that re-energized South Carolina.<br>
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Taqiy Muhammad intercepted Jones when Arkansas got the ball back to set up Newton for his rushing TD.<br>
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Early on, Jones continued his mastery of South Carolina. His 36-yard run on third down set Arkansas up in Gamecock territory, then Jones finished the drive by outracing safety Jamacia Jackson and stretching the ball over the goal for a 7-yard TD.<br>
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Jones completed four of five passes and converted a fourth-and-2 as the Razorbacks drove for the go-ahead field goal their first successful kick since the second game of the season right before halftime for a 17-14 lead.
