South Carolina 44, Kentucky 16

Posted 6:09PM on Saturday 8th October 2005 ( 19 years ago )

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) Not everything has changed for Steve Spurrier in the Southeastern Conference he still knows how to beat Kentucky. Blake Mitchell threw for two touchdowns and ran for a third Saturday to give Spurrier his first SEC win with the Gamecocks, 44-16, over Kentucky. It hadn't been a debut to remember so far for Spurrier, who stunned many in college football when he chose to return at South Carolina (3-3, 1-3 SEC) instead of a more prominent program last November. He's had his first-ever 0-3 start in the SEC, including consecutive losses to Alabama and Auburn by a combined 85-21 score. A loss to the Wildcats (1-4, 0-2) would have left Spurrier in unfamiliar territory and possibly challenging his predecessor, Lou Holtz, who went winless in the league during his first season six years ago. Instead, Mitchell and the Gamecocks took control in the second half and moved Spurrier to 13-0 all time against Kentucky. Mitchell, who missed last week's 48-7 loss at Auburn with an ankle injury, had a 1-yard TD run and two scoring passes to Sidney Rice. ``I didn't look at it that way,'' Spurrier said of his first SEC victory. ``I looked at it as a team that we should've beat.'' It sure didn't seem that way early on. The Gamecocks showed the offensive inconsistency and defensive problems that led to the three straight SEC losses. Spurrier says he liked the way his team shook off their mistakes in locker room after being tied at 10 at half. ``They were, 'Hey we're in close game. Nobody said it was going to go our way. Let's keep playing and see what happens,''' Spurrier said. ``I think our guys came out with a really good attitude to start the second half.'' The Gamecocks' turnaround was helped by Kentucky fumbles on three straight second-half possessions. After Rafael Little's 1-yard TD run brought the Wildcats to 17-16 in the third quarter senior kicker Taylor Begley missed the extra point to snap a school-record streak of 92 Mitchell connected with Rice on throws of 27 and 23 yards to Kentucky's 3. Following a motion penalty, Rice caught an 8-yard pass for a 24-16 lead. Kentucky looked like it had gained momentum, stopping Bobby Wallace on fourth down to get the ball at midfield. That's when Wildcats runners began their bout of the drops. Little fumbled two plays into Kentucky's series. When the Wildcats got the ball back on Mitchell's lone interception, Little immediately fumbled again, this time with safety Ko Simpson grabbing the loose ball and going 19 yards for a touchdown and a 30-16 lead. On Kentucky's next play, fullback Arliss Beach was stripped of the ball and Stoney Woodson picked it up for South Carolina. ``I just think it's pretty devastating when you lay the ball on the ground without the defense causing it,'' Kentucky coach Rich Brooks said. By the end, it looked like another typical Spurrier blowout remember Florida's 73-7 win at The Swamp in 1994? against Kentucky. Simpson added a fourth-quarter interception that set up Daccus Turman's 1-yard touchdown run. And backup quarterback Syvelle Newton ran in a 16-yard score in the final minutes. Mitchell finished 23-of-34 for 277 yards. Rice, who also had a 27-yard touchdown catch, tied the school mark set by Jermale Kelly in 1997 with TD receptions in five straight games. Little, a sophomore, gained a career-high 120 yards for Kentucky. Rice caught eight passes for 125 yards. The Gamecocks take a week off before facing another of Spurrier's favorite patsies, Vanderbilt. Spurrier has won all 12 games against the Commodores. Newton is simply glad for the victory. ``It kind of gives the team a great boost,'' Newton said. ``Just to get some confidence on defense and we really need a lot of confidence on offense. If both sides get clicking, we're going to finish the season pretty strong.'' And a strong finish is what Spurrier's usually brought to the SEC. (Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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