NCAAF: South Carolina at Kentucky SEC on ABC 9/7/24

>> LINED UP TO THE LEFT. THEY FAKE THE HANDOFF ON THE JET SWEEP, AND AHEAD TO THE 39 YARD LINE, ABOUT TWO YARDS SHORT OF A FIRST DOWN. HE WILL BE SPRINKLED IN THROUGHOUT THE GAME PLAN, ONE OF THE MOST EXPLOSIVE PLAYERS ON THEIR TEAM WITH THE BALL IN THEIR HANDS. BEING THIN AT RUNNING BACK, THEY'LL USE HIM AS A WILDCAT QUARTERBACK. >> THIRD DOWN AND THREE FOR KENTUCKY. IN TROUBLE, AND FORCED TO THROW IT AWAY. HE WAS PRESSURED BY TONKA HEMINGWAY. REALLY GOOD RUSH UP FRONT THERE BY TONKA HEMINGWAY. IT LOOKED LIKE HAD VANDAGRIFF HAD A CHANCE TO MOVE UPFIELD, HE COULD HAVE HIT KEY, A CORNER ROUTE, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN A CONVERSION. ZONE COVERAGE CALLED BY THE DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR. JUST DIDN'T GUESS RIGHT AS BUSH HAMDAN GETS AN INCOMPLETE. >> Sean: ON TO PUNT, 26-YEAR-OLD FROM AUSTRALIA. PUNTING INTO A PRETTY STIFF WIND. AND THAT HELPED KNOCK DOWN THE BALL AT THE 24 YARD LINE. FAIR CATCH MADE BY JALON KILGORE, FROM A 39-YARD PUNT. >> Sean: SOUTH CAROLINA ON OFFENSE FOR THE FIRST TIME, WITH THE QUARTERBACK, LaNORRIS SANDERS SELLERS, REDSHIRT FRESHMAN. IMPRESSIVE PASSING THE BALL LAST WEEK, BUT HE DID CARRY FOR 68 YARDS. SAID HE WAS A LITTLE OUT OF SORTS, UNDERSTANDABLE IN HIS FIRST CAREER START. THEY START ON THE GROUND WITH THE TRANSFER FROM ARKANSAS, ROCKET SANDERS, FOR A TWO-YARD GAME. TODAY'S IMPACT PLAYERS PRESENTED BY THE HOME DEPOT. >> Greg: SOUTH CAROLINA, GOT TO TAKE THE PRESSURE OFF THEIR YOUNG QUARTERBACK WITH ROCKET SANDERS. PLAYED A TON OF FOOTBALL. AND WALKER, 340 POUNDS, ENORMOUS IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT KENTUCKY DEFENSE. >> Sean: ONE OF THE BEST DEFENSIVE LINEMEN IN THE COUNTRY, 6'8", 340. PASS OUTSIDE TO MICHAEL SMITH. THERE'S A FLAG DOWN AT THE 31 YARD LINE, A COUPLE OF YARDS FROM WHERE THE PLAY ENDED, A YARD SHORT OF THE LINE TO GAIN. DAVID SMITH IS LEADING THIS SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE OFFICIATING CREW. >> Reporter: HOLDING, NUMBER 15 ON THE OFFENSE. TEN-YARD PENALTY. REPLAY. >> Sean: CAMPBELL HAD AHOLD OF HARDAWAY. >> Greg: THIS IS A BIG POINT OF EMPHASIS FOR SOUTH CAROLINA, THE RECEIVERS ON THE OUTSIDE PERIMETER DID NOT DO A GOOD JOB BLOCKING. CAMPBELL WORKING TO GET HARDAWAY, ALMOST PUSHED HIM ASIDE. CAMPBELL GRABS HIM AND THAT WAS AN OBVIOUS CALL BY THE OFFICIALS. >> Sean: PART OF THE NEW WIDE RECEIVER GROUP FOR SOUTH CAROLINA. SHORT TO SELLERS. HE'S IN TROUBLE. MANAGED TO STAY ON HIS FEET AND THROW IT. INCOMPLETE PASS. IT SAVED A SACK. AND YOU SEE HOW POWERFULLY BUILT SELLERS IS AT 242, AND VERY THICK IN THE LOWER BODY. >> Greg: NICE GAME ON THE RIGHT SIDE BETWEEN THE LINEBACKER AND THE DEFENSIVE END. BUT BIG NUMBER 0, WALKER, GOES RIGHT UNDERNEATH THE FRESHMAN, JOSIAH THOMPSON. COULD HAVE EASILY RESULTED IN A FUMBLE OR INTERCEPTION. >> Sean: THIRD DOWN AND 18. OUT OF THE GUN, SELLERS. HIGH PASS, AND A GOOD CATCH BY JARED BROWN, AND HE SCAMPERS OUT OF BOUNDS, WELL SHORT OF THE FIRST DOWN. IT'S A NINE YARD GAIN. SOUTH CAROLINA WILL PUNT AFTER THREE AND OUT ON THEIR FIRST POSSESSION. AND THE PUNTER IS KAI KROEGER, FIFTH YEAR AS THEIR STARTING PUNTER. Ja'MORI MACLIN IS BACK DEEP. AND LOST THE PUNT AND GETS ON IT INSIDE THE 20. KENTUCKY ON OFFENSE FOR THE SECOND TIME FROM ITS 19. HERE IS MOLLY McGRAPH. >> SOUTH CAROLINA HEAD COACH SHANE BEAMER TOLD US HE COACHES VETERAN DEFENSE DIFFERENTLY THAN YOUNG DEFENSE. HE LIKES TO PUSH THEIR BUTTONS. ALL WEEK LONG IN PREGAME HE WAS TELLING THEM IN THIS MATCHUP EVERYONE THINKS OF YOU GUYS AS VARSITY. THERE ARE NFL SCOUTS HERE ALL HERE TO WATCH BIG NUMBER 0 IN BLUE, REFERENCING WALKER AND CHALLENGING WILLIAMS. HE SAID YOU'VE GOT TO PROVE THEM WRONG AND YOU CAN TELL THESE PLAYERS ARE CHIRPING TO EACH OTHER. THEY'RE RALLYING AROUND THE MESSAGE IN THIS GAME. >> Sean: BEAT KENTUCKY FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW, THEY WON 17-14 LAST YEAR OVER THE WILDCATS IN COLUMBIA. TOUGH RUN ON FIRST DOWN, AGAIN, IT'S DEMIE SUMO-KARNGBAYE. >> Greg: THEY HAVE YET TO BE CHALLENGED AGAINST THE RUN AND THAT'S BEEN THE EMPHASIS FOR KENTUCKY'S OFFENSE. >> Sean: 53-YARD PUNT BY KROEGER FORCED KENTUCKY TO START INSIDE THE 20. ON SECOND AND VERY SHORT, THE HANDOFF TO BARION BROWN, AND HE'S BURIED. JALON KILGORE UP FROM THE SECONDARY TO DROP HIM FOR A SEVEN-YARD LOSS. >> Greg: HE'S WORKING AGAINST NUMBER 84, WHO MISSED LAST WEEK WITH A HAMSTRING INJURY. AND KILGORE DECIDES THEY HAVE NICKEL, AND MAKES HIM EXTREMELY VERSATILE. WHAT A GREAT PLAY. >> Sean: A SOPHOMORE FROM GEORGIA, WAS A FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICAN LAST YEAR. THIRD DOWN AND EIGHT, BROCK VANDAGRIFF. GOOD CATCH, BUT A VERY SHORT GAIN TO Ja'MORI MACLIN. JUST A TWO-YARD PICKUP FOR MACLIN, WHO WAS AT NORTH TEXAS LAST YEAR. PLAYED A COUPLE OF SEASONS BEFORE THAT AT MISSOURI, WHERE HIS WIDE RECEIVER COACH WAS BUSH HAMDAN, NOW THE OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR HERE AT KENTUCKY. WILSON BURIED THE PUNT AGAIN. WE SAW THE LAST PUNT, IT IS WINDY, AND THERE'S A VERY BRIGHT SKY HERE TODAY. AND THAT ONE INTO THE WIND. NOT GOING VERY FAR. TOOK A GOOD BOUNCE FOR BERRY. AND IT'S DOWN TO THE 39 YARD LINE, JUST A 38-YARD PUNT, MUCH OF IT ON THE BOUNCE. NO SCORE, >>> S.E.C. ON ABC IS PRESENTED BY BURGER KING. YOU RULE. AND IN PART BY PRONAMEL ACTIVE SHIELDS. >> Sean: BACK AT KROGER FIELD, IT IS THE 36th MEETING ALL TIME BETWEEN THESE TWO TEAMS. SOUTH CAROLINA WITH THE ALL-TIME EDGE, LARGELY BECAUSE OF THAT DOMINANCE IN THE EARLY PART OF THIS CENTURY, WHEN THEY WON 13 OUT OF 14. THEY'VE WON THE LAST TWO. MARK STOOPS AND KENTUCKY HAVE WON SEVEN OF THE LAST TEN MEETINGS. THEY'VE PLAYED EVERY YEAR SINCE 1992 WHEN SOUTH CAROLINA JOINED THE CONFERENCE. FIRST AND TEN FOR THE GAMECOCKS, AND A BEAUTIFUL THROW, THROUGH A LOT OF TRAFFIC. SELLERS ON TARGET TO JARED BROWN, WHO FOUGHT HARD TO GET TO THE 40 FOR A FIRST DOWN, A 21-YARD GAIN ON A BEAUTIFUL THROW. >> Greg: AND A GREAT THROW BY SELLERS. DUMAS-JOHNSON DRIFTS UNDERNEATH, TRIES TO GET HIS RIGHT HAND UP. TOUCHES IT BARELY, BUT IT DOESN'T AFFECT THE ACCURACY. AN EXCELLENT THROW BY THE FRESHMAN. >> Sean: SELLERS TAKES OFF RUNNING, 22 CARRIES LAST WEEK DEFENSE OLD DOMINION, THE MOST IN A GAME BY A SOUTH CAROLINA QUARTERBACK SINCE 2013, WHEN CONNOR SHAW CARRIED IT 22 TIMES AGAINST CLEMSON. THEY GET TO THE LINE QUICKLY. JARED BROWN AGAIN, A LOT OF RUNNING ROOM, AS HE TURNED THE CORNER. HE GETS YANKED OUT INSIDE THE 25 YARD LINE. THAT'S 12 MORE AND ANOTHER FIRST DOWN FOR CAROLINA. AND, AGAIN, THEY'LL KEEP THE PACE. >> Greg: NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK SIDELINE TO SIDELINE AND AWAY FROM THE BIG BODIES IN THE MIDDLE. >> Sean: SELLERS ROLLS TO HIS LEFT. HAS A WIDE OPEN RECEIVER, AND A TOUCHDOWN! MAZEO BENNETT JR., 24-YARD SCORE. THE TRUE FRESHMAN, JUST HIS THIRD CAREER CATCH. HE HAD TWO LAST WEEK AND NOW HE HAS HIS FIRST CAREER TOUCHDOWN. >> Greg: JUST A MISCOMMUNICATION IN THE BACK END OF KENTUCKY. THE OUTSIDE CORNER, NUMBER 6, HARDAWAY, STAYED ON THE INSIDE, WHICH ALLOWED THE WIDE RECEIVER FROM THE SLOT, BENNETT, WIDE OPEN ON THE CORNER, AND AN EASY THROW. A TERRIFIC DRIVE THERE BY THE GAMECOCKS. >> Sean: AND THE EXTRA POINT UP AND GOOD BY THE NEW PLACE KICKER, ALEX HERRERA, NEW TO THE STARTING JOB. HE'S BEEN IN THE PROGRAM FOR SIX YEARS. THE FIRST TOUCHDOWN CATCH FOR THE FRESHMAN FROM GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, MAZEO BENNETT, AND THE FIRST TOUCHDOWN PASS OF THIS SEASON FOR LaNORRIS SANDERS SELLERS. HE DID THROW A COUPLE IN VERY LIMITED ACTION LAST YEAR AS A FRESHMAN BEFORE HE REDSHIRTED. HE PLAYED IN THREE GAMES LAST YEAR, THREW FOUR PASSES, AND TWO OF THEM WENT FOR TOUCHDOWNS. PLAYING BEHIND SPENCER RATTLER, NOW IN THE NFL. MORE COLLEGE FOOTBALL ACTION AFTER-HOUR GAME TONIGHT ON ABC, AT 7:30, NUMBER 14 TENNESSEE AND NUMBER 24 NC STATE IN THE DUKE'S MAYO CLASSIC NEUTRAL SITE GAME, AT BANK OF AMERICA STADIUM IN CHARLOTTE. HOW ABOUT TENNESSEE LAST WEEK? OPENED WITH A 69-3 WIN AGAINST CHATTANOOGA. NC STATE DEFEATED WESTERN CAROLINA. >> Greg: IT WAS ABSOLUTELY A CLINIC BY TENNESSEE. AND NC STATE, LET'S NOT SLEEP ON THEM. VERY AGGRESSIVE DEFENSE. GOING AGAINST NICO AND THAT WILL BE A FASCINATING CAT AND MOUSE GAME. >> Sean: BARION BROWN BACK FOR THE KICKOFF. TIED FOR THE ALL-TIME CONFERENCE RECORD WITH SIX OTHERS. AND ALEX HERRERA WILL KICK OFF. DUSTY WIND. END OVER END. IT IS RETURNABLE FOR BROWN. GOOD COVERAGE BY SOUTH CAROLINA, THOUGH. SOMEHOW, BROWN ESCAPED, BUT IT LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE GOING TO SMOTHER HIM INSIDE THE 20. HE MANAGED TO MAKE IT OUT NEAR THE 25 YARD LINE. MAZEO BENNETT, THE TOUCHDOWN, NOW THE CAROLINA DEFENSE ON THE FIELD, MIDWAY THROUGH THIS FIRST QUARTER. BROCK VANDAGRIFF OPENED IN THE PISTOL, ABOUT JASON PATTERSON, THE RUNNING BACK. HE'S A FRESHMAN. HE GETS THE CARRY. A LONG WAY. THE BALL CAME OUT. IT'S RECOVERED BY KENTUCKY'S DANE KEY. FIVE-YARD GAIN. PATTERSON WENT A LONG WAY ACROSS THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE BEFORE THERE WAS ANY CONTACT. ONCE THERE WAS SOME, HE LOST THE FOOTBALL. >> Greg: LOOKED LIKE AS HE WAS GOING DOWN TO THE GROUND, THAT RIGHT ELBOW CONTACTED THE GROUND. THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT DISLODGED THE FOOTBALL. >> Sean: AND DEMIE SUMO-KARNGBAYE TO THE RIGHT OF BROCK VANDAGRIFF. VANDAGRIFF 1 FOR 2 PASSING. THROWS A DEEP BALL IN SINGLE COVERAGE. AND IT IS CAUGHT. THE OFFICIALS CONFERRING, IS IT INBOUNDS. IT IS AT THE 39 YARD LINE. DANE KEY, THE CATCH WITH O'DONNELL FORTUNE RIGHT THERE. >> Greg: HOW ABOUT THE CONCENTRATION BY KEY. RUNNING OUT OF ROOM. DOES HE GET THE LEFT FOOT DOWN? HE DOES. DOES HE HAVE POSSESSION AND SECURE IT? LOOKS LIKE HE DOES. >> Sean: VERY WELL