SC quarterback Brandon McIlwain is tackled by Kentucky defensive end Alvonte Bell in the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 24, 2016, in Lexington, Ky. The Gamecocks will host No. 10 Texas A&M on Saturday as they begin a slate of five straight home games.
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Benny Snell Jr. scored the go-ahead touchdown from 1 yard midway through the fourth quarter, Boom Williams broke a 43-yard TD and Kentucky held off SC 17-10 on Saturday night for their third straight series victory over the Gamecocks.
The Wildcats improved to 2-2 overall and 1-1 in the SEC.
Kentucky: Coach Mark Stoops’ midweek blasting of his defense seemed to do the trick as the Wildcats held the Gamecocks to 3 of 13 on third-down conversions and got to the quarterback.
Kentucky scored its first touchdown of the game, and took a 10-7 lead, on its first drive of the second half.
But Kentucky didn’t wait long in the third quarter to re-seize the advantage, when UK’s Boom Williams took the ball around the left side of the field then outran USC’s defense 43-yards for the score. Snell carried the ball seven straight times during the game-winning drive.
Both teams got off to a sluggish start, but USC had a bit more trouble getting things going, totalling just 24 total yards in the first quarter. Quarterback Brandon McIlwain completed 15-of-30 passes for 177 yards with zero touchdowns. 6-5 250 pound tight end Hayden Hurst is a load.
The Gamecocks might have gone up 17-10 in the third quarter on a 48-yard punt return for a touchdown by Rashad Fenton but the play was called back by a block in the back penalty against SC freshman T.J. Brunson.
SC has 164 yards of total offense at the half.
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That proved to be enough, as USC wasn’t able to answer for the rest of the game, including their final drive that ended when McIllwain was sacked well behind the line of scrimmage. While Kentucky didn’t come close to the 62 points they put up on New Mexico State a week prior, they allowed just 10 points after giving up 44, 45 and 42 in their first three games. The Gamecocks finished with 268.
