FINAL: Gamecocks lose against Mizzou, 29-20.

Despite entering the second half with the lead, the South Carolina Gamecocks lost their second consecutive game to the Missouri Tigers by a final score of 29-20. This loss moves the Gamecocks to 2-2 on the year, and 0-2 in conference play.

The Gamecocks were led in passing by LaNorris Sellers, who tallied 299 yards on 15/24 passing with two touchdowns. While he showed flashes of the Heisman hopeful that we all expected, Sellers was unable to consistently make the small plays on a consistent basis. He was also sacked five times, which caused him to struggle in setting his feet in the pocket.

The Gamecocks once again struggled to run the ball, as they rushed  for negative nine yards. While of course the sack yards from Sellers are accounted for in this number, the running backs for the Gamecocks accounted for an embarrassing 19 yards. The injuries on the offensive line endured tonight did not help matters, but their struggles on the ground are not only a trend at this point, but a trait of the Gamecock offense.

WR Vandrevius Jacobs once again led the Gamecocks in receiving with seven catches for 128 yards. He also found the endzone once, along with freshman Brian Rowe Jr. who also had three receptions and 50 yards. 

Despite leading heading into the fourth quarter, the Gamecocks struggled offensively and were unable to create any momentum. The Tigers took the lead in the early fourth, and it was never relinquished.

Ultimately, the biggest killer for the Gamecocks was the excessive number of penalties. They committed 14 penalties for 100 total yards. The bulk of the penalties were false starts, which kept the offense behind the sticks and establishing drives. The Gamecocks will look to reduce their mental errors as the season continues.

Though forcing the lone turnover of the game, the defense struggled to get consistent pressure, totaling for only one sack. Last season, sacking the quarterback was the calling card for the Gamecocks, but they have struggled to do so consistently. The Gamecocks also struggled to tackle, which led to The Tigers’ star running back Ahmard Hardy racking up 138 yards on 23 attempts along with a touchdown. Though they held the Tigers to several field goals, the Gamecocks allowed them to consistently drive down the field and rack up nearly 500 total yards.

The offense once again struggled to consistently establish long drives and often was only able to find their way in the endzone aided by an explosive play. Their inability to run the ball put the Gamecocks in predictable passing situations and removed any chances of having any dynamic impact on the field.

After suffering their second consecutive loss, it seems as though the Gamecocks have watched their playoff ambitions disintegrate in Columbia, MI. With a tough schedule that includes several ranked teams remaining, the Gamecocks will have to be nearly perfect for a chance at the playoffs. They will have their chance to end their skid and pick up their first conference win of the season against Kentucky next weekend at home.