DEFENDED. RIGHT THERE WAS O'DONNELL FORTUNE. >> Sean: SOUTH CAROLINA LEADS 7-0. AND THE GAMECOCKS HAVE A SACK OF BROCK VANDAGRIFF. >> Greg: T.J. SANDERS AROUND THE LEFT GUARD, JAGER BURTON. A LITTLE SWING MOVE, AND VANDAGRIFF CAN DO NOTHING WITH IT AS HE'S DROPPED FOR A BIG LOSS. >> Sean: EIGHT YARD LOSS, SOUTH CAROLINA HAD FIVE SACKS IN ITS WIN AGAINST OLD DOMINION LAST WEEK, AND FOUR TAKEAWAYS. IT WAS THE DEFENSE THAT LED THEM TO VICTORY, 23-19 AGAINST THE >> Sean: YOU'RE WATCHING THE S.E.C. ON ABC, PRESENTED BY BURGER KING. FROM KROGER FIELD IN LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY, WHERE IT FEELS LIKE FALL. TEMPERATURES AROUND 90 HERE YESTERDAY. WE HAD A BRIEF THUNDERSTORM LAST EVENING, REALLY DROPPED THE TEMPERATURES. GUSTY WINDS. BROCK VANDAGRIFF AND KENTUCKY HEADING INTO THE BREEZE HERE IN THE FIRST QUARTER. HE'S SURROUNDED. LOST THE FOOTBALL. AND CAROLINA APPEARS TO HAVE IT. KYLE KENNARD KNOCKED THE BALL OUT. IT WAS RECOVERED BY KENTUCKY, BY BROCK VANDAGRIFF, DESPITE THE CELEBRATING OF THE GAMECOCKS. KENTUCKY DID GET IT BACK, BUT THEY'LL HAVE TO PUNT. >> Greg: ON THE RIGHT SIDE, DYLAN STEWART APPLYING THE PRESSURE. KENNARD COMING TO THE BACK SIDE. BOTH ARRIVING AT VANDAGRIFF AT THE EXACT SAME TIME. TO SEE WHO KNOCKED IT FREE, IT WAS TOUGH TO TELL. THE EDGE RUSHERS TOOK OVER THE GAME LAST WEEK. WE'LL SEE IF THEY CAN DO IT AGAIN TODAY. >> Sean: THEY EACH HAD A STRIP SACK THAT LED TO A SCORE FOR SOUTH CAROLINA LAST WEEK AND THEY SHARED THE S.E.C. DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK AWARD. WILSON BERRY'S THIRD PUNT, A GOOD ONE. IT WILL BE DOWN INSIDE THE 10 YARD LINE. 47-YARD PUNT. FOR THOSE OF US JUST JOINING US ON ABC, SOUTH CAROLINA PUNTED ON ITS FIRST POSSESSION. THEN A NIFTY DRIVE ON THE SECOND POSSESSION. FOUR PLAYS TO GO 61 YARDS. LaNORRIS SANDERS SELLERS TO MAZEO BENNETT JR., TRUE FRESHMAN, HIS FIRST CAREER TOUCHDOWN RECEPTION FROM 24 YARDS OUT. >> Greg: IT WAS A REALLY IMPRESSIVE ADJUSTMENT BY THE OFFENSE FOR SOUTH CAROLINA. STARTED OUT TRYING TO TEST THINGS UP THE MIDDLE AGAINST KENTUCKY AND DIDN'T FIND ANY SUCCESS IN THEIR FIRST DRIVE. SO, IN THE SECOND DRIVE, STARTED TO WORK SIDELINE TO SIDELINE, GET THOSE BIG BODIES MOVING. AND THEY FOUND A LOT OF SUCCESS, NOT JUST THROUGH THE AIR, BUT ALSO ON THE GROUND. >> Sean: THAT DRIVE WAS MUCH MORE IMPRESSIVE THAN ANYTHING THEY PUT TOGETHER ON OFFENSE AGAINST OLD DOMINION LAST WEEK. THEY HAD JUST 305 YARDS OF OFFENSE. RAHEIM SANDERS, THE BALL CARRIER, AND WALKER WITH THE STOP. HERE IS MOLLY McGRAPH. >> YOU MENTIONED SOUTH CAROLINA'S OFFENSE GOING SIDELINE TO SIDELINE, THE SIDELINE COACH CALLED THEM TOGETHER AND SAID THEY'RE TRYING TO CUT EVERYTHING TO TAKE AWAY THE PERIMETER. WE HAVE TO LIMIT THE PENETRATION OF THEIR CUTS. HE SHOWED EXAMPLES ON THE iPAD AND THEY'RE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO OPEN UP THE PASSING GAME ON THE PERIMETER, GUYS. >> Sean: THE HANDOFF TO ROCKET SANDERS, THE TRANSFER FROM ARKANSAS. THEY'RE HOPING HE'LL GIVE THEIR OFFENSE A MUCH-NEEDED BOOST. WALKER WAS IN ON THE TACKLE. LAST SEASON SOUTH CAROLINA WAS THE WORST RUSHING TEAM IN THE S.E.C. AT JUST 85 YARDS PER GAME. >> Greg: DIFFICULT SPOT, TOO, FOR THE YOUNG QUARTERBACK. BACKED-UP SITUATION, INSIDE HIS OWN TEN INSIDE AN EXCELLENT PASS RUSH. KEEP AN EYE ON NUMBER 13, J.J. WEAVER. HE'LL BE ON THE RIGHT SIDE. THEN ON THE LEFT, HE'LL HAVE NUMBER 42, TYRECE FEARBRY. >> Sean: ON THIRD DOWN AND NINE. FORCED TO RETREAT. THERE'S WHISTLES AND FLAGS. >> Referee: TIME-OUT, SOUTH CAROLINA. >> Sean: THEY GOT A TIME-OUT BEFORE THE FLAG WAS THROWN FOR DELAY OF GAME. SHANE BEAMER'S TEAM ON THE ROAD IN THE S.E.C. OPENER, NOT ONLY FOR THESE TWO TEAMS, BUT FOR THE CONFERENCE, THIS IS THE FIRST CONFERENCE GAME OF THE SEASON. HISTORY BEING MADE HERE TODAY, AS WE SAID EARLIER. FIRST GAME IN THE 16-TEAM CONFERENCE. WE TALKED TO BOTH COACHES YESTERDAY, GREG, ABOUT THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR. THEY BOTH ADMITTED THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT GAME. IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THE KIND OF SEASON BOTH TEAMS HOPE TO HAVE, THIS IS A GAME YOU HAVE TO WIN. >> Greg: IT'S MASSIVE BECAUSE THE WINS, FRANKLY, ARE EXTREMELY HARD TO COME BY. TO EXPECT TO BEAT GEORGIA OR TEXAS, THOSE ARE GOING TO BE TALL ORDERS. SO TO BEAT THE TEAMS THAT ARE KIND OF IN THE SAME TIER AS YOU, WHICH THESE TWO TEAMS ARE, TRYING TO BEAT THOSE TEAMS THAT CAN BEAT THEM, TRYING TO PUNCH UP. SO THIS IS A MASSIVE GAME AT HOME FOR BOTH TEAMS IF THEY WANT TO GET TO AN EIGHT, NINE, TEN-WIN SEASON. IT'S A TALL ORDER BUT STARTS TODAY AGAINST A TEAM YOU CAN HANDLE AND MATCH UP AGAINST. >> Sean: OUT OF THE TIME-OUT, THIRD DOWN AND NINE. SANDERS MOVES BACK ONTO THE RIGHT HIP OF THE REDSHIRT FRESHMAN, LA FOR SELLERS. THERE'S A FLAG DOWN. THE CATCH IS MADE, IF IT STANDS, AT THE 27 YARD LINE. THERE IS A FLAG DOWN BACK IN THE END ZONE. IT'S A 17-YARD GAIN TO VANDREVIUS JACOBS, THE FLORIDA STATE TRANSFER. >> Referee: HOLDING, NUMBER 74 ON THE OFFENSE. >> Sean: BASED ON WHERE THE FLAG WAS THROWN, IT HAD TO BE CLOSE TO THE END ZONE. IT'S ON THE TRUE FRESHMAN, THOMPSON. >> Greg: THOMPSON HAS TO GRAB HIM AROUND THE NECK, WHICH RESULTS IN THE HOLDING PENALTY AND WIPES OUT THE CONVERTED FIRST DOWN. LOOKS LIKE HE WAS JUST ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE END ZONE, A YARD OR TWO AWAY FROM POTENTIALLY BEING A SAFETY. >> Sean: TOUGH TASK FOR THOMPSON, HIS FIRST GAME ON THE ROAD AGAINST A TEAM THAT HAS POW AND SPEED UP FRONT. SHORT SET, QUICK THROW. MAZEO BENNETT RAN INTO A PILE AT THE 12-YEAR-OLD. ZION CHILDRESS LEADING THE WAY FOR THE KENTUCKY DEFENSE. AND IT WILL BE A SOUTH CAROLINA PUNT. FOR KAI KROEGER, REMEMBER, THIS IS BEAMER BALL. SHANE BEAMER, A CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK, HIS DAD A COACH AT VIRGINIA TECH, KNOWN FOR GREAT SPECIAL TEAMS, WHICH HE COACHED HIMSELF, AND SHANE VERY INVOLVED IN THE CAROLINA SPECIAL TEAMS. RAN A FAKE PUNT LAST WEEK, THEY WENT FOR A TOUCHDOWN, BUT IT WAS CALLED BACK FOR A PENALTY. GOOD BOOT WITH THE WIND BY KROEGER. AND Ja'MORI MACLIN RAN IT BACK TO THE 44 YARD LINE. EIGHT-YARD RETURN. BROCK VANDAGRIFF FROM BOGART, GEORGIA, ABOUT A 20-MINUTE DRIVE FROM ATHENS AND THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA. VERY SMALL TOWN. HE WAS HIGHLY RECRUITED OUT OF PRINCE AVENUE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL, WHERE HE PLAYED FOR HIS DAD. SAT THREE YEARS AT GEORGIA, TWO BEHIND STETSON BENNETT, THEY WON A PAIR OF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS. LAST YEAR BEHIND CARSON BECK. WHEN BECK DECIDED TO RETURN FOR ANOTHER YEAR, HE AND HIS DAD DECIDED IT WAS TIME FOR VANDAGRIFF TO GO SOMEPLACE HE COULD PLAY. HE WAS HIS HIGH SCHOOL COACH AT PRINCE AVENUE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL. BROCK IN TROUBLE, AND THROWS IT AWAY. SWAIN ON A CORNER BLITZ. THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A CALL ON THE SIDELINE. AND THEY'RE GOING TO GET IT. FLAG DROPPED BY THE REFEREE, DAVID SMITH. >> Greg: IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE VANDAGRIFF GETS OUTSIDE THE TACKLE BOX. HE JUST RETREATS ALONG THE RIGHT HATCH, THROWS IT WITH NOT REALLY ANY RECEIVER IN THE AREA. GOOD JOB BY THE OFFICIALS, TALKING ABOUT IT, HAVING THAT COMMUNICATION, AND PROPERLY THROWING THE FLAG. >> Sean: GERALD MINCEY HAS NOT RETURNED AT RIGHT TACKLE AFTER HE WAS HELPED OFF. ANFERNEE CREASE, NUMBER 78, IS IN AT TACKLE. A BIG BLUE WALL, THE KENTUCKY OFFENSIVE LINE, HASN'T BEEN UP TO ITS USUAL STANDARDS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. THEY'RE HOPING, THEY THINK, THE LINE PLAY WILL BE BETTER. BUT SO FAR THEY'VE HAD TROUBLE. VANDAGRIFF HAS BEEN SCAMPERING ALL OVER THE PLACE, TRYING TO GET AWAY. HE COULD NOT ESCAPE DEBO WILLIAMS. AND CLEARLY, HE IS RATTLED ALREADY, GREG, AND UNDERSTANDABLY, BY THE CONSTANT PRESSURE FROM SOUTH CAROLINA. >> Greg: THEY TRIED TO CALL A QUARTERBACK DRAW. THIS ACTUALLY HURT SOUTH CAROLINA ON THE 44-YARD GAIN LAST WEEK FOR A TOUCHDOWN. THIS TIME, DEBO WILLIAMS PLAYS IT PERFECTLY, AND DROPS VANDAGRIFF RIGHT AROUND THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE TO SET UP ANOTHER THIRD AND LONG FOR KENTUCKY. >> Sean: THIRD AND 23, A MINUTE AND A HALF TO GO FIRST QUARTER. 7-0, GAMECOCKS. VANDAGRIFF STUMBLES AS HE TRIES TO GET AWAY. AND THEY HAD HIM AROUND THE LEGS AS HE THREW IT AGAIN. DYLAN STEWART, THE TRUE FRESHMAN, WHO HAS ALREADY ESTABLISHED HIMSELF AS A FORCE OUT OF WASHINGTON, D.C., A NEWCOMER FOR CLAYTON WHITE, THE DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR. >> Greg: YOU HAVE THREE DIFFERENT GUYS THAT ARE ALL TRYING TO BLOCK A TRUE FRESHMAN. HE WORKS THROUGH THE TRIPLE TEAM, BASICALLY, AND STILL SOMEHOW FINDS A WAY TO APPLY THE PRESSURE. THAT IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS. I KNOW THE STARTING RIGHT TACKLE IS OUT, BUT, STILL, THEY'RE TRYING TO HELP HIM. YET, IT STILL DOESN'T MATTER AGAINST A GUY IN HIS SECOND COLLEGE GAME. >> Sean: WILSON BERRY, FOURTH PUNT OF THE QUARTER. HE'S HAD TO DEAL WITH THE GUSTY WIND. ANOTHER GOOD PUNT, JUJU McDOWELL, FAIR CATCH NEAR THE 30 YARD LINE. 42-YARD PUNT. THERE'S THE TACO BELL LIVE MAS STUDENT SECTION ALL SEASON LONG, STUDENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE COMPETING TO BE THE TACO BELL LIVE MAS SECTION OF THE YEAR. DOWNLOAD THE TACO BELL APP TO LEARN MORE. THE WEATHER IS PERFECT. IF YOU LIKE PERFECT, YOU'RE GOING TO LIKE THE WEATHER TODAY. IF YOU DON'T LIKE PERFECT, THIS IS NOT THE PLACE TO BE. >> Greg: RIGHT. WHEN THE SKY IS THE SAME COLOR AS THE HOME TEAM'S UNIFORMS, YOU JUST FEEL LIKE YOU'RE AT HOME. IT'S JUST ABSOLUTELY PERFECT HERE IN LEXINGTON. >> Sean: ROBBY ASHFORD, THE BACKUP QUARTERBACK, COMES IN FOR LaNORRIS SANDERS SELLERS. HE HANDED