Who’ll Stop The Swain?

As the rain would fall harder “The Cockpit” would only cheer louder. The other seventy-five percent  of fans had run for any cover they could find. From the concourses to huddled underneath the overhangs from the upper deck, the Gamecock Students were going wild waiting for the kickoff to the 2025 Home opener. Kick off was scheduled for 7:00pm Saturday night in Columbia but that would just not be the case. At around 6:00pm everyone was pulled off the field as lightning was in the area, just as many fans were making their way into Williams-Brice Stadium. 

After a two hours and nineteen minute delay, 79,015 got to watch the Gamecocks come out to 2001 and get their first Sandstorm of the season. The energy in the stadium was high to watch a Gamecock team ranked in the top ten for the first time since 2014, but after the long delay and abysmal 1st quarter from the Gamecock offense, things cooled off signifcantly.

Gamecock QB Lanorris Sellers had thrown six incompletions in his first eight attempts, and after three drives the Gamecocks were at negative two yards of offense. South Carolina State Punter Elliot Janish had done an amazing job keeping his punts away from Co-Special Team Player of the Week Vicari Swain. His first two punts were downed inside the Carolina ten yard line, his third was just barely a touchback. His fourth punt was one I’m sure he’d love to have back. This one was a great kick but was able to be returned by Swain, and return it sixty-five yards for the Gamecocks first score of the night with five minutes before halftime. After another three and out by the Bulldogs, Janish was once again called on to punt. Maurice Brown II got a hand on the ball this time and the ball was still able to bounce down the field. 99.9% of players then will let the ball roll dead and send the offense on the field, Swain is the .01%. Swain picked the ball up, while simultaneously being hit by a Bulldog defender, he bounced off and then returned the ball forty-two yards for his second punt return of the night and the third of the season. The third touchdown for Swain ties the South Carolina team record for punt returns in a season with Dickie Harris from 1971. The energy that had been drained by the delay and suboptimal offense, was suddenly back single handed because of Vicari Swain. After a three and out by the Bulldogs, and with use of timeouts to show good clock management by Beamer, William Joyce nailed a 49 yard field goal as time expired in the first half. 

The second half started well for the Gamecocks, an eight play 65-yard drive, capped by a five yard run by Oscar Adaway III, had the Gamecock lead at 24-3, only about ten minutes of gametime since being down three with five minutes left before the half. After both teams exchanged punts, the Gamecock defense got in on the scoring. Bryan Thomas II forced a fumble that shot straight up into the air, after a bounce right into Jaron Willis hands he returned it forty-six yards to complete the scoring trifecta for the Gamecocks. Gamecocks score again before the end of the 3rd quarter on a 35-yard pitch and catch from Sellers to Vandrevius Jacobs, to extend the lead to 38-3. A late touchdown against second teamers made the final score 38-10 in favor of the Gamecocks. 

Despite the twenty-eight point scoring differential the Gamecocks were outgained Saturday night 270-253 by the Bulldogs, but with two punt returns touchdowns and a fumble recovery for a score the Gamecocks had less possessions than SC State. Eight different players had thirty-two carries for 125 yards on the ground, led by SC State transfer Jawarn Howell, who had seven carries for thirty yards. Sellers carried it eight carries for twenty-three, Adaway carried it seven times for twenty yards and a score. 

Sellers was 11/19 for 128 yards and a touchdown. Six different players had at least one catch, led by Vandrevius Jacobs who hauled in four passes for fifty-seven yards. Freshman Donovon Murph caught two more passes this week, and Sophomore Mazeo Bennett grabbed his first catch of the year as well. 

Dylan Stewart was a force again this week, adding another sack and two tackles for loss to his stat line for this season. Vicari Swain, along with his two punt returns for TDs, forced a fumble on defense. 

Other Game Notes: 

SC State’s Marching 101 put on a great show as always.

The new field looks really nice, the garnet background and palmetto trees in the endzones are a great touch, although it irks me just a little that the words are not centered anymore.

Pregame when the students were jumping around and having fun in the rain, a loud crack of thunder was enough to send them for cover as well. 

I spent some time in the stands with a friend, and William Joyce’s second PAT was tipped as I was reaching to catch it and my face caught it, no blood, just embarrassment.  

The most Columbia thing happened, I got caught by a train before and after the game. First one only took about 5 minutes, the one leaving had us all caught for about forty minutes on Assembly Street.

The Gamecocks return home next week to host Vanderbilt at 7:45pm. Carolina has won sixteen straight against the Commodores, and holds a 30-4 all time record.