Shaq Roland catches two touchdowns in the first quarter
Tailback Mike Davis said he’s been thinking about a 1,000-yard season since before the Missouri game. On Saturday against Mississippi State, Davis finally got his wish, becoming the eighth player in South Carolina history to achieve such a milestone, recording 128 yards on 15 attempts against the Bulldogs.
“I just wanted to come in and work hard,” Davis said. “I knew sooner or later, it would come to me.”
When asked if he thought about surpassing the 1,000-yard mark on a 43-yard run in the third quarter, he replied, “Yep.”
The sophomore is now around 150 yards shy of Marcus Lattimore’s best season of 1,197 yards, which he compiled during his freshman year. Davis was unaware of the mark, but said that he is now trying to surpass that total.
Davis also continued to impress with his receiving abilities, making a twirling 30-yard catch that set the Gamecocks up with a 1st-and-goal the play after his 43-yard run.
Shaq Roland
Shaq Roland’s season got off to a good start against North Carolina when he caught a long touchdown pass, but a mid-season suspension and a lack of production had made the sophomore an afterthought.
However, Roland made his presence known against Mississippi State early, catching two touchdowns in the first quarter. The first one was a 14-yard catch that tied the game at 7. The second one was a 43-yarder that gave the Gamecocks a 14-7 lead they would not give up.
While Roland was quiet the rest of the afternoon, quarterback Connor Shaw was pleased with his performance against the Bulldogs.
“I think Shaq’s had a great week of practice and kept his head high,” Shaw said. “He came in here with the mentality that he was going to play well, and he ran some great routes and made some good plays for us.”
Roland said his emphasis was on staying focused and knowing that the opportunities were going to eventually come.
“Don’t take any days off,” Roland said. “Even if you’re not having the best time, just work hard every day to overcome it.”
15 in a row
With the win against Mississippi State, South Carolina tied the longest home-winning streak in school history at 15 games. The streak is second to Michigan for the longest in the nation. But, as Spurrier pointed out, Michigan has to play host to rival Ohio State to end the season.
The Gamecocks can break the record in two weeks when they host Florida. The remaining two home games are against Coastal Carolina and Clemson.
“The schedule has to favor you a little bit,” Spurrier said. “(But) we play well at home. The fans are very helpful. They scream and yell and you just feel comfortable.”