IT OFF TO JUJU McDOWELL. ASHFORD IS A TRANSFER, HE'S BEEN AROUND A COUPLE OF YEARS AT OREGON, THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AT AUBURN. LaNORRIS SANDERS SELLERS IS HEAD TO GO THE SOUTH CAROLINA LOCKER ROOM. >> Greg: YOU HAVE TO WONDER WHAT'S GOING ON WITH LaNORRIS SANDERS SELLERS. THERE WASN'T A LOT ON THE LAST DRIVE THAT WOULD LEAD TO HIM GOING TO THE LOCKER ROOM. >> Sean: HE HANDED IT OFF. A LOT OF TRAFFIC HERE WHERE THE HANDOFF WAS EXECUTED. DAVEREN RAYNER PLAYED LAST YEAR. YOU SAW SHANE BEAMER TELLING ASHFORD DON'T BOTHER TO SNAP IT AGAIN. FIFTH YEAR SENIOR FROM HOOVER, ALABAMA. >> Greg: A GUY THAT'S HAD BRIGHT MOMENTS IN HIS CAREER, BUT HAS BEEN A LITTLE INCONSISTENT. BUT HIS CEILING IS PRETTY HIGH AND IT'S GREAT TO HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE OFF THE BENCH. >> Sean: SOUTH CAROLINA ON THE ROAD, LEADING 7-0. THE S.E.C. ON ABC. >>> COACH, WE SAW YOUR QUARTERBACK LaNORRIS SANDERS SELLERS GO BACK TO THE LOCKER ROOM. WHAT'S GOING ON? >> HE'S GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A LOWER BODY INJURY. THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND, YOU KNOW, SEE WHAT HE CAN DO. HE FEELS LIKE HE CAN GO, THEY JUST WANT TO GO IN AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT REAL QUICK. >> WHAT'S THE PLAN IF HE CAN'T PLAY OR HE'S HAMPERED? >> WE'VE GOT A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN ROBBY ASHFORD. HE'S STARTED GAMES IN THIS CONFERENCE, AND I'VE SAID ALL ALONG, WE'VE GOT TWO WINNING QUARTERBACKS. I LOVE ROBBIE BECAUSE HE'S A COMPETITOR. WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO BRING IN A QUARTERBACK IN THE OFF-SEASON FROM THE PORTAL, THERE WERE A LOT OF QUARTERBACKS THAT WANTED TO BE PROMISED A STARTING JOB HERE. AND WE TOLD THEM WE WOULD PROMISE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE. A LOT OF THOSE GUYS WENT TO OTHER SCHOOLS. NOT ROBBY ASHFORD. HE CAME HERE BECAUSE HE'S A FREAKING COMPETITOR AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF FAITH IN HIM. >> THANKS, COACH. >> Sean: AND HE GOT THE CALL ON THIRD DOWN AND FOUR, GOT TWO, SO IT'S FOURTH AND TWO. HERE IS KAI KROEGER. NEITHER TEAM HAS CONVERTED A THIRD DOWN YESTERDAY. SOUTH CAROLINA 0 FOR 3 NOW AND KENTUCKY 0 FOR 4. KROEGER'S KICK WILL BOUNCE OUT OF BOUNDS NEAR THE 10. Ja'MORI MACLIN STARTED TOWARD IT AND THEN JAMMED THE BRAKES ON. 53-YARD PUNT. TONIGHT'S FEATURED COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAMES ON ESPN+ INCLUDE BUFFALO AGAINST NUMBER NINE MISSOURI. THAT'S AT 7:00. ALSO AT 7:00, SAM FORD AGAINST FLORIDA. DOWNLOAD THE ESPN APP OR GO TO ESPN+.COM. BUFFALO UNDER THEIR FIRST YEAR HEAD COACH, WHO THE LAST FEW SEASONS WAS THE TERRIFIC SPECIAL TEAMS COACH AT SOUTH CAROLINA. >> Greg: I STILL THINK A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO I VOTED FOR THE ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR, AND I VOTED FOR PETE BECAUSE I FELT LIKE HE WON TWO OR THREE GAMES FOR THEM IN 2022. JUST AN AMAZING COACH. >> Sean: AWARD GOING TO THE TOP ASSISTANT COACH IN THE COUNTRY. DEMIE SUMO-KARNGBAYE CARRIES FOR KENTUCKY. HE SLID OUT TO THE 18 YARD LINE FOR A GAIN OF EIGHT. THIS IS THE FIFTH POSSESSION NOW FOR KENTUCKY. THEY'RE PLAYING WITHOUT THE TRANSFER FROM OHIO STATE, WHO SHOULD BE THEIR LEADING BALL CARRIER WHEN HE GETS HEALTHY, HE SUFFERED A BROKEN HAND IN THE PRESEASON. AT LEAST A FEW MORE WEEKS. SUMO-KARNGBAYE HAS THE FIRST DOWN WITH A FOUR-YARD GAIN. VICARI SWAIN MADE THE TACKLE. >> Greg: HE'S BEEN THE STORY FOR KENTUCKY, SUMO-KARNGBAYE HAS BEEN EFFICIENT, TODAY AVERAGING OVER SIX YARDS A CARRY. KENTUCKY HAS BEEN THEIR OWN WORST ENEMY, THEY'VE ABANDONED THE RUN BETWEEN THE TACKLES WAY TOO SOON. THEY'VE HAD SUCCESS WITH IT AND THEY'RE ALLOWING THE SPEED OF SOUTH CAROLINA PUT A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THEIR PASSING GAME, WHICH RESULTED IN NEGATIVE PLAYS. >> Sean: THE PISTOL, BROCK VANDAGRIFF. AND SUMO-KARNGBAYE, DROPPED FOR A LOSS. DeANDRE JULES, BACKUP DEFENSIVE TACKLE, TRANSFER FROM PITT, OFFICIALLY NO GAIN ON THE PLAY. >> Greg: THIS IS AN AREA FOR SOUTH CAROLINA WHERE YOU TALK TO THE DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR, CLAYTON WHITE, AND HE SAID WE ARE SO MUCH DEEPER, REALLY ALMOST AT EVERY POSITION, ESPECIALLY AT THE TACKLE WITH THE ADDITION OF JULES, WHICH IS A BIG UPGRADE FROM WHERE THEY'VE BEEN. >> Sean: GAVIN WIMSATT, THE BACKUP QUARTERBACK, BACK IN THERE AGAIN. HE HANDS IT OFF ON THE JET SWEEP TO ANTHONY BROWN-STEPHENS. WE WERE TOLD BY THE OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR WE WOULD SEE A LOT OF WIMSATT TODAY. FOR THE MOST PART, WHEN HE COMES INTO THE GAME, VANDAGRIFF WILL STAY ON THE FIELD. >> Greg: JUST WITH THE INJURY TO CHIP, THEY'RE A LITTLE THIN AT RUNNING BACK. WIMSATT IS ONE OF THE BEST PLAYERS ON THE TEAM WITH THE BALL IN HIS HAND. HE'S GOING TO GET PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES AS A WILDCAT QUARTERBACK. >> Sean: JOSH KATTUS, THE TIGHT END. MOTION, AND SUMO-KARNGBAYE STACKED UP ON THIRD DOWN AND TWO. HE GOT ONE. IT WILL BE FOURTH AND ONE, AND MARK STOOPS WITH A DECISION TO MAKE. HE'S LEAVING THE OFFENSE ON THE FIELD. GILBER EDMOND MADE THE TACKLE. SO THEY'RE GOING TO GO FOR IT ON THEIR OWN 31, DOWN 7-0, EARLY IN THE SECOND QUARTER. >> Greg: REALLY AGGRESSIVE HERE, ESPECIALLY AGAINST AN OFFENSE THAT STRUGGLED LAST WEEK. SEEMS LIKE A BOLD CALL. >> Sean: THEY SNAP IT. VANDAGRIFF IS IN TROUBLE. HE IS TRYING TO PUSH HIS WAY TO THE LINE. IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE HE GOT THERE. HE'S A BIG, STRONG GUY AT 6'3", 217. THE GAMECOCKS CONVINCED THEY STOPPED HIM, AND IT CERTAINLY LOOKS LIKE THEY DID. THEY DID. THEY DON'T EVEN NEED A MEASUREMENT. FIRST DOWN, SOUTH CAROLINA. SHANE BEAMER'S DEFENSE GETS THE BALL BACK ON DOWNS. >> Greg: THE TWO DEFENSIVE TACKLES, 91 HEMINGWAY AND 95 HUNTLEY, THEY JUST GET UNDERNEATH THE LOWER GUYS ALONG THE INTERIOR OF THE OFFENSIVE LINE. AND I UNDERSTAND BEING AGGRESSIVE IN PLUS TERRITORY. TO ME, THIS MAKES VERY LITTLE SENSE. BEAMER LOVES WHAT HE JUST SAW FROM HIS DEFENSIVE FRONT. YOU HAVE A BACKUP QUARTERBACK IN THE GAME FOR SOUTH CAROLINA. JUST CAN'T BE ON BOARD WITH GOING FOR IT ON YOUR OWN END AND GIVING THEM THE SHORT FIELD. >> Sean: CERTAINLY THE GAMECOCKS WERE LOOKING FOR THE KEEPER FROM VANDAGRIFF. THEY HAD A BIG PILE RIGHT OVER THE CENTER. THE VETERAN OFFENSIVE LINE ON BOTH SIDES. SOUTH CAROLINA'S O-LINE HAS 154 COMBINED COLLEGE STARTS. ROBBY ASHFORD STILL THE QUARTERBACK. ROCKET SANDERS TRYING TO BOUNCE IT OUTSIDE, AND COULD NOT GET THERE. GOOD TACKLE IN SPACE BY ZION CHILDRESS, THE SENIOR FROM HOUSTON, TRANSFER FROM TEXAS STATE, WHERE HE PLAYED A COUPLE OF YEARS. LaNORRIS SANDERS SELLERS IS BACK ON THE FIELD. >> Greg: HOPEFULLY HE'LL BE RIGHT. HE DOESN'T LOOK AS THOUGH HE'S RUNNING WITH ANY LIMITATIONS WHATSOEVER. HE KIND OF POINTED TO THE RIGHT SIDE, RIGHT HIP AREA WHEN HE WENT OFF THE FIELD INITIALLY. SO HOPEFULLY EVERYTHING CHECKED OUT FOR THE QUARTERBACK. >> Sean: ASHFORD, QUARTERBACK DELAY. LOOKED LIKE A DESIGN RUN FOR HIM. AND THAT'S EFFECTIVE. HE'S INSIDE THE 15. AND IT'S A FIRST DOWN FOR SOUTH CAROLINA. >> Greg: THIS IS REALLY NICELY DESIGNED. JUST A LITTLE COUNTER ACTION BETWEEN THE LEFT GUARD PULLING AND THE TIGHT END, NUMBER 87, BRADY HUNT, WHO GETS A KICK OUT AS WELL, SECOND LEVEL. REALLY STRONG RUN BY ASHFORD, WHO REFUSES TO GO DOWN AND IS INSIDE THE RED ZONE. >> Sean: ROBBY, 6'2", 229, FIFTH YEAR SENIOR. 21 YEARS OLD. HE GAVE IT TO RAHEIM SANDERS AND CHILDRESS MADE ANOTHER TACKLE, HIS 52nd, MOST ON THE WILDCAT TEAM. >> Greg: VERY EXPERIENCED DEFENSE UNDER DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR BRAD WHITE. IN THE RED ZONE, THIS IS WHERE THEY'VE REALLY BEEN GOOD. IN THE RED ZONE THEY'VE BEEN HIGHLY EFFICIENT. LAST YEAR NOT AS MUCH, SO LOOKING FOR IMPROVEMENT HERE IN '24. >> Sean: ASHFORD HAS COMPLETED HIS ONLY PASS ATTEMPT THIS AFTERNOON, RELIEVING LaNORRIS SANDERS SELLERS. FIVE RECEIVERS, THREE TO HIS LEFT. HE LOOKED TO THE LEFT, PULLED IT DOWN QUICKLY, THEN SLIPPED AS HE TRIED TO TAKE OFF RUNNING. NO GAIN ON THE PLAY. THIRD DOWN AND 12. THEY ARE IN FIELD GOAL RANGE. SELLERS LOOKS LIKE HE'S ABLE TO RETURN. STARTING TO WARM UP ON THE SIDELINE. >> Greg: BIG KEY HERE FOR ROBBY ASHFORD, PLAYED A TON OF FOOTBALL, HIGHLY EXPERIENCED PLAYER, YOU CANNOT TAKE A SACK. YOU'RE ALREADY INSIDE FIELD GOAL RANGE. ANY NEGATIVE YARDAGE COULD MAKE IT DIFFICULT GOING INTO THE WIND FOR YOUR FIELD GOAL KICKER. >> Sean: ANOTHER DESIGNED RUN FOR ASHFORD, TRYING TO GET OUTSIDE. HE'S TACKLED FROM BEHIND, WELL SHORT OF THE FIRST DOWN. TYREESE FEARBRY, SOPHOMORE LINEBACKER FROM PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, MADE THE TACKLE. AND THE FIELD GOAL TEAM WILL COME OUT. ALEX HERRERA IN HIS SIXTH YEAR IN THE PROGRAM, WAITED FIVE YEARS TO GET HIS CHANCE THE LAST FEW YEARS. HAD A NICE DEBUT, MADE THREE OUT OF FOUR, HIS ONLY MISS WAS FROM 48. THEY WERE HIS FIRST CAREER FIELD GOAL ATTEMPTS IN HIS SIXTH YEAR IN THE PROGRAM. THEY RUSH A MAN ON LATE. AND KENTUCKY NEEDS TO BE GIVEN TIME TO SUBSTITUTE AS WELL. AND NOW I BELIEVE SHANE BEAMER WANTS A TIME-OUT AFTER THIS MESS. 8:10 TO GO, SECOND QUARTER. BEAMER AND THE >> Sean: COACHING BY MARK STOOPS AND HIS STAFF, FORCED SOUTH CAROLINA TO USE A TIME-OUT, AND NOW A 29-YARD ATTEMPT UPCOMING FOR HERRERA. IN THE SHANE BEAMER ERA, FIELD GOAL KICKERS FOR SOUTH CAROLINA HAVE MADE 42 OUT OF 46. THAT'S 91.3%, BEST IN THE S.E.C. IN THAT SPAN. KAI KROEGER IS THE HOLDER. AND HERRERA PICKS UP WHERE MITCH JADER LEFT OFF. THEY CONTINUE TO KNOCK THEM THROUGH THE UPRIGHTS. >> Greg: THIS WAS JUST A MASSIVE MOMENT A SECOND AGO. SOUTH CAROLINA, THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH GUYS ON THE FIELD, SO THEY RUN A GUY ON LATE WITH EIGHT SECONDS REMAINING, WHICH ALLOWS KENTUCKY THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUBSTITUTE. YOU SEE THE UMPIRE AND THE OFFICIALS STOP THINGS, FIVE, FOUR, THREE -- KENTUCKY THEN DECIDES, HEY, WE ARE GOING TO SUBSTITUTE AS WELL. SO YOU'VE GOT TO GIVE TREMENDOUS CREDIT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE MARK STOOPS, WHO IS DOWN IN THIS DIRECTION, YOU'LL SEE HIM, HE TELLS HIS PLAYER TO RUN ON AND POINT AS HE'S RUNNING ON TO THE PLAY CLOCK AND GO STRAIGHT TO THE OFFICIAL AND SAY THIS, HE ESSENTIALLY FORCED, BECAUSE OF THE SUBSTITUTION ERROR BY SOUTH CAROLINA, HE FORCED SHANE BEAMER TO CALL TIME-OUT, WHICH WAS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF GAMESMANSHIP. >> Sean: ORDINARILY YOU WOULDN'T SUBSTITUTE ON THAT UNIT. BUT HE KNEW IF THEY SENT A PLAYER ON WITH THE PLAY CLOCK THAT LOW, SOUTH CAROLINA WAS GOING TO HAVE TO USE A TIME-OUT OR TAKE THE DELAY PENALTY. BUT IT IS THREE POINTS FOR CAROLINA AND A MUCH BETTER LOOKING OFFENSE FOR THE GAMECOCKS THAN THEY PUT ON THE FIELD LAST WEEK AGAINST OLD DOMINION, WHERE THEY HAD JUST 288 YARDS OF TOTAL OFFENSE. 