South Carolina Football: 3 takeaways from “Mayor’s Cup” loss to Missouri
2. Offensive woes continued
The Gamecocks had the first opportunity to put points on the board but failed to convert the opening drive into any points. Shi Smith, the team’s best wide receiver, was injured during the opening drive and the drive ended when Kevin Harris dropped a pass on the fourth-and-2. Smith did not return to the game.
Missouri went three and out in their opening drive, also failing to put any points up. The Tigers put the first touchdown of the game up when Connor Bazelak connected with Tauskie Dove for the 20-yard score in their next drive. The score was 7-0 with 7:10 left in the first quarter and remained the same for the duration of the first quarter.
Larry Rountree III put the first touchdown on the board for the Tigers in the second quarter after he rushed the ball one yard into the endzone. Missouri took a 14 point lead with 12 minutes of play left in the first half.
On a rare occasion, interim head coach Mike Bobo pulled Collin Hill from the quarterback position in the first drive of the third quarter and put Luke Doty in. The Gamecocks finally put 10 on the board when Parker White kicked a 47-yard field goal. The score was 17-3 with just over ten minutes left in the third quarter. The score would remain true throughout the rest of the quarter.
Doty stayed in at the quarterback position for the rest of the game, and Jalen Brooks was Doty’s favorite target. Neither player had seen much game time before Saturday night, unfortunately, they couldn’t get past the Tigers’ defense to score in the opening drive of the fourth quarter.
South Carolina finally put up its first touchdown of the game in their next possession when Fenwick rushed the ball one yard into the end zone. The 13-play drive ran nearly 4:30 off of the clock and made it a one-score game, 17-10.
In the last possession, they started at their own 1-yard-line and when it looked like South Carolina might tie it up, Doty threw an interception and sealed the Gamecocks’ fate.
Missouri won 17-10 and securing the Mayor’s Cup Trophy’s home for at least the next year.