Getting defensive

South Carolina pitches shutout, opens with conference road win

Published on 09/01/06

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Coach Steve Spurrier's football teams are basically known for their offense, but fortunately for South Carolina the Gamecocks also brought their defense and special teams with them for their season opener against Mississippi State.

Ryan Succop kicked three field goals and the defense held the Bulldogs to 161 yards in total offense in South Carolina's 15-0 Southeastern Conference victory Thursday night at Davis Wade Stadium.

"It was certainly a defensive battle and our defense proved to be a little bit the best tonight," Spurrier said. "Mississippi State was tough on defense and our guys were a little tougher. It was a wonderful victory. I'm a happy Gamecock even though our offense sputtered along."

The Gamecocks did come up with one beauty of a play on offense, and it came right on the heels of the biggest stop of the game by the South Carolina defense.

With South Carolina leading 6-0, the Gamecocks' defense stuffed a Mississippi State running play on fourth-and-one, giving the ball back to the offense on the South Carolina 46-yard line.

On the first play from there, quarterback Blake Mitchell threw a lateral to Syvelle Newton, who passed downfield to a wide open Cory Boyd for a 54-yard touchdown with 13:43 to play.

"To tell you the truth, I didn't even see him," Newton said of Boyd. "I caught the ball and just knew what spot he was supposed to be in and threw it to that spot. I guess he was wide open."

Succop's final field goal of the game, from 47 yards out with 8:19 to play, completed the scoring. Succop also punted six times for a 48.7-yard average.

South Carolina finished with 274 yards in total offense, with Boyd rushing for 93 yards on 12 carries.

"We did hit one play, the only big play in the whole game, and fortunately we

Gamecocks win season opener

made it," Spurrier said.

South Carolina put together a 61-yard drive early in the second half that resulted in Succop's second field goal of the game, a 35-yarder that put the Gamecocks ahead 6-0.

Succop actually supplied the biggest play of the drive when he was in to punt on fourth down, but had to run to avoid getting the punt blocked and wound up with a 16-yard gain and a first down.

The Gamecocks almost had a touchdown on the drive, but a coach's challenge by Mississippi State's Sylvester Croom proved successful.

An 18-yard touchdown pass from Blake Mitchell to Sidney Rice was ruled an incompletion after a review of the play determined that the ball hit the ground.

The Gamecocks suffered a scare late in the first quarter when Mitchell was hit following an incomplete pass and had to be helped off the field.

He went to the locker room and had to have stitches for a laceration on his right leg, but was able to return.

Mississippi State wasn't as lucky. Bulldogs starting quarterback Michael Henig left the game late in the first half and was unable to return after suffering a broken collarbone.

Redshirt freshman Tray Rutland replaced Henig at quarterback.

In Mitchell's absence, freshman quarterback Chris Smelley drove the Gamecocks for the only score of the first half.

Smelley's 42-yard completion to Kenny McKinley helped set up a 39-yard field goal by Succop that put the Gamecocks on top 3-0.

Mississippi State squandered an early scoring opportunity when linebacker Quinton Culberson set the Bulldogs up at the South Carolina 26 after intercepting Mitchell on the first play of the game.

The Bulldogs failed to move it in three plays, and Adam Carlson missed a 38-yard field goal.

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