109 SO FAR HERE TODAY. AGAIN, THE SCORE IS SET UP ON A SHORT FIELD BY THE DEFENSE ON A TURNOVER ON DOWNS. DEMIE SUMO-KARNGBAYE. OUT TO THE 30 YARD LINE. >> I'M TOLD QUARTERBACK LaNORRIS SANDERS SELLERS WILL RETURN WITH A RIGHT LEG INJURY. THEY STRETCHED AND WORKED IT OUT IN THE LOCKER ROOM. HE WAS IMMEDIATELY GIVEN HIS HELMET AND HE TOLD TEAMMATES I'M GOOD TO GO. HE'S BEEN STRETCHING AND WARMING UP. YOU CAN TELL HE'S EAGER TO GET BACK IN THE GAME. >> Greg: HE KIND OF POINTS AS HE'S WALKING OFF THE FIELD TO HIS RIGHT HIP, INDICATING TO SHANE BEAMER THAT WAS THE ISSUE. GLAD TO SEE EVERYTHING CHECKED OUT AND HE'LL BE ALL RIGHT AND ABLE TO RETURN. >> Sean: THAT'S A LOT OF LEG ON WHICH TO HAVE AN INJURY. HE SQUATS 590 POUNDS. SUMO-KARNGBAYE BREAKING TACKLES. HE'S HAD SOME GOOD RUNS. NOT GOING TO BE AN EXPLOSIVE HOME RUN THREAT, BUT IF HE CAN KEEP GIVING THEM EIGHT OR NINE WITH REGULARITY, THEY'LL TAKE IT. >> Greg: IT LOOKED LIKE AS HE WAS GOING THROUGH THE HOLE, HE MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN AWAY WITH A FACE MASK BY BAM MARTIN-SCOTT WHOSE HAND WAS UP IN THE GRILL. >> Sean: OUT OF THE PISTOL. THEY STICK WITH SUMO-KARNGBAYE, SENIOR FROM NEW JERSEY, STARTED HIS CAREER AT NORTH CAROLINA STATE, PLAYED A COUPLE OF YEARS THERE. IS NOW IN HIS SECOND SEASON HERE IN LEXINGTON. >> Greg: PRIMARILY PLAYED SLOT RECEIVER LAST YEAR BECAUSE THEY WERE A LITTLE INCONSISTENT, AT TIMES BANGED UP. THEY BRING IN CHIP TRAYANUM, BUT NOW HE'S BEEN THRUST INTO THE ROLE. >> Sean: THEY'VE HAD A LOT OF RUNNING BACKS UNDER MARK STOOPS. QUICK HITTER, DEMIE SUMO-KARNGBAYE, RAN INTO BAM MARTIN-SCOTT, IN A SIX-NAME COLLISION. NINE YARD GAIN. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN THE BIG COMEBACK TEAM SINCE 2020 WHEN TRAILING BY TEN OR MORE, 1-18. ONLY WIN AGAINST LOUISVILLE IN 2023, ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE STOOPS ERA, THEY DEFEATED THEIR IN-STATE RIVALS, THE CARDINALS, FIVE YEARS IN A ROW. JASON PATTERSON, THE FRESHMAN, BANGED OUT OF BOUNDS BY NICK EMMANWORI. ANOTHER QUALITY RUN. EIGHT YARDS. >> Greg: KENTUCKY CONTINUES TO HAVE SUCCESS RUNNING THE FOOTBALL. THEY'VE GOT TO AVOID THOSE BIG NEGATIVE PLAYS, WHICH WAS DISRUPTED THE RHYTHM OF THE OFFENSE. ON A SECOND AND SHORT, I MIGHT GO BIG PLAY ACTION AND SEE IF I CAN THROW IT OVER THE TOP TO AN AGGRESSIVE SAFETY. >> Sean: HAVING A LOT OF TROUBLE BLOCKING WHEN THEY TRY TO PASS, SO THEY'RE STICKING WITH THE RUN. AND IT'S WORKING. PATTERSON, THE FRESHMAN FROM FLORIDA, A THREE-YARD GAIN AND A FIRST DOWN. HE LED THE STATE OF FLORIDA IN RUSHING AS A JUNIOR, MORE THAN 2,700 YARDS RUSHING, AND THAT'S A STATE PACKED WITH TALENT. JUST FIVE PASSING YARDS FOR THE WILDCATS. FIVE ATTEMPTS, RATHER, FOR 30 PASSING YARDS. GETTING USED TO THESE VERY HANDSOME NEW GRAPHICS ON THE S.E.C. ON ABC. PATTERSON CARRIES AGAIN TO THE 29 YARD LINE. SIX YARD GAIN. THE CROWD LIKES WHAT THEY SEE ON THIS DRIVE. >> Greg: VERY EFFICIENT DRIVE BEING CALLED HERE BY BUSH HAMDAN, THE NEW OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR. >> Sean: SUMO-KARNGBAYE. BUSH HAMDAN HAS A LOT OF FAITH IN HIM. HE'S NOT REALLY GOING TO BE THE FEATURE BACK LIKE THEY'VE HAD HERE, THE BENNY SNELL AND CHRIS RODRIGUEZ, AMONG OTHERS, BUT HE'S MORE THAN CAPABLE OF BEING AN EFFECTIVE S.E.C. PLAYER. HE HAS 67 YARDS RUSHING ON 12 CARRIES TODAY. >> Greg: HE'S NOT GOING TO BE A GUY THAT'S GOING TO AVERAGE 200, 220 LIKE RAY DAVIS DID AT VANDERBILT AND KENTUCKY. BUT HE'S VERY CAPABLE BETWEEN THE TACKLES. >> Sean: 0 FOR 5 ON THIRD. THIS IS THIRD AND LESS THAN A YARD. SUMO-KARNGBAYE. 10-0 GAMECOCKS. IT IS CLEARLY A SALTY SOUTH CAROLINA DEFENSE, THAT'S EVIDENT AFTER SIX QUARTERS OF THIS SEASON. IN THE WIN LAST WEEK AGAINST OLD DOMINION, THEY HAD TWO STRIP SACKS INSIDE THE 10 YARD LINE THAT SET UP TWO VERY SHORT TOUCHDOWN DRIVES, INCLUDING THE GAME WINNER IN THE FOURTH QUARTER. PATTERSON TRIPPED UP. HE MADE IT TO THE 19 YARD LINE, FOUR MORE ON THE GROUND. >> Greg: CONTINUING TO JUST CHURN AWAY. AND THIS IS THE KENTUCKY OFFENSE THAT I THINK MARK STOOPS AS A DEFENSIVE MIND WOULD LOVE TO SEE. THIS OFFENSIVE LINE, A GROUP THAT'S HAD UPS AND DOWNS THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, BACK WITH A NEW COACH, ERIC WOLFORD, RESPONDING TO THE CHALLENGE UP FRONT. >> Sean: PATTERSON YANKED DOWN BY BENGALLY KAMARA, ANOTHER TRANSFER FROM PITT, WHERE HE PLAYED A LOT. HAD 120 CAREER TACKLES. HE'S BEEN BANGED UP A LITTLE BIT. DIDN'T PLAY MUCH IN THE OPENER. BUT HE'LL PLAY A LOT TODAY. >> Greg: BIG PLAY HERE FOR KENTUCKY'S OFFENSE, EVEN WITH HOW EFFICIENT THIS DRIVE HAS BEEN. IF SOUTH CAROLINA CAN GET A STOCK, THAT WILL FEEL LIKE A WIN FOR THE GAMECOCKS. >> Sean: 11th PLAY OF THE DRIVE. THE FIRST TEN WERE RUNS. AND PLAY 11 IS AS WELL. SUMO-KARNGBAYE STACKED UP. HE WENT FOR A FOURTH AND VERY SHORT IN THEIR OWN TERRITORY AND GOT STUFFED. THIS IS FOURTH AND ALMOST TWO. AND MARK STOOPS IS GOING TO SEND THE FIELD GOAL TEAM ON NOW. IT WILL COME AFTER THE TWO-MINUTE TIME-OUT. CLOCK OPERATOR IS STILL GETTING USED TO THAT AS WELL, AS WE ADJUST TO THE GRAPHICS. IT'S EARLY IN THIS SEASON >> Sean: YOU'RE WATCHING THE S.E.C. ON ABC. FROM LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY, KROGER FIELD, RENOVATED IN 2015 AND IT IS AN OUTSTANDING VENUE FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL, AND THE SITE OF THE FIRST CONFERENCE GAME OF THIS S.E.C. SEASON. SOUTH CAROLINA LEADING 10-0. ALEX RAYNOR TRYING TO GET KENTUCKY ON THE BOARD. IT'S A 32-YARD ATTEMPT. WILSON BERRY, THE PUNTER, IS THE HOLDER. RAYNOR MADE HIS ONLY FIELD GOAL IN THE OPENER AGAINST SOUTHERN MISS FROM 41 YARDS. HE'S 11 OUT OF 12 AS THE KENTUCKY KICKER. AND THAT ONE IS GOOD. SO THE CATS ARE ON THE SCOREBOARD, 1:55 TO GO IN THE FIRS >>> STATE FARM HALFTIME REPORT JUST MINUTES AWAY. AND RIGHT NOW NOTRE DAME, NUMBER FIVE IN THE COUNTRY, TRAILING AT HOME. HIGHLIGHTS COMING YOUR WAY. >> QUARTERBACK SELLERS, VANDAGRIFF, THE QUARTERBACK PLAY HAS GOT TO GET BETTER. IT'S ALMOST AS IF GREG McELROY HAS COME BACK. >> OH, MAN, SEAN, BACK TO YOU. >> Sean: I WAS HOPING THAT TRADITION WAS GOING TO END AT THE END OF LAST SEASON. APPARENTLY IT HAS NOT. [ LAUGHTER ] >> Greg: OH, GOODNESS, JUST LOW-HANGING FRUIT FROM THE STUDIO. >> Sean: THE KICKOFF AFTER KENTUCKY'S FIELD GOAL. THEY HAD 51 YARDS TOTAL ON THEIR FIRST FIVE POSSESSIONS. HERE IS A LOOK AT COVERAGE WHERE IT COUNTS, PRESENT BY T-MOBILE. AFTER A SLOW START, SOUTH CAROLINA FOUND SOME RHYTHM. THEY GET JARED BROWN GOING. THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF SUCCESS RIGHT UP THE MIDDLE AGAINST KENTUCKY. THEY'RE TOO BIG AND PHYSICAL, BUT THEY CAN LIVE ON THE PERIMETER, FIND IT ON THE JET SWEEP. THEY MOVE THE POCKET FOR LaNORRIS SANDERS SELLERS, SIMPLIFY THE READ. YOU SEE THE BUST IN THE BACK END DEFENSIVELY BY KENTUCKY, RESULTS IN AN EASY TOUCHDOWN TO MAZEO BENNETT JR. REALLY DID A GOOD JOB OF ADJUSTING, DOWELL LOGGAINS DID, AFTER A SLOW START AGAINST A STOUT KENTUCKY. >> Sean: LaNORRIS SANDERS SELLERS IS BACK IN. WE'LL SEE HOW THEY PLAY IT WITH UNDER TWO MINUTES TO GO, JUST ONE TIME-OUT LEFT. HE LOST THE BALL, WEEKEND STRAIGHT UP IN THE AIR, AND CAUGHT OUT OF MIDAIR, J.J. WEAVER, WHO KNOCKED THE BALL OUT, AND IT WAS JOSHUA SMITH, THE TIGHT END, WHO WAS ABLE TO FIELD IT. IT'S A LOSS OF SEVEN ON THE PLAY. >> Greg: IS HIS HAND MOVING FORWARD? DOESN'T LOO K L >> Sean: COMING UP TOMORROW AT 2:00 IN THE AFTERNOON ON ABC AND ESPN+, THE MEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH FROM THE U.S. OPEN, NUMBER ONE JANNIK SINNER AGAINST TAYLOR FRITZ, TRYING TO BECOME THE FIRST AMERICAN MAN TO WIN THE U.S. OPEN SINCE ANDY RODDICK BACK IN 2003. COVERAGE STARTS WITH THE MEN'S PREVIEW SHOW AT 1:00. VERY EXCITING TOURNAMENT THAT HAS BEEN. JESSICA PEGULA IS IN THE WOMEN'S FINAL AS WE SPEAK, AFTER THE KENTUCKY TIME-OUT, MARK STOOPS WANTS THE BALL BACK. LaNORRIS SANDERS SELLERS, HIGH THROW. INTERCEPTED! TY BRYANT BRINGS IT BACK INSIDE THE 30. HIS FIRST CAREER INTERCEPTION FOR THE SOPHOMORE FROM RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD HERE IN LEXINGTON, FREDERICK DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL. >> Greg: A LOT OF ZONE DEFENSE FROM KENTUCKY, ALL OF THE DEFENDERS WITH EYES IN THE BACKFIELD, READING WHERE LaNORRIS SANDERS SELLERS IS LOOKING, AND HE MAKES A BIG MISTAKE. REALLY, REALLY BAD THROW, BAD DECISION IN THE SITUATION, END OF HALF SITUATION, UNDER TWO MINUTES. TRYING TO FORCE IT, MISSES HIGH, AND THERE'S A DEFENDER WAITING BEHIND IT, TY BRYANT, WHO REELS IT IN AND HAS KENTUCKY KNOCKING ON THE DOOR. WHAT A HUGE CHANGE THERE AT THE END OF HALF. >> Sean: FIRST INTERCEPTION OF THE SEASON THROWN BY LaNORRIS SANDERS -- SELLERS, AND BOTH OFFENSES HAVE BEEN POOR. SOUTH CAROLINA HAS 102 YARDS OF OFFENSE, 61 ON THE ONE TOUCHDOWN DRIVE. KENTUCKY HAS 108 YARDS OF OFFENSE, 57 ON THE LAST POSSESSION THAT ENDED IN A FIELD GOAL. VANDAGRIFF HAS BEEN SCAMPERING FOR HIS LIFE THE ENTIRE HALF. HE PICKED UP THREE. THEY HAVE TWO TIME-OUTS LEFT WITH 1:25 TO GO IN THE HALF. >> Greg: DON'T BE IN A CRAZY HURRY. YOU'RE ALREADY IN A GOOD SPOT. THE ONE THING YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT, VANDAGRIFF, VETERAN PLAYER, BUT NOT A LOT OF STARTS AND PLAYING TIME UNDER HIS BELT. CANNOT TAKE A NEGATIVE PLAY AND KNOCK YOURSELF OUT OF FIELD GOAL RANGE. >> Sean: SUMO-KARNGBAYE, THE RUNNING BACK. VANDAGRIFF KEPT IT. AND IT'S A GOOD THING HE DID, BECAUSE THAT JET SWEEP GOT BLOWN UP COMPLETELY. BARION BROWN RAN INTO DYLAN STEWART. IT WAS DEMETRIUS KNIGHT WHO MADE THE TACKLE ON VANDAGRIFF. THE CLOCK IS STILL RUNNING. 