2nd-quarter collapse fuels 2 defensive TDs as Gamecocks flip script on Kentucky

In a must-win game for both teams, Kentucky won the toss and elected to receive, a decision that paid off immediately as they drove down the field for an opening-drive touchdown. Seth McGowan did the heavy lifting on that drive, gaining 42 yards and capping it with a 20-yard touchdown run to put the Wildcats up 7-0. That score also marked the fourth straight game with a touchdown for McGowan, the first Kentucky player to accomplish that feat since Moe Williams.

However, the defense immediately allowed South Carolina to respond. The Gamecocks drove the length of the field behind LaNorris Sellers to tie the game at 7-7. On the ensuing possession, the Cats drove 76 yards on nine plays but couldn't finish in the red zone. The drive stalled at the 10-yard line, and the Cats settled for a field goal, taking a 10-7 lead into the second quarter. That is something that can not happen in games like this. For a team that will play slow and try to keep the possessions low, drives can not end in field goals. That marked the beginning of a really bad stretch for the Cats.

4 turnovers in the second quarter haunts Cutter Boley

After Kentucky's defense forced a punt, disaster struck. Facing a long 3rd down, Cutter Boley was drilled by Dylan Stewart, who forced a fumble. Jatius Geer scooped it up and ran it back for a touchdown, putting South Carolina up 14-10. On the very next possession, another turnover occurred just 2 plays later, when Boley led Kendrick Law a little too much, resulting in an interception by Gerald Kilgore, who returned it for a second consecutive defensive touchdown. The Gamecocks' lead swelled to 21-10, with Kentucky spotting them 14 points.

These are the kinds of mistakes Mark Stoops' teams cannot afford to make on the road in the SEC. South Carolina's defense, now amped up, began loading the line of scrimmage to take away Kentucky's run game. Cutter Boley lost the grip on the ball and almost had a 3rd consecutive turnover, but he was able to regrab it and run it back to the line of scrimmage. Mark Stoops rolled the dice and went for it, but a bad play call from Hamdan led to a turnover.

That one did not end too badly for the Cats though with the defense getting a huge sack to force a punt. That punt was a great one pinning the Cats inside the 10, and yet again another Cutter Boley turnover ended a possession. This one was not too bad though, he was facing huge pressure and threw it up for grabs on a third down and thirteen, giving his guy a chance near the 50 yard line. South Carolina picked it off, but it essentially played out like a punt.

But once again the middle 8 is destructive for the Cats as South Carolina capitalizes with another Rahsul Faison TD to extend the lead to 28-10, and a little extra after the play lead to a personal foul on Kahlil Saunders. The Cats are resorting to fighting after the whistle not between them.

Stoops will look to run the ball to run the clock out and McGowan gets 7 but Beamer calls a timeout to try and get the ball back. But McGowan breaks another run off. Hamdan again rolls Boley out of the pocket to try and give him a chance, as the offensive line is really struggling to pass block, but he had nowhere to go and took a sack. South Carolina again took another time out. Boley threw a nice ball to get 10 to make it 3rd and 3 with 34 seconds to go. Boley finds Maclin for a first down across midfield. But a sack and a screen that was well read made it 3rd and 11 with 10 seconds left. Boley threw it away after finding no one open but was called for intentional grounding as no one was around. With 1 second left the Cats let Boley rip it down field, he found Rodrigeuz that lead to a pitch fest and a booming hit that caused a fumble. The two teams exchanged words at midfiled as South Carolina gets its crowd fired up.

South Carolina gets the ball after halftime with a chance to really put the game away.

Halftime stat leaders

Kentucky

Cutter Boley 7/15 97 yards, 2 INT 1 fumble
Seth McGowan 12 carries 90 yards 1 TD
Willie Rodriguez 1 catch 53 yards

South Carolina

LaNorris Sellers 7/9 60 yards, 7 carries 42 yards
Rahsul Faison 6 carries 24 yards 2 TDs
Vandrevius Jacobs 3 catches 37 yards

Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time he enjoyes downtime with his family and Premier League soccer.You can find him on X here.Micah 7:7. #UptheAlbion