Leading up to Saturday night in Columbia, Missouri, the University of South Carolina football team was a 3.5 point underdog in what ended up being a successful effort on the path to winning the SEC East.
Several key players put on impressive road performances, including quarterback Jake Bentley, wide receiver Deebo Samuel, tight end Hayden Hurst and freshman defensive back Jamyest Williams.
The Gamecocks ran more passing routes, opting to hand the ball off to running backs Rico Dowdle, Ty'Son Williams and A.J. Turner. Dowdle and Williams led the offense in rushing with 14 carries each. Ty'Son Williams, who had zero carries and one reception in the season-opener against NC State, rushed a game-high 78 yards. By using his size to his advantage, the 6-foot, 215-pound Ty'Son Williams was able to fit through the slot and make key plays, including a 12-yard rush on third down in the third quarter.
Bentley seemed to be playing with more confidence on the road than last season, throwing for 187 yards and one touchdown. The sophomore quarterback was able to lead the offense under pressure and keep his composure even after a 8-yard sack.
But the brightest star in the game offensively was none other than Samuel.
The first quarter proved to be a slow start for Samuel, who was under utilized with the Gamecocks opting for more pass rushing drives. Without hesitation, Samuel mimicked his Week 1 performance in Charlotte and dashed off into the end zone with another ridiculous 97-yard kick return touchdown.
This proved what most Gamecock fans know: when Samuel is healthy, he's very, very good. Samuel was able to use his stocky build to push through tough slots and his speed to burn any blockers on his tail. He would go on to finish the night off with five catches for 45 yards.
Special teams became a huge factor in the game on both sides. At times, it seemed the game would be determined by which team's unit could execute when needed. South Carolina place kicker Alexander Woznick was unsuccessful on just one of his field goal attempts from 32 yards out.
Jamyest Williams had an incredible breakout performance, gaining the first interception of his college career, which would go on to be converted to a touchdown from Samuel. Linebacker T.J. Brunson stepped up for the second straight week, making crucial tackles on third down and helping to hold the Tiger offense to just 13 points.
During his weekly press conference on Tuesday, head coach Will Muschamp spoke on getting Hurst an ample amount of targets in game play, and it paid off. Hurst ended the game with two touchdowns, which is double his touchdown total from last season.
The Gamecocks will see more SEC action against Kentucky in their home opener at Williams-Brice Stadium at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. They hope to keep up this momentum and continue to stay atop the SEC in their journey to winning the East.