45 SECONDS IN THE HALF. A LONG TIME TO GET THE PLAY IN HERE FOR THE WILDCATS. THEY'VE RUN THE BALL ON 18 STRAIGHT PLAYS. THEY CANNOT BLOCK THE SOUTH CAROLINA PASS RUSH, AND THAT WAS BUSH HAMDAN'S BIGGEST CONCERN ENTERING THE GAME. SHORT SET. OFF-TARGET THROW. DANE KEY LUNGED FOR IT. COULDN'T RETRIEVE IT, WITH JUDGE COLLIER IN COVERAGE. AND THE OFFENSE CONTINUES WEAK, 1 OF 8 ON THIRD DOWN. I THINK YOU HAVE TO GIVE CREDIT TO BOTH DEFENSES, REALLY. THESE ARE TWO VERY GOOD DEFENSIVE YUNS. >> Greg: THAT THROW OFF THE MARK FROM VANDAGRIFF ON A CRITICAL THIRD DOWN. >> Sean: ALEX RAYNOR WITH 332 CAREER POINTS, SECOND AMONG ALL ACTIVE PLAYERS. HE'S IN HIS SECOND YEAR AT KENTUCKY. SPENT THREE YEARS AT GEORGIA SOUTHERN PRIOR TO THAT. OUTSTANDING IN BOTH PLACES. THAT'S A 39-YARD FIELD GOAL. HE'S NOW MADE 58 TH REE-PO >> Sean: THAT'S NOT GOOD NEWS FOR KENTUCKY, JAGER BURTON, STARTING LEFT GUARD, HELPED OFF THE FIELD AFTER THE SUCCESSFUL FIELD GOAL. HE'S A STALWART ON THE OFFENSIVE LINE. HE'S STARTED EVERY GAME THE LAST TWO SEASONS. TODAY, HIS 27th CAREER START. THEY'VE ALREADY LOST THEIR STARTING RIGHT TACKLE, GERALD MINCEY, EARLIER IN THE GAME. 19 SECONDS TO GO IN THIS FIRST HALF, AND MORE OF THE SAME IN THIS RIVALRY. ORDINARILY WHEN THEY PLAY, THEY'RE LOW SCORING GAMES. LAST YEAR IT WAS 17-14, A SOUTH CAROLINA WIN IN COLUMBIA. TRANSFER FROM TENNESSEE MARTIN WAS AT CHARLOTTE BEFORE THAT. EVEN THE KICKERS ARE GOING TO TWO OR THREE OR MORE SCHOOLS IN THIS ERA OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL. JUJU McDOWELL, THE KICKOFF RETURN, 17 YARDS. KIND OF WHAT WE EXPECTED IF YOU'RE AN OFFENSIVE ENTHUSIAST. YOU'RE NOT GETTING WHAT YOU LIKE. BUT WE CAME INTO THIS KNOWING TWO VERY GOOD DEFENSIVE TEAMS, TWO INEXPERIENCED QUARTERBACKS. >> Greg: AND TWO DEFENSIVE LINES THAT CAN JUST TAKE OVER THE GAME. AND IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT, REALLY, TO GET A WHOLE LOT GOING OFFENSIVELY WITHOUT TAKING TWO STEPS FORWARD AND THEN ONE SIGNIFICANT STEP BACK. SO, NOW, FOR BOTH OFFENSIVE COORDINATORS, BUSH HAMDAN AT KENTUCKY AND DOWELL LOGGAINS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, YOU'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO AVOID THE MASSIVE NEGATIVE PLAYS THAT GIVE MOMENTUM TO THE DEFENSE AND BASICALLY FORCE YOU TO PUNT THE BALL. >> Sean: LaNORRIS SELLERS TOOK A KNEE. THAT MEANS SOUTH CAROLINA ENDS THE HALF WITH JUST 101 YARDS RUSHING, AFTER A MERE 288 LAST WEEK AGAINST OLD DOMINION. KENTUCKY NOT MUCH BETTER, 115 TOTAL YARDS. SOUTH CAROLINA WILL GET THE SECOND HALF KICKOFF. 10-6, GAMECOCKS. WE'LL SEND YOU TO THE STUDIO FOR THE STATE FARM HALFTIME REPORT AFTER THIS MESSAGE AND A WORD FROM OUR ABC STATIONS. >> Sean: BENNETT HAS HAD A TERRIFIC DAY. THAT WIPED OUT A SIX-YARD GAIN. >> THERE'S BEEN BAD FUNDAMENTALS, NOT JUST UP FRONT, BUT ON THE PERIMETER AS WELL. THAT'S TWO HOLDS NOW ON SOUTH CAROLINA RECEIVERS. >> YOU WONDER WHERE THE PRODUCTION IS GOING TO COME FROM THE WIDE RECEIVER GROUP FOR SOUTH CAROLINA. WE MENTIONED THE LACK OF BIG PLAY RUNNING BACKS FOR KENTUCKY. THEY'RE TRYING TO REPLACE XAVIER LEGETTE AT SOUTH CAROLINA. SELLERS GOT IT OFF TO JARED BROWN. THAT'S 71 CATCHES FROM LEGETTE A YEAR AGO. HE BECAME A FIRST ROUND PICK OF THE CAROLINA PANTHERS AT THE END OF LAST SEASON. >> Greg: THE OFFENSE NEED TO FIND WAYS TO GIVE HIM THE BALL. THE GUY IS YET TO EMERGE. THEY HAVE A LOT OF CAPABLE WEAPONS, BUT DO THEY TRULY HAVE A NUMBER ONE WIDE RECEIVER? I THINK DOWELL LOGGAINS IS TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT. >> Sean: ONE OF SEVEN ON THIRD DOWN, KENTUCKY IS ONE FOR TEN. BENNETT WENT IN MOTION AND CAME BACK. SELLERS, A CLEAN POCKET. PULLED IT DOWN. THEN COMPLETES ONE FOR A FIRST DOWN, OUT OF BOUNDS AT THE 31-YEAR-OLD. JARED BROWN WITH D.J. WALLER JR. MAKING THE TACKLE. A GAIN OF 13, AND THEIR BEST CORNER BACK, MAXWELL HAIRSTON, IS ON HIS WAY TO THE KENTUCKY LOCKER ROOM. >> Greg: POTENTIALLY A BIG LOSS, A GUY THAT'S BEEN SO EFFECTIVE IN INTERCEPTING BALLS AND KIND OF CHANGING THE MOMENTUM OF THE GAME. SO POTENTIALLY A BIG LOSS THERE FOR KENTUCKY. >> Sean: STRAIGHT AHEAD, ROCKET SANDERS TO THE 27. MOLLY? >> YEAH, SEAN, MAXWELL HAIRSTON WAS REALLY EMOTIONAL, THROWING HIS HELMET IN FRUSTRATION AND PAIN. HE WAS DEALING WITH AN APPARENT LEFT SHOULDER INJURY. HE'S GOING BACK FOR FURTHER EVALUATION. I'LL KEEP YOU UPDATED AS SOON AS I KNOW MORE. >> Sean: BIG LOSS FOR MARK STOOPS. WE MENTIONED EARLIER THAT WHITE BRAD, THE COORDINATOR SAID, HAIRSTON IS THE GUY THEY COUNT ON TO LOCK DOWN ONE SIDE OF THE FIELD. FIVE CAREER INTERCEPTIONS, TWO PICK SIXES IN A GAME LAST YEAR. SANDERS RUMBLES INSIDE THE 25. HE COMES UP ABOUT A YARD SHORT OF THE FIRST DOWN. D.J. WALLER, THE BACKUP CORNER, TRANSFERRED TO KENTUCKY FROM MICHIGAN. >> Greg: BIG DOWN HERE FOR KENTUCKY'S DEFENSE. FORCING A FIELD GOAL, AFTER REALLY SOUTH CAROLINA HAD GREAT FIELD POSITION AFTER THE TERRIBLE DRIVE BY THEIR OFFENSE, FORCING THEM TO SETTLE FOR THREE WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY MASSIVE TO KIND OF SWING MOMENTUM BACK ON TO THEIR SIDE. >> Sean: JACKSON CAME OFF THE FIELD, HE'S BEEN THEIR LEAD TACKLER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. KENTUCKY DEFENDING A THIRD DOWN AND ONE WITH TWO MINUTES TO GO IN THE THIRD QUARTER. TRYING TO STAY IN THE GAME WITHOUT A COUPLE OF THEIR BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYERS ON THE FIELD. PLAY CLOCK AT FIVE. SANDERS BOUNCES OUTSIDE AND HAS ROOM. INSIDE THE 5. LUNGING FOR THE PYLON. TOUCHDOWN! 22 YARDS FOR RAHEEM "ROCKET" SANDERS AND SOUTH CAROLINA IS PULLING AWAY. >> Greg: HOW ABOUT ROCKET SANDERS LOOKING LIKE THE ARKANSAS VERSION OF HIMSELF FROM A COUPLE YEARS AGO, AS THE PROGRESSIVE PYLON CAM SHOWS THAT THAT BALL CROSSED THE PLANE. YES, IT DOES, AND THE LEFT ARM, GREAT EFFORT THERE, AS ROCKET SANDERS REFUSES TO GO DOWN. DOESN'T LOOK LIKE ANY PART OF HIS BODY IS DOWN. LOOKS LIKE HIS LEFT BACKSIDE STARTS TO GET DOWN, BUT THE BALL WAS ALREADY EXTENDED. SO UNLIKELY THAT THERE WILL BE ANYTHING TO SEE ON THIS REVIEW THAT WOULD OVERTURN THE CALL. HOW ABOUT THE RUN THERE ON THIRD AND SHORT? >> Sean: I THINK THE ONLY QUESTION HERE, DOES ONE FOOT TOUCH THE SIDELINE AROUND THE 2 YARD LINE THERE? >> Greg: RIGHT. WHERE IS THE BALL AT THAT POINT, TOO? >> Sean: THE FOOT IS CLEARLY OUT OF BOUNDS THERE. THE QUESTION WAS, WAS THE BALL ALREADY OVER THE PYLON? >> Greg: YOU SEE HIM EXTEND HERE. FOOT IS OUT. NOW SYNC THINGS UP. LOOK AT TO WHETHER OR NOT THAT BALL HAS CROSSED THE PLANE. >> Sean: YOU NEED TO LEAVE THE PRODUCER TO BILL. ALL RIGHT, I THINK HE'S OUT BEFORE THE BALL GETS TO THE PYLON. >> Greg: VERY CLOSE. OF COURSE, IT HAS TO BE INDISPUTABLE VIDEO EVIDENCE BEYOND ALL DOUBT. >> Sean: I THOUGHT IT WAS THERE. I THINK IF THEY SLOWED THAT ONE DOWN A LITTLE BIT, HIS HEEL IS ON THE LINE, ON THE BOUNDARY, THE BALL IS STILL HEADING TOWARD THE GOAL LINE. GONE ALLMAN IS THE REPLAY OFFICIAL. WHEN IS THE FOOT ON THE SIDELINE? TO ME, IT'S NOT RIGHT DOWN THE LINE, BUT IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE HE'S AT THE GOAL LINE YET. >> Greg: I AGREE WITH YOU, BUT IS THERE ENOUGH VIDEO EVIDENCE TO OVERTURN? >> Sean: PROBABLY NOT. >> Greg: THE CHALLENGE THAT VIDEO REPLAY OFFICIALS WILL HAVE. RIGHT THERE, I CAN'T KNOW FOR CERTAIN WHETHER OR NOT THAT NOSE IS CROSSED. SINCE IT WAS CALLED A TOUCHDOWN ON THE FIELD, IT'S TOUGH TO ASSUME THEY'LL OVERTURN IT. EITHER WAY, VERY CLOSE PLAY THERE. >> Sean: THEY'RE TAKING A VERY LONG LOOK AT THIS. EITHER WAY, A PROMISING SECOND HALF ON OFFENSE FOR SOUTH CAROLINA. SANDERS, ONE OF THE BEST RUNNING BACKS IN THE COUNTRY TWO YEARS AGO AT ARKANSAS. RUSHED FOR 1,443 YARDS AND TEN TOUCHDOWNS. FOR A LITTLE CONTEXT, THAT'S 320 MORE YARDS RUSHING THAN SOUTH CAROLINA RAN FOR AS A TEAM ALL OF LAST SEASON. LAST SEASON WAS ROUGH, AS MOLLY AMPLIFIED, DUE TO THE INJURIES. HE HAD A CONNECTION WITH DOWELL LOGGAINS, WHO IS THE OC HERE AT SOUTH CAROLINA. HE SPENT TWO YEARS ON THE COACHING STAFF AT ARKANSAS WHILE ROCKET SANDERS WAS THERE. AND THEY NEED THIS GUY. WE ASKED DOWELL LOGGAINS YESTERDAY, HE THREW AND RAN THE BALL 36% OF THE TIME LAST YEAR. IS THAT BECAUSE YOU HAD SPENCER RATTLER AND XAVIER LEGETTE OR BECAUSE YOU HAD A BAD OFFENSIVE LINE AND NOT A GOOD RUNNING BACK GROUP, OR BOTH? HE SAID, REALLY, BOTH. NOW THEY HAVE A GOOD RUNNING BACK AND THEY THINK AN IMPROVED OFFENSIVE LINE. >> Greg: AND A QUARTERBACK THAT'S CAPABLE WITH HIS LEGS AS WELL. STILL KIND OF A QUESTION MARK AT WIDE RECEIVER. YOU WOULD THINK THIS OFFENSE WOULD REVERT BEING MORE OF A GROUND AND POUND ATTACK. >> Sean: HERE IS DAVID SMITH WITH THE VERDICT. DAVID IS NOT IN A BIG RUSH TODAY. GET A LOT OF USE OUT OF THAT COMMUNICATION SYSTEM TO TALKED TO THE OTHER OFFICIALS. >> Referee: AFTER FURTHER REVIEW, THE RUNNER WAS OUT OF BOUNDS PRIOR TO THE BALL BREAKING THE PLANE OF THE GOAL LINE. THE BALL WILL BE PLACED AT THE 1/2 YARD LINE. FIRST DOWN. >> Sean: I'M NOT SURE IT WAS CONCLUSIVE, BUT I THINK IF WE BOTH HAD TO BET THE HOUSE, WE WOULD BET THEY GOT THIS RIGHT. >> Greg: I WOULD THINK SO, TOO. I WOULD AGREE. IT WAS CLOSE, A GREAT EFFORT. NEW LEASE ON LIFE, WHAT CAN KENTUCKY'S DEFENSIVE LINE DO? >> Sean: SOUTH CAROLINA, 112 YARDS OF OFFENSE IN THIS QUARTER. MORE THAN THE 101 THEY HAD THE ENTIRE FIRST HALF. SELLERS TRYING TO FOLLOW A LEAD BLOCKER. HE GOT DRIVEN BACK. I THINK THEY WOULD HAVE HIM PUSH IT INTO THE END ZONE AROUND THE GOAL LINE, AS STRONG AS HE IS, PARTICULARLY IN THE LOWER BODY. >> Greg: 240 POUNDS. I MEAN, YOU WOULD LIKE FOR THE QUARTERBACK, A DOWNHILL TYPE OF RUN. HE WAS SLOW TO HIT IT AND NEVER REALLY DEVELOPED ANY FORWARD MOMENTUM. I WOULD THINK ON THE NEXT COUPLE OF CARRIES, IF HE GETS A CHANCE, HE'S GOING TO BE AGGRESSIVE AND ATTACK THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE AT 100 MILES AN HOUR. >> Sean: WE SPOKE WITH THE KENTUCKY COACHES YESTERDAY, BRAD WHITE SAID SELLERS REMINDS HIM OF ANTHONY RICHARDSON, A BIG COMPLIMENT. FLAG THROWN. RAHEIM SANDERS CLEARLY GOT INTO THE END ZONE THAT TIME. THERE'S A FLAG THROWN. THIS REPLAY REVIEW COULD TURN OUT TO BE BIG IF SOUTH CAROLINA WINDS UP NOT SCORING A TOUCHDOWN. BRADY HUNT, THE TRANSFER TIGHT END OUT OF BALL STATE. >> Greg: AND JUST A MASSIVE PLAY. YOU'RE GOING TO SEE BRADY HUNT REALLY JUST BEAR HUG J.J. WEAVER. THAT LEFT ARM ALL THE WAY WRAPPED AROUND, AS ROCKET SANDERS TRIES TO WORK TO THE OUTSIDE. JUST ENORMOUS RIGHT THERE. YOU CANNOT HAVE A HOLD ON THE GOAL LINE. YOU'VE GOT TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO KEEP THOSE HANDS INSIDE. SHANE BEAMER LOOKS ON IN AGONY AND HIS OFFENSE IS IN A TOUGH SPOT NOW. >> Sean: EACH TEAM HAS BEEN PENALIZED FIVE TIMES. IT FEELS LIKE MORE THAN THAT BECAUSE MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN QUITE COSTLY. THE FAKE TO SANDERS. SELLERS FIRES. THERE'S ANOTHER FLAG DOWN. THE PASS IS INCOMPLETE IN THE END ZONE. HE WAS TRYING TO JAM IT IN TO JOSHUA SIMON T TIGHT END, WHO SCORED THE LAST TOUCHDOWN. THE 19th RECEIVING TOUCHDOWN. >> Referee: ON THE DEFENSE, NUMBER 10. HALF THE DISTANCE TO THE GOAL. AUTOMATIC FIRST DOWN. >> Sean: JANTZEN DUNN, THE BACKUP CORNER BACK, HE PLAYS THE NICKEL FOR THEM, A TRANSFER FROM OHIO STATE. AND, YES, BOTH OF THESE TEAMS ARE LOADED WITH TRANSFERS. >> Greg: JARED BROWN WORKING A POST ON THE INSIDE AND DUNN WITH THAT LEFT ARM, JUST GRABBING THE RECEIVER AS HE CROSSED HIS FACE. IT'S TOUGH TO BE ON AN ISLAND, BUT HE WAS BEAT. TOUGH MATCHUP FOR HIM AGAINST BROWN. >> Sean: FIRST AND GOAL. IF SOUTH CAROLINA SCORES A TOUCHDOWN, I HOPE THIS SEQUENCE WORKS OUT BETTER, BECAUSE IT WILL TAKE MORE TIME OFF THE CLOCK. SANDERS, NOT TO BE DENIED. JOSHUA SIMON LEADING THE WAY. A SIX-YARD TOUCHDOWN RUN WITH 28 SECONDS TO GO IN THE THIRD QUARTER. >> Greg: A PLAY THEY HAD SOME SUCCESS WITH EARLIER, JUST GUARD/TIGHT END COUNTER, AND THEY BLOCK IT. THIS TIME BRADY HUNT DOES KEEP HIS HANDS INSIDE. SANDERS HITS IT AT AN ANGLE AND IS TOO STRONG TO GO DOWN. AN EXCELLENT DRIVE ON THE SHORT FIELD BY THE GAMECOCKS. >> Sean: ALEX HERRERA FOR THE EXTRA POINT. AND IT'S 24-6. >> Sean: LaNORRIS SANDERS AND THE GAMECOCK OFFENSE FIND A NICE RHYTHM HERE IN THE THIRD QUARTER. I THINK HE'S GOING TO BE A VERY GOOD PLAYER FOR THEM FOR A LONG TIME. >> Greg: I THINK IT'S CONFIDENCE, AS MUCH CONFIDENCE AS ANYTHING ELSE. YOU STARTED TO SEE IT ON THE THIRD-DOWN CONVERSION. THE THROWS AFTER THAT HAVE BEEN PINPOINT. HE'S GOT A VERY HIGH CEILING NOW, IT'S ABOUT BELIEVING IN HIMSELF THAT HE CAN DO IT AGAINST THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY IN THE S.E.C. >> Sean: ALEX HERRERA KICKS OFF. DROPPED FOR A MOMENT BY BARION BROWN. IT'S BEEN THAT KIND OF A DAY FOR THE CATS. FLAG THROWN FROM DEEP CENTER FIELD. WE HAVE THREE TOTAL PENALTIES ENFORCED IN THE FIRST HALF. THERE HAVE BEEN EIGHT IN THIS QUARTER. THIS WILL BE THE NINTH. >> Greg: MIGHT BE EASIER TO TELL US WHICH PLAYS HAVEN'T HAD A PENALTY IN THE LAST COUPLE OF SERIES. >> Sean: JUST WATCHING FOOTBALL, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE HAVE BEEN MORE FLAGS THROWN ALL OVER FOOTBALL THIS YEAR. >> Referee: NUMBER 44, RECEIVING TEAM. PENALTY IS HALF THE DISTANCE TO THE GOAL. FIRST DOWN. >> Greg: LET'S GO BACK TO THE AT&T CONNECTED CAM. THIS IS A THREE-MAN RUSH ON THE LAST DRIVE, AND THIS HAS BEEN THE STORY OF THE DAY. SEVEN MEN IN PROTECTION FOR KENTUCKY. SEVEN, TIGHT END AND A RUNNING BACK. AND YET AGAINST A THREE-MAN RUSH WHERE YOU HAVE FOUR GUYS THAT SHOULD BE HELPING WITH THE BLOCKING SCHEME, AND YET YOU GIVE UP PRESSURE IN THE MIDDLE. THAT'S BEEN THE STORY OF THE DAY FOR BROCK VANDAGRIFF. HOW CARE HOW TALENTED YOU ARE, THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO SURVEY DOWN THE FIELD. >> Sean: THREE COMPLETIONS TODAY, HE'S BEEN SACKED FOUR TIMES. HE'S TAKEN A BEATING. THAT WILL LIKELY BE THE LAST PLAY OF THE THIRD QUARTER. NOW, HE CAME OUT LAST WEEK AGAINST SOUTHERN MISS, RAN THE BALL A COUPLE OF TIMES AND LOWERED HIS SHOULDER TO DELIVER A HIT. HE SAID HE WAS SO AMPED UP, HE HADN'T PLAYED IN A LONG TIME AND WANTED TO SHOW HIS NEW TEAMMATES THAT HE WAS DEDICATED TO WINNING AT ANY COST. ESPN'S PRESENTATION OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL ON ABC WILL RETURN AFTER THIS MESSAGE A >>> COACH, HOW WILL YOU RALLY THIS TEAM TO COME BACK AND WIN? >> WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S AN EMBARRASSMENT. JUST ERROR AFTER ERROR, SELF-INFLICTED WOUNDS, PENALTIES, IT'S RIDICULOUS. >> THANKS, COACH. >> THANK YOU. >> Sean: AS USUAL, DIRECT AND TO THE POINT. HIS TEAM DOWN 24-6 AS WE HEAD INTO THE FOURTH QUARTER. A LOT OF THE FOLKS HAVE LEFT KROGER FIELD. BROCK VANDAGRIFF, TERRIBLE PASS INTO COVERAGE. NICK EMMANWORI BRINGING IT BACK. NICK EMMANWORI SCORE AS TOUCHDOWN. RIGHT ON CUE, SELF-INFLICTED WOUNDS. THAT WAS A TERRIBLE DECISION BY VANDAGRIFF. HIS RECEIVER WAS SURROUNDED. EMMANWORI PICKED IT OFF AND BROUGHT IT BACK 25, FITTING THAT THE DEFENSE SHOULD SCORE. >> Greg: AND EMMANWORI'S EYES ARE IN THE BACKFIELD AND HE'S WATCHING THE WHOLE WAY. HE JUST WATCHED VANDAGRIFF AS HE DRIFTS BACK. HE DRIFTS RIGHT UNDERNEATH THE INTENDED RECEIVER. MAKES THE INTERCEPTION. VANDAGRIFF TRYING TO GET SOMETHING GOING. DOESN'T SEE THE UNDERNEATH COVERAGE. THROWS IT RIGHT TO EMMANWORI, WHO TAKES IT TO THE HOUSE. JUST A TREMENDOUS SECOND HALF PERFORMANCE FROM THIS SOUTH CAROLINA DEFENSE, BOTH UP FRONT AND IN THE SECONDARY. >> Sean: THIRD CAREER INTERCEPTION FOR EMMANWORI, A JUNIOR FROM THE COLUMBIA AREA. A STARTER ALMOST FROM DAY ONE. >> Referee: A 15-YARD PENALTY WILL BE ADDED AT THE KICKOFF. THAT IS NUMBER 7'S FIRST UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT FOUL OF THE GAME. >> Sean: HE REFERRED TO HIM AS THE OFFENSE. HE PLAYS DEFENSE. I GUESS IN THIS INSTANCE, SINCE IT WAS AFTER THE PLAY, HE COULD BE DEEMED TO BE PART OF THE OFFENSIVE TEAM. THEY'RE KICKING AN EXTRA POINT. WHAT DO YOU THINK MARK STOOPS' BLOOD PRESSURE IS ABOUT NOW? HERRERA HAS THE EXTRA POINT. >> Greg: HOW HIGH IS IT TO THE POINT WHERE YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT GETTING MEDICAL ATTENTION? HE'S ABOUT TO LOSE IT. I DON'T BLAME HIM. THE FRUSTRATION AND THE SELF-INFLICTED MISTAKES, YOU HAVE TO BE BESIDE YOURSELF. >> Sean: THIS HAD NO CHANCE. >> Greg: AND TO THROW IT ACROSS YOUR BODY. VANDAGRIFF IS A FOURTH-YEAR PLAYER AND HE'S NOT STARTED A LOT OF FOOTBALL. HE THREW SOME THROWS LAST YEAR INTO TRAFFIC. HE GOT AWAY WITH THEM. AND SOMETIMES WHEN YOU THROW IT INTO TRAFFIC AND GET AWAY WITH THEM, DID HAVE ONE INTERCEPTION, YOU LEARN THAT YOU CAN'T GET AWAY WITH A LOT WHEN YOU'RE PLAYING AGAINST QUALITY COMPETITION. THE KENTUCKY FAITHFUL HAVE TO BE SHOCKED WITH THIS OFFENSIVE PERFORMANCE. >> Sean: THEY'VE BEEN PUT TO SLEEP. LET ME ASK YOU THIS QUESTION, YOU'RE DOWN 24-6, AT A CERTAIN POINT, IF YOU'RE THE QUARTERBACK, DO YOU SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'VE GOT TO TRY TO DO SOMETHING, EVEN THOUGH YOU KNOW IT'S A RISKY THROW, WHAT DO WE HAVE TO LOSE AT THIS JUNCTURE? >> Greg: IT'S PERFECTLY REASONABLE. AT THAT POINT, IT'S STILL A THREE-SCORE GAME. ARE YOU GOING TO GET THREE POSSESSIONS THE WAY THAT SOUTH CAROLINA IS STARTING TO RUN THE FOOTBALL? PROBABLY NOT. BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO PRACTICE BAD HABITS, EITHER. IF NOTHING IS THERE, YOU DON'T WANT TO GET USED TO THROWING IT AND TRYING THINGS. THERE'S NO REASON TO TRY TO ATTEMPT THAT, ESPECIALLY ON FIRST AND TEN DEEP IN YOUR OWN END. >> Sean: KENTUCKY HAS RUN EIGHT PLAYS IN THIS HALF FOR MINUS 11 YARDS AND THE DEFENSE HAS NOW SCORED A TOUCHDOWN. STILL A BREEZE HERE, TEMPERATURE IS STILL 70 DEGREES. A LOT OF THE PATRONS HERE HAVE DECIDED TO GO DO SOMETHING ELSE ON THIS BEAUTIFUL DAY. KEENELAND IS NOT OPEN YET. >> Greg: A COUPLE OF WEEKS. >> Sean: MINUS 11 WILL GET YOU HEADING TO THE EXITS. >> Greg: IT DOESN'T ACCOUNT FOR THE HIDDEN YARDAGE THAT WAS LOST AS WELL. I MEAN, FOUR STRAIGHT PENALTIES LEADING TO MINUS NEARLY 50 YARDS OF OFFENSE. >> Sean: HERRERA SENDS IT DOWN THE FIELD. RETURN BY BARION BROWN. LED THE COUNTRY LAST YEAR. 17 YARDS ON THAT RETURN. KICK OFF YOUR WEEK ONE SUNDAY AT 10:00 A.M. WITH THE COUNTDOWN ON ESPN AND THE APP. THEY'LL HAVE THE EARLY BREAKING STORIES, INJURY UPDATES, PREVIEWS OF EACH GAME UP TO KICKOFF. MONDAY NIGHT, THE 55th SEASON OF MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL, AND IT KICKS OFF ON ESPN, DEPORTES AND ESPN+. AT K8 8:00, THE JETS AND SAN FRANCISCO. COVERAGE STARTS WITH THE "MONDAY NIGHT COUNTDOWN" CREW AT 6:00, THE RETURN OF AARON RODGERS TO THE JETS, WHO WENT 7-10 LAST YEAR. DAVIN WIMSATT IS THE QUARTERBACK. MAYBE THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO AVOID MORE DAMAGE TO BROCK VANDAGRIFF. THERE'S A FLAG DOWN AS HE HANDS IT OFF TO DEMIE SUMO-KARNGBAYE. I FEEL FOR VANDAGRIFF. HE DIDN'T HAVE A FAIR CHANCE TODAY. >> Greg: NO, THEY NEVER REALLY GOT HIM IN RHYTHM. ASKED HIM TO THROW ONE PASS IN THE SECOND QUARTER. THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR A GUY WHO HASN'T PLAYED A TON OF FOOTBALL. >> Referee: ILLEGAL FORMATION, NUMBER 54 WAS NOT ON THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE. FIVE YARD PENALTY. REPLAY FIRST DOWN. >> Greg: THERE WAS A POINT, TOO, WHERE VANDAGRIFF WAS UNDER PRESSURE, PRETTY MUCH EVERY SINGLE TIME HE DROPPED BACK. >> Sean: HE DID NOT COMPLETE A PASS AFTER SEVEN AND A HALF MINUTES INTO THE FIRST QUARTER. THE LAST COMPLETION WAS MIDWAY THROUGH THE FIRST QUARTER. SEVEN PENALTIES, MINUS 11 YARDS. ABOUT AS UGLY A PERFORMANCE AS THERE CAN BE. THERE'S ANOTHER FLAG DOWN. SUMO-KARNGBAYE HAS ACTUALLY RUSHED FOR ABOUT 400 YARDS TODAY, BUT 320 HAS COME BACK ON PENALTIES. THAT ONE IS 26 IF IT STANDS. >> Referee: ILLEGAL FORMATION ON THE OFFENSE, NUMBER 54, THE RIGHT TACKLE. FIVE YARD PENALTY. REPLAY FIRST DOWN. >> Sean: I KNOW THIS IS A POINT OF EMPHASIS, CLEARLY IT WAS WATCHING SOME OF THESE NFL GAMES, INCLUDING THE RAVENS/CHIEFS GAME THE OTHER NIGHT, BUT IT'S GOING TO MAKE FOOTBALL UNWATCHABLE, AND THAT'S PRETTY CLEAR-CUT THERE. >> Greg: HE'S DEFINITELY DEEP. BUT, I MEAN, THESE ARE THE PENALTIES THAT DRIVE YOU CRAZY IF YOU'RE A COACH. THERE'S EFFORT PENALTIES, THE HOLDINGS AND PASS INTERFERENCES, EVEN THE FACE MASKS. THEN THERE'S JUST DUMB PENALTIES. ILLEGAL FORMATION, ILLEGAL SHIFT. UNSPORTSMANLIKE. THOSE DRIVE COACHES INSANE. >> Sean: WIMSATT RUNS OUT OF BOUNDS ACROSS MIDFIELD. HE WAS THE STARTER FOR ALL 13 GAMES AT RUTGERS LAST YEAR. RUSHED FOR 497 YARDS, 6'3", 227, FROM KENTUCKY, VERY HIGHLY RECRUITED OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL. MANY WERE SURPRISED WHEN HE CHOSE RUTGERS, BUT HE HAD A CONNECTION WITH THE THEN-COORDINATOR, GLEASON, APPARENTLY. Ja'MORI MACLIN SCAMPERS OUT OF BOUNDS WITH ANOTHER FIRST DOWN. HE'S THE COUSIN OF JEREMY MACLIN, WHO STARRED AT MISSOURI AND PLAYED EIGHT YEARS IN THE NFL. >> Greg: IT'S HARD AT THIS POINT OF THE SEASON TO FIGURE OUT WHO YOU ARE OFFENSIVELY. MAN, IT LOOKS LIKE THE BEST SUCCESS IN THE SECOND HALF HAS BEEN SIDELINE-TO-SIDELINE, THE RUN GAME. >> Sean: JASON PATTERSON TO THE 31 YARD LINE. THERE'S SOME SUBSTITUTES IN ON THE DEFENSE, AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT. GILBER EDMOND MADE THE TACKLE. HE'S BACK AT SOUTH CAROLINA. STARTED HIS CAREER IN COLUMBIA, TRANSFERRED LAST YEAR TO FLORIDA STATE, AND THEN CAME BACK. WIMSATT TO THE SIDELINE. CATCH MADE. SHORT GAIN. RUN BY DANE KEY. THEY DO HAVE RECEIVERS WHO HAVE 1,000 CAREER RECEIVER YARDS, KEY, BARION BROWN AND MACLIN. CAN THEY GET THEM THE BALL? >> Greg: THEY HAVE GOOD WEAPONS, BUT THE PASS BLOCKING IS CERTAINLY LESS THAN TO BE DESIRED. >> Sean: THIS WILL BE THE START OF A QUARTERBACK CONTROVERSY, CERTAINLY HAS THE EARMARKS OF IT. AND WIMSATT TAKEN DOWN FROM BEHIND BY DEBO WILLIAMS. >> Greg: THERE WILL BE A STRONG REACTION LIKE THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S ENTIRELY FAIR. VANDAGRIFF DROPPED BACK TO THROW 15 TIMES TODAY AND WAS UNDER PRESSURE 9 OUT OF THE 15. THE TWO THAT HE WASN'T WERE SHORT THROWS. SO YOU CAN'T GET A FAIR OR PROPER EVALUATION OF WHAT YOUR QUARTERBACK CAN BE IF YOU'RE NOT GIVING HIM ENOUGH TIME TO SURVEY THE FIELD. >> Sean: MARTIN-SCOTT DROPPED DEMIE SUMO-KARNGBAYE FOR A LOSS. VANDAGRIFF HIGHLY RECRUITED OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL IN GEORGIA. PART OF THAT INCREDIBLE 2021 HIGH SCHOOL QUARTERBACK CLASS THAT INCLUDED THREE PLAYERS WHO WERE DRAFTED IN THE TOP TEN PICKS IN THE MOST RECENT NFL DRAFT. SECOND AND 12, UNDER 11 MINUTES TO GO. AND ANOTHER KENTUCKY PENALTY. >> Referee: FALSE START. FIVE YARD PENALTY. STILL SECOND DOWN. >> Sean: ELI COX. HERE IS THAT HIGH SCHOOL CLASS THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT FROM 2021. HEADLINED BY CALEB WILLIAMS, DRAKE MAYE AND J.J. McCARTHY, ALL TAKEN IN THE TOP TEN. AND STILL PLAYING COLLEGE FOOTBALL, THIS BUNCH. VANDAGRIFF WAS JUST ABOUT AS HIGHLY REGARDED AS ANY OF THEM. HERE IS WIMSATT, BOUNCING OFF SOME WOULD-BE TACKLERS, AND DOWN TO THE 23 YARD LINE. >> Greg: YOU SEE THE DEPTH OF THAT 2021 CLASS. BUT VANDAGRIFF SHOWED LAST WEEK HE'S GOT ALL THE TOOLS. I MEAN, HE CAN DO EVERYTHING THAT YOU WANT HIM TO DO AS A QUARTERBACK, BUT AT THIS POINT OF HIS CAREER, HE'S NOT THE TYPE THAT CAN JUST TAKE THE TEAM AND JUST PULL THEM ALONG WITH HIM. HE NEEDS THE TEAM AROUND HIM TO ALSO PLAY BETTER. STILL A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A GAME MANAGER AT THE MOMENT, BUT IN TIME HE COULD DEVELOP AND BECOME A MORE COMPLETE PLAYER. BUT, MAN, HE NEEDS SOME HELP ALONG THE OFFENSIVE LINE. >> Sean: WIMSATT, INTERCEPTED. PICKED OFF BY JALON KILGORE. AND, AGAIN, TALKING ABOUT THE KENTUCKY STRUGGLES ON OFFENSE FROM MARK STOOPS, GIVE THIS DEFENSE CREDIT, THEY ARE TERRIFIC AT EVERY LEVEL. PLENTY OF TALENT, MORE DEPTH THAN THEY'VE HAD IN THE PAST. SECOND INTERCEPTION OF THE SEASON FOR KILGORE. HE BROUGHT IT BACK 14 YARDS. >> Sean: YOU'RE WATCHING THE S.E.C. ON ABC, PRESENTED BY BURGER KING, FROM KROGER FIELD IN LEXINGTON. ALL SOUTH CAROLINA, THEY'RE GOING TO GO TO 2-0, WITH THE DEFENSE DOMINATING IN BOTH WEEKS. LAST WEEK AGAINST OLD DOMINION, AND TODAY HERE AGAINST KENTUCKY, UNDER TEN MINUTES TO GO. JUJU McDOWELL, THE BALL CARRIER, WALKER MADE THE TACKLE. GAIN OF FOUR. S.E.C. FOOTBALL CONTINUES TONIGHT ON S.E.C. NETWORK. 7:45, HOUSTON AGAINST NUMBER 15 OKLAHOMA. DOWNLOAD THE ESPN APP OR GO TO ESPN+.COM/SCHEDULE TO WATCH ALL THE ACTION. McDOWELL REMAINS THE RUNNING BACK. LaNORRIS SELLERS, THE QUARTERBACK. SINGLE COVERAGE. TRYING TO GET IT TO NYCK HARBOR. THERE'S A FLAG DOWN. MAXWELL HAIRSTON HAD THE COVERAGE. HE LEFT FOR A WHILE AND HAS RETURNED. >> Referee: PASS INTERFERENCE ON THE DEFENSE, NUMBER 11. 15 YARD PENALTY FROM THE PREVIOUS SPOT. AUTOMATIC FIRST DOWN. >> Sean: ZION CHILDRESS CALLED FOR THE PENALTY. NYCK HARBOR IS AN INTRIGUING FOOTBALL PLAYER, DUAL SPORT ATHLETE, GREAT TRACK ATHLETE. 6'5", 235. THERE'S MANY IN THE FAN BASE FOR THE GAMECOCKS THAT WOULD LIKE TO SEE HIM GET MORE INVOLVED. >> Greg: I UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE HE'S GREAT ON THE VIDEO GAME, HE'S ELITE SPEED, ELITE SIZE, GAME-CHANGING GUY THAT GETS OFF THE BUS. BUT AT THIS POINT OF HIS DEVELOPMENT, HE'S STILL A BIT OF A WORK IN PROGRESS. HE'S NOT A GUY THAT'S PLAYED A TON AT RECEIVER. PLAYED SOME TIGHT END, BUT DIDN'T WANT TO GAIN THE WEIGHT BECAUSE THAT WOULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON HIS PERFORMANCE ON THE TRACK. HE'S A FULL-TIME WIDE RECEIVER AND STILL LEARNING THE NUANCE OF THE POSITION. IN TIME THE STAFF HAS DONE A GREAT JOB WITH WIDE OUTS IN THE PAST, BUT HE IS NOT READY TO BE AN ALPHA DOG WIDE RECEIVER. BUT THE SKILL SET IS THERE. >> Sean: A CHANCE TO GET HIM SOME REPS IN THIS SITUATION. TRACK ALL-AMERICAN, HE'S RUN A 10.11 IN THE 100 METERS. MICHAEL SMITH DOWN THE SIDELINE. WELL INTO KENTUCKY TERRITORY. ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE 20 YARD LINE, THE FRESHMAN FROM SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, A TRUE FRESHMAN WHO WAS NOT THERE FOR SPRING PRACTICE, SO HE'S STILL LEARNING. HE ONLY ARRIVED IN FALL CAMP. THAT'S A 36 YARD PLAY. THEY'RE STARTING TO MAKE THE OFFENSIVE STATS LOOK GOOD, OR AT LEAST BETTER. THERE'S A CHANCE THEY COULD BE GOING TO 2-0 WITHOUT REACHING 300 TOTAL YARDS OF OFFENSE IN EITHER GAME. DON'T LOOK NOW IF YOU'RE KENTUCKY, BUT NEXT SATURDAY NIGHT GEORGIA IS HERE, THE NUMBER ONE TEAM IN THE COUNTRY. JUJU McDOWELL WITH ANOTHER FLAG DOWN. AND A HELMET OFF. KENTUCKY, BY THE WAY, WAS FLAGGED FOR ONE PENALTY IN THE FIRST HALF. THEY'RE NOW UP TO 11. >> Greg: REALLY UNCHARACTERISTIC, IT FEELS LIKE, TOO. THIS IS A TEAM THAT ALWAYS SEEMS TO DO THE LITTLE THINGS AND IT FEELS LIKE A GROUP THAT CAN KIND OF GRIND ON YOU. THEY'VE DEVELOPED OFFENSIVELY THE LAST FEW YEARS. MAN, THIS IS REALLY UNCHARACTERISTIC. >> Referee: TEN YARD PENALTY FROM THE PREVIOUS SPOT. REPLAY FIRST DOWN. >> Sean: CASON HENRY, THE RIGHT TACKLE, ONE OF THE REASONS THEY THINK THEIR OFFENSIVE LINE SHOULD BE BETTER THIS YEAR. HE'S BACK HEALTHY. HE GOT INJURED IN THEIR OPENER LAST YEAR AGAINST NORTH CAROLINA. OSCAR ADAWAY III HAS COME IN AT RUNNING BACK, A TRANSFER FROM NORTH TEXAS. SOUTH CAROLINA BROUGHT IN 21 TRANSFERS THIS YEAR. KENTUCKY, 15. ADD -- DUMPED AWAY AND A LOSS OF ONE. SOUTH CAROLINA IS GOING TO WIN IT'S S.E.C. OPENER FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2017. THEY HAD LOST SIX STRAIGHT CONFERENCE OPENERS, WHICH WAS THE LONGEST FOR THE GAMECOCKS SINCE THEY ENTERED THE CONFERENCE IN 1992, AND THE SECOND LONGEST ACTIVE STREAK BEHIND VANDERBILT'S 12 STRAIGHT SEASON OPENING S.E.C. DEFEATS. LaNORRIS SELLERS TAKES IT DOWN AND RUNS OUT OF BOUNDS AT THE 28. MEANWHILE, A PROBLEM FOR KENTUCKY HERE, THIS IS GOING TO BE EIGHT LOSSES NOW IN THEIR LAST TEN CONFERENCE HOME GAMES. >> Greg: YEAH, THAT'S PRETTY SURPRISING, TOO. IT'S DEVELOPED INTO A DIFFICULT PLACE FOR OPPOSING TEAMS TO TRAVEL TO AND PLAY IN. I THINK THEY KIND OF RAN INTO A BUZZ SAW TODAY. A TON OF SELF-INFLICTED MISTAKES. THIS SOUTH CAROLINA TEAM, LAST WEEK, HIGHLY UNIMPRESSIVE OFFENSIVELY, DOMINANT DEFENSIVELY. YOU SAW THE LIGHT START TO FLICKER IN THE SECOND HALF OFFENSIVELY, BUT THIS TEAM MIGHT BE A PROBLEM FOR A LOT OF FOLKS MOVING FORWARD IN THE YEAR. >> Sean: THE OFFENSE HAS REALLY BENEFITTED IN BOTH GAMES FROM SHORT FIELDS, THEIR FIRST TOUCHDOWN DRIVE LAST WEEKEND, BOTH ON -- >> Referee: STILL THIRD DOWN. >> Sean: -- TAKEAWAYS BY THE DEFENSE INSIDE THE 10 YARD LINE. THEY HAD TO SCORE WITH ABOUT SIX MINUTES TO GO TO BEAT OLD DOMINION AFTER THE DEFENSE GOT THEM THE BALL BACK LAST WEEK TO SET UP THE WINNING TOUCHDOWN INSIDE THE 10. SELLERS, 