GamecockArchives.com
Score
TeamScore
South Carolina 23
Mississippi State 19
GamecockArchives.com Players of the Game
PlayerUnit

Game Summary
USC improved to 4-0, stunning #25 Mississippi State with a fourth quarter comeback and late heroics from an unlikely source. The Gamecocks, unable to move the ball on the ground - Derek Watson had 14 carries for minus-1 yard - threw for 330 yards in the game. The first USC score came through the air, as Phil Petty hooked up with Corey Alexander for a 58-yard touchdown to put Carolina up 7-6. Mississippi State made two field goals to USC's one (an 18-yarder by Reid Bethea) to take a 12-10 halftime lead and the Bulldogs further took control with an 11 yard run by Dicenzo Miller with a little over six minutes left in the third. Bethea got Carolina within six with a 26-yard field goal with eight minutes to go and then the real drama started. On the following possession USC linebacker Andre Offing stuffed MSU's Justin Griffin for no gain on a 3rd and one at the Bulldog 36, forcing a punt. Following a 13-yard punt return by Ryan Brewer USC took over at its 40 with 5:51 left. A 35-yard pass from Petty to James Adkisson put the Gamecocks in striking distance at the MSU 25, but the next three plays were incomplete passes and Petty suffered an injured ankle on the final one. Facing fourth and 10, Coach Lou Holtz turned to backup quarterback Erik Kimrey and asked what he felt comfortable with. 'He said Coach I can throw the fade. If a guy says he can do something I'm all for that' said Holtz after the game. Kimrey placed the ball in the left corner of the end zone where Jermale Kelly beat cornerback Kendall Roberson for the ball to tie the game at 19. Bethea's extra point gave USC a thin one-point lead with 4:41 left. The two teams had an exchange of punts, but State returner Dicenzo Miller was stripped by Sheldon Brown and the ball was recovered by USC defensive end John Stamper. The turnover resulted in another Bethea field goal for a 23-19 lead and MSU's final possession ended with Carolina DB Kevin House intercepting a pass in the end zone.;
Scoring Plays
QuarterGame TimeTeamSC ScoreOpp ScorePlay
1 10:33 MST 0 6 Mario Haggan, 27-yd fumble return (kick failed)
1 04:07 USC 7 6 Corey Alexander, 58-yd pass from Phil Petty (Reid Bethea kick)
2 10:31 MST 7 9 Scott Westerfield, 23-yd field goal
2 07:57 MST 7 12 Scott Westerfield, 31-yd field goal
2 02:34 USC 10 12 Reid Bethea, 18-yd field goal
3 06:20 MST 10 19 Dicenzo Miller