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Rice’s high five
All-American receiver catches school-record five TDs as USC offense gets untracked
By Joseph Person
The State
Published: September 24, 2006After he torched
the Florida Atlantic secondary for his fifth touchdown reception, Sidney Rice stood in the south end zone at Williams-Brice
Stadium and accepted congratulations from his teammates without so much as a single chest bump.
As USC quarterback
Syvelle Newton ran with outstretched arms about 50 yards toward the other end zone celebrating the play, Rice quietly made
his way back to the sideline.
It was almost too easy for Rice and the rest of the Gamecocks on Saturday.
Led
by Rice's record-breaking night, USC routed the Owls 45-6 before a crowd of 70,860, the smallest home turnout in Steve Spurrier's
two seasons in Columbia.
Rice, a redshirt sophomore from Gaffney, broke USC single-game records for touchdowns (five),
points (30) and touchdown receptions. Running backs Mike Dingle (1990) and Stanley Pritchett (1995) had shared the marks for
touchdowns (four) and points (24).
Asked about his low-key reaction following the final score, Rice said: "No reason.
Just congratulate my teammates and get off to the side."
Newton, starting his second consecutive game, threw his way
into the record book. His five touchdown passes tied the mark shared by Tommy Suggs, Jeff Grantz and Steve Taneyhill.
The
touchdown barrage followed a three-week drought for Rice and the Gamecocks (3-1), whose point total against FAU was more than
their first three games combined. USC's 72 plays and 492 total yards were its most under Spurrier.
But considering
the Owls (0-4) entered the game ranked last among 119 Division I-A teams in scoring defense, allowing 49 points per game,
it was tough to tell how big a role FAU played in the offensive outburst.
USC will find out soon enough. No. 2 Auburn,
which beat Buffalo 38-7 on Saturday with former Gamecocks tailback Kenny Irons out with a sprained ankle, rolls into town
Thursday.
"We're not sitting here saying we've got it made by any means. We all know that Florida Atlantic is a team
that struggles," Spurrier said. "We've got a long way to go if we can hang on the field with Auburn."
Rice's touchdown
catches covered 23, 21, 8, 41 and 19 yards and came in a variety of flavors. The 6-foot-4 Rice threw his entire arsenal at
the Owls' overmatched defensive backs, scoring on a pair of stop-and-go routes, a seam pattern, a post route and a Hail Mary
pass.
Newton was surprised to see the Owls' cornerbacks in single coverage against Rice on several plays, including
a couple of the touchdowns.
"It's hard to guard him one-on-one," Newton said. "He's one of the best receivers in the
country. Everyone knows that."
Rice's fourth touchdown epitomized the Gamecocks' good fortunes and the Owls' shoddy
play.
Flushed from the pocket and rolling to his right, Newton heaved a jump ball in the direction of Rice, receiver
Moe Brown and four defensive backs. Cornerback Corey Small had it lined up for an interception, but the ball caromed off Small
to Rice, who grabbed it and dragged a defender the last few yards into the end zone.
"We had some tough assignments.
(Rice) made some big plays, some tough catches. But we had a lot of missed assignments," FAU corner Ricky Bethel said. "He's
probably the best receiver I'll go up against all season."
As impressive as Rice was, FAU coach Howard Schnellenberger
is used to being on the wrong end of such standout performances.
Asked if he had ever seen a player dominate a game
like Rice had, the 72-year-old Schnellenberger said: "The last three games. All the games we played last year. The first three
years at Louisville and the first three years at Miami."
In 15 games, Rice now has 18 touchdown catches and is one
shy of the Gamecocks' career record shared by Robert Brooks and Jermale Kelly.
Newton's first touchdown pass to Rice
was the first by a Gamecocks' quarterback since the first quarter of December's Independence Bowl. Newton's 197 passing yards
were more than USC managed in any of its first three games.
The senior from Marlboro County was 13-of-20 passing for
216 yards. Rice pulled in nine of Newton's throws for 161 yards.
The two might have hooked up a couple more times,
but Spurrier pulled them for the final 28 minutes. "I guess we could have added on," Spurrier said. "But it didn't make sense
to leave (Rice) in."
Better to let him rest for second-ranked Auburn.
"Number two? What happened to Texas and
Southern Cal?" Spurrier said when informed of the Tigers' ranking in The Associated Press Top 25 poll. "I may have to vote
them No. 1 this week (in the coaches' poll). I said last year I thought Auburn was the best team in the SEC."
Reach
Person at (803) 771-8496.
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