11 OUT OF 15 PASSING, FOR 159, TWO TDs, AND ONE INTERCEPTION. AND HE'S TAKEN DOWN FOR A LOSS BACK AT THE 35 YARD LINE BY STEVEN SOLES, A TRUE FRESHMAN. AND THE COACHES YESTERDAY SAID YOU MIGHT WANT TO ADD STEVEN SOLES TO YOUR SPOTTING CHART, BECAUSE HE'S BEEN VERY IMPRESSIVE IN PRACTICE AND THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE HE'S GOING TO GET INTO THE GAME, AND OBVIOUSLY HE IS. >> Greg: THEY CONTINUE TO FIND MORE AND MORE OF THOSE GUYS. YOU KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE GREAT UP THE MIDDLE, FOR SURE. WALKER IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO PLAY IN ALL S.E.C. CALIBER LEVEL, J.J. WEAVER HAS THAT POTENTIAL AS WELL. FINDING SOMEONE ON THE OTHER SIDE CAN MAKE LIFE A LOT EASIER FOR THOSE GUYS. THAT'S WHAT SOUTH CAROLINA HAS DONE, KYLE KENNARD AND YOU HAVE ON THE OTHER SIDE DYLAN STEWART, AND NOW THE INTERIOR GUYS GET ONE-ON-ONES. HAVING GUYS LIKE SOLES COULD BE HUGE FOR TENNESSEE MOVING FORWARD. >> Sean: KAI KROEGER, THEY'RE WELL COACHED. THEY'LL LET THE PLAY CLOCK GO DOWN. AND THE GAME CLOCK, UNDER FIVE MINUTES TO GO. HE GOT TOO MUCH OF IT. 4:53 TO GO. SOUTH CAROLINA ON ITS WAY TO 2-0. >>> S.E.C. ON ABC IS PRESENTED BY BURGER KING. YOU RULE. >> Sean: THE DEFENSE FOR SOUTH CAROLINA TODAY, NICK EMMANWORI WITH A PICK SIX, TWO GREAT WEEKS BACK TO BACK FOR THAT SOUTH CAROLINA D. LAST WEEK AGAINST OLD DOMINION, FOUR TAKEAWAYS, KEPT GIVING THE OFFENSE SHORT FIELDS, FIVE SACKS. TODAY ONLY FOUR SACKS, BUT KENTUCKY HAS ONLY ATTEMPTED 12 PASSES. THEY STOPPED TRYING FOR THE SACK TOTAL WOULD BE A LOT HIGHER. JASON PATTERSON, THE BALL CARRIER. WHERE DO WE THINK SOUTH CAROLINA IS, GREG, IN YEAR FOUR UNDER SHANE BEAMER, AND IS THIS REALLY FEISTY AND TALENTED DEFENSE GOOD ENOUGH TO MAKE THEM A SURPRISING CONTENDER? >> Greg: I FEEL LIKE CONTENDER FEELS LIKE A BRIDGE TOO FAR. I DON'T WANT TO BE A CONTENDER AND SEE SOUTH CAROLINA ON THE SCHEDULE NOW. WITH THOSE GUYS OFF THE EDGE DEFENSIVELY, MAN, THEY ARE A HANDFUL. NOW, IT'S ABOUT THE OFFENSE. CAN THEY GET UP TO SPEED AND COMPLIMENT THAT DEFENSE, BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO CAUSE A LOT OF PROBLEMS FOR TEAMS IN THIS LEAGUE WITH HOW THEY CAN RUSH THE PASSER AND PUT A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THAT POSITION. >> Sean: PATTERSON AGAIN. I GUESS THE QUESTIONS, IS THE OFFENSIVE LINE BETTER THAN IT WAS BEFORE, BECAUSE LAST YEAR THEY COULDN'T REALLY RUN BLOCK AT ALL. AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE A RUNNING BACK YOU COULD TIE THE GAME PLAN TO. NOW THEY DO IN SANDERS. IS THERE SOMEBODY IN THE WIDE RECEIVER GROUP THAT CAN HELP REPLACING WHAT THEY GOT FROM XAVIER LEGETTE? >> Greg: I THINK A LOT OF IT FOR THEM, THEY HAVE GOOD SPEED AND WEAPONS ON THE PERIMETER, BUT WHO IS THAT GUY THAT'S GOING TO WIN THE 50/50 BALL? IS IT NYCK HARBOR? AT THIS POINT, I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS. CAN JARED BROWN DO THAT? CAN VAN JACOBS DO THAT? IT'S NOT A BIG CORE, IT'S A GROUP THAT'S MORE CATCH AND RUN, AND THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WILL BE CHALLENGING AS THEY MOVE FORWARD. >> Sean: EVEN THE THIRD-STRING DEFENSIVE TACKLES ARE PUTTING PRESSURE, THAT WAS MONKELL GOODWINE, WHO WAS IN PURSUIT OF WIMSATT, FORCED HIM TO THROW IT, A TRANSFER FROM ALABAMA. WIMSATT STAYED ON HIS FEET, GOT VERY CLOSE TO THE FIRST DOWN MARKER. AND HE DID GET IT WITH AN 11 YARD GAIN. >> Greg: SOUTH CAROLINA DEFENSE REMINDS ME A LITTLE BIT OF THE DEFENSE THAT MISSOURI HAD WHEN THEY FIRST JOINED THE LEAGUE. THEY ENDED UP ACTUALLY GOING TO CONSECUTIVE S.E.C. CHAMPIONSHIPS BECAUSE THEY HAD TWO BELL COW DEFENSIVE ENDS THAT WERE OFF THE CHARTS GOOD, THOSE GUYS JUST WRECKED THE GAME ALMOST EVERY SINGLE WEEK FOR THE OPPOSING OFFENSE. THAT'S KIND OF HOW THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEFENSE IS STRUCTURED. REALLY GOOD UP FRONT WITH TWO GUYS THAT CAN COMPLETELY TAKE OVER. >> Sean: CLAYTON WHITE CERTAINLY HELPS AS WELL. HE'S IN HIS FOURTH YEAR AS DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR. A LOT OF CONTINUITY WITHIN THE SYSTEM, AND A LOT OF VETERAN PLAYERS WHO HAVE BEEN IN THAT SYSTEM. WIMSATT, TWO OUT OF FOUR, PASSING NOW FOR SEVEN YARDS. HE'S RUSHED FIVE TIMES FOR 48 YARDS. SUMO-KARNGBAYE HAS MINUS THREE RUSHING IN THE SECOND HALF. HAD SEVERAL GAINERS TAKEN AWAY BY PENALTIES HERE IN THE SECOND HALF. FRED FARRIER II ON THE CATCH. THREE YEARS AT UAB AND NOW HERE AT KENTUCKY. A BIG TEST UPCOMING FOR SOUTH CAROLINA, BACK IN COLUMBIA NEXT SATURDAY WHEN LSU COMES TO TOWN FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2008. >>> IN STUDIO, SHOCKER IN SOUTH BEND T BIGGEST UPSET OF THE SEASON SO FAR, NORTHERN ILLINOIS TAKES DOWN NUMBER FIVE, NOTRE DAME. A 62-YARD FIELD GOAL ATTEMPT IS BLOCKED AND NORTHERN ILLINOIS, THEY WIN 16-14. THEY WERE 28 1/2 POINT DOGS. SEAN, GREG, MOLLY, BACK TO YOU. >> Sean: ANOTHER HEAD-SCRATCHING LOSS. MARSHALL IN THERE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. BARION BROWN, DROPPED BY CALVIN HUNTER, TRUE FRESHMAN, MAKING HIS DEBUT. THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL RANKINGS BROUGHT TO YOU BY VRBO, GOOD-BYE NOTRE DAME. >> Greg: GOOD-BYE MICHIGAN AS WELL. IMPRESSIVE WIN FOR TEXAS. VERY, VERY IMPRESSIVE. THEY LOOK GREAT. THAT GAME WAS MORE SIDEWAYS THAN THE FINAL SCORE WOULD EVEN INDICATE. >> Sean: THE PICK ON "GAMEDAY," THEY SAID TEXAS WOULD WIN BIG. WILLIE RODRIGUEZ, A FRESHMAN TIGHT END. DOWN TO 1:21 TO GO. IF IT STAYS THIS WAY, IT WILL BE THE LARGEST ROAD WIN FOR SOUTH CAROLINA UNDER SHANE BEAMER, FIRST SEASON WAS 2021. A 25-POINT MARGIN RIGHT NOW. IT WILL BE THEIR THIRD S.E.C. ROAD WIN, FOUR SEASONS UNDER BEAMER. HERE IS ANOTHER FLAG. AND WIMSATT IS TAKEN DOWN, ANOTHER SACK FOR THIS SOUTH CAROLINA DEFENSE WITH THE SUBS ON THE FIELD. >> Referee: HOLDING ON THE OFFENSE, NUMBER 69. THE PENALTY IS DECLINED. FOURTH DOWN. >> Sean: MONKELL GOODWINE IN ON THE SACK. THERE'S MORE COLLEGE FOOTBALL ACTION AFTER OUR GAME TONIGHT AND 7:30 TENNESSEE AND NC STATE, BOTH IN THE TOP 25 IN THE DUKE'S MAYO CLASSIC FROM CHARLOTTE, A NEUTRAL SITE GAME. >> Greg: IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE A FASCINATING MATCHUP. I LOVE THE WAY NC STATE PLAYS DEFENSE AND I LOVE THE WAY TENNESSEE PLAYS OFFENSE. IT'S JUST GOING TO BE AWESOME TO SEE TONY GIBSON AND THAT DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR AND THAT STAFF ON NC STATE'S DEFENSIVE SIDE AGAINST JOSH HEUPEL ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE. >> Sean: CAN YOU PRONOUNCE NICO'S NAME FOR ME? WILLIE RODRIGUEZ COULD NOT MAKE THE CATCH. ONE MINUTE TO GO. CELEBRATION HAS ALREADY BEGUN ON THE GAMECOCKS SIDELINE. THIS WEEK, AND THIS SEASON SO FAR. HERE IS MOLLY. >> COACH, YOU TOLD US BEFORE THE GAME THIS DEFENSE FELT DOUBTED AND OVERLOOKED GOING INTO THIS. WHAT KIND OF STATEMENT DID THEY MAKE TODAY WITH YET ANOTHER DOMINANT PERFORMANCE? >> UNBELIEVABLE STATEMENT BY OUR DEFENSE, AND ABOUT OUR ENTIRE PROGRAM. YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A PERCEPTION OUT THERE ABOUT OUR TEAM THIS WEEK, BUT IT WASN'T REALITY. AND WE KNEW WHAT KIND OF TEAM WE HAVE. THERE WERE SOME LAZY NARRATIVES ABOUT THIS TEAM, AND WE'VE GOT A BUNCH OF TOUGH, GRITTY YOUNG MEN, STARTING WITH OUR QUARTERBACK, OFFENSE, DEFENSE, SPECIAL TEAMS, EVERYBODY DID IT TODAY. AND THAT'S A TEAM WIN. WE'VE GOT 74 PLAYERS UP HERE, BUT WE'VE GOT 120 GUYS ON OUR FOOTBALL TEAM, AND THERE'S A BUNCH OF GUYS IN COLUMBIA RIGHT NOW WATCHING THIS ON TV, AND I WANT THEM TO KNOW THEY ARE A HUGE START OF THIS. THE SCOUT TEAM, EVERYBODY INVOLVED WITH OUR PROGRAM MADE A STATEMENT ABOUT WHAT GAMECOCK FOOTBALL IS ABOUT. >> YOU MENTIONED LaNORRIS SELLERS WITH HIS FIRST S.E.C. ROAD WIN. WHAT KIND OF PROGRESS DID YOU SEE FROM HIM WEEK ONE TO WEEK TWO? >> WE GOT BETTER AND THE EXCITING THING IS, WE CAN BE SO MUCH BETTER. WHAT A PERFORMANCE BY OUR DEFENSE. WE GAVE THEM THREE WITH THE TURNOVER. BUT THE OFFENSE MADE PLAYS, WE HAD A HELL OF A SECOND HALF. LaNORRIS IS GRITTY, HE'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO LEARN, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GET BETTER ON OFFENSE. THAT'S THE EXCITING THING. THIS IS A GREAT TEAM WE JUST BEAT, BUT WE EXPECTED THIS, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S NOTHING AGAINST KENTUCKY. THERE WAS GREAT CONFIDENCE COMING IN HERE TODAY, NOT TO KEEP IT CLOSE AND HOPE THINGS WORK OUT, BUT THERE WAS GREAT CONFIDENCE ON THIS FOOTBALL TEAM AND WE SHOWED IT TODAY. >> IF YOUR DEFENSE CONTINUES TO DOMINATE AND YOUR OFFENSE PROGRESSES THE WAY THAT IT SHOULD, WHAT CAN THIS YEAR'S SOUTH CAROLINA TEAM ACCOMPLISH? >> I THINK WE'VE GOT ALL THE INGREDIENTS. SO MANY OF MY DAD'S TEAMS AT VIRGINIA TECH HE HAD, GREAT DEFENSE, GREAT SPECIAL TEAMS. OFFENSE, WE'LL CONTINUE TO GET BETTER. WE CAME UP HERE, STARTED I THINK FREE TRUE FRESHMEN, A REDSHIRT QUARTERBACK, A VETERAN DEFENSE THAT I THINK PEOPLE HAVE FORGOTTEN ABOUT. WE PLAYED GOOD DEFENSE DOWN THE STRETCH LAST YEAR AND STARTED OUT THIS SEASON WITH PRETTY GOOD DEFENSE. IT WASN'T GREAT LAST WEEK, BUT WE GOT BETTER AS A TEAM THIS WEEK, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO GET BETTER. WE NEED TO BE A LOT BETTER NEXT SATURDAY AT HIGH NOON AGAINST LSU, AND WE NEED WILLIAMS WRIGHT STADIUM ROCKING NEXT SATURDAY AT NOON. >> THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS ON THE WIN, COACH. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> GOT HIS TALKING POINTS IN. HIS DAUGHTERS WOULD LIKE HIS ATTENTION AS WELL. IMPRESSIVE WIN FOR SOUTH CAROLINA. THEY GO TO 2-0. FINAL SCORE HERE IN LEXINGTON, THE GAMECOCKS 31, THE KENTUCKY WILDCATS 6. NOW FOR OUR GREAT CREW, LED BY OUR PRODUCER, PHIL DANE AND OUR DIRECTOR, SCOTT JOHNSON, MOLLY McGRATH AND GREG McELROY, SEAN McDONOUGH SAYING SO LONG FROM