Final Stats?|?Quotes?|?Notes
By PETE IACOBELLI
AP Sports Writer
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – Daccus Turman had three short touchdown runs and SouthCarolina survived Kentucky’s fourth-quarter rally to win its fourth straightover the Wildcats, 27-21 on Thursday night.
The Gamecocks (4-2, 1-2 Southeastern Conference) looked on their way to aneasy victory, leading 27-7 through three quarters and with Wildcats seniorquarterback Jared Lorenzen out of the game after a helmet-to-helmet hit fromSouth Carolina defensive lineman Moe Thompson.
But Kentucky backup Shane Boyd led two touchdown drives in the finalquarter. He hit Chris Bernard in the left front corner of the end zone onfourth-and-7, then four minutes later, broke free from an apparent sack for a15-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 27-21 with 6:05 remaining.
The Wildcats (2-4, 0-3) got the ball back one last time with 2:07 to go.However, Boyd overthrew Derek Abney on fourth down with 16 seconds to go andthe Gamecocks held on.
Kentucky is 0-3 in the SEC for the third time in four years.
The Gamecocks had few problems with the Wildcats early on. Kentucky had only26 yards total in the opening period, didn’t get a first down until 13:10before halftime and Lorenzen was continually chased out of the pocket. Hefinished 10-of-18 for 129 yards and a touchdown.
Lorenzen left the field woozy after Thompson’s hit at the end of the thirdquarter. He spent several minutes face down near the Kentucky sidelinessurrounded by trainers. He was helped off the field and slowly stepped to thebench, where he sat with a towel over his head.
Turman and Demetris Summers got things going South Carolina’s way early on.
Summers made a beautiful cut to go 13 yards and take the ball to Kentucky’s1 and Turman bulled over two plays later to put the Gamecocks up 7-0.
Later in the quarter, Summers went 25 yards on four straight carries down toKentucky’s 3. It took Turman two more plays to get into the end zone.
Summers set up South Carolina’s final touchdown with a 38-yard punt returnto the Wildcats 48. Dondrial Pinkins hit Syvelle Newton with a 44-yard pass fora first-and-goal at the 4. Again, Turman needed two runs for his thirdtouchdown.
Summers led South Carolina with 66 yards on 16 carries. Pinkins was 17-of-29for 184 yards.
Boyd had 73 yards on nine carries.