Too close for comfort

Late defensive play preserves USC victory

By Joseph Person
The State
Published: September 17, 2006

USC’s new-look offense bolted to a running start Saturday before limping home with a win that created as many questions as answers for a team searching for confidence.

The Gamecocks led by 17 points in the fourth quarter, but needed a big defensive play from outside linebacker Dakota Walker to hold off Division I-AA Wofford 27-20 before an uneasy crowd of 74,286 at Williams-Brice Stadium.

USC coach Steve Spurrier did his best to stay positive following the narrow escape against a Wofford team that dropped to 0-9 against I-A schools since the start of the 1998 season.

Spurrier appeared more amused than upset, recalling the Gamecocks’ come-from-ahead, 38-31 loss to Missouri in the Independence Bowl, in which USC blew a 21-point lead.

“Some dangedest things always seem to happen when we’re in position to maybe bury a team, just like Missouri. I don’t know what happens,” Spurrier said. “Can’t win one by three or four touchdowns around here, yet. Maybe Wofford’s that good.”

The Gamecocks (2-1), whose lone offensive touchdown in their first two games came on a trick play, looked good for the first three quarters.

Syvelle Newton, making his first start at quarterback since 2004, led the Gamecocks to scores on five of their first six possessions. Sidney Rice, throttled for the first two games, returned to form with seven receptions for 151 yards.

Tailback Cory Boyd ran for 74 yards and tied a school record with three rushing touchdowns before spraining his ankle on USC’s first play of the second half.

But an interception by Newton and a botched punt by Ryan Succop gave the Terriers life. Wofford (1-2) took advantage of the miscues to score 10 points in a span of 2:36 and cut the lead to seven.

On their final possession, the Terriers drove to the Gamecocks’ 10-yard line, where they faced fourth-and-5 with 29 seconds left. A blitzing Walker sliced into the backfield and batted Wofford quarterback Josh Collier’s option pitch into the air.

“I just shuffled with (Collier) and slow-played it and timed the pitch,” Walker said. “I tried to do that the whole night. It finally worked.”

USC linebacker Cody Wells pulled down the fumble and returned it 44 yards into Wofford territory, putting a knife in the Terriers’ upset hopes.

“Overall, it is a loss and I hate it,” Wofford coach Mike Ayers said. “This would have been a storybook ending for a lot of kids. But we came here to compete, and we came here with the mindset that if we played at the level we are capable of, we could win.”

USC’s players needed no convincing about Wofford’s ability after the Terriers rolled up 290 rushing yards with their wingbone option offense.

“They’re on scholarship. They’re football players. I’m not disappointed,” Gamecocks cornerback Fred Bennett said. “You always feel good about a win. You can’t blow out everybody. You’re going to have some tough, hard-fought games.”

Added Newton: “We knew they weren’t going to come in and lay down. They’ve got a chance to play a big school in South Carolina. ... We gave them a chance to make it a game, but we won.”

With halfback Kevious Johnson leading the way with 129 rushing yards, the Terriers moved the ball on the ground, picked up first downs and kept the clock running. While USC enjoyed a slight edge in total yardage (361 to 357), Wofford ran 72 offensive plays to the Gamecocks’ 51 and had an 11-minute edge in time of possession.

“I’ve got to quit worrying about statistics,” Spurrier said. “I thought we could run up a bunch of yards against these guys, but we’re not on the field enough to do it.”

Newton completed 12 of 18 passes for 196 yards and rushed 13 times for 67 yards, most of those on plays when he was forced to scramble. Despite three new starters, the offensive line again had problems, allowing Newton to be sacked three times.

Though Newton fluttered a couple of passes and threw the fourth-quarter interception, Spurrier said Newton likely would remain the starter. Blake Mitchell is expected to return next week from his one-game suspension following his arrest on simple assault (the charge was later dropped).

Next up for the Gamecocks is winless Florida Atlantic, which has been outscored 147-14 in losses to Clemson, Kansas State and Oklahoma State.

But like Spurrier said, he needs to quit worrying about statistics.

“They’re not a bad team,” Spurrier said of Florida Atlantic. “Everybody we play is not a bad team.”

Reach Person at (803) 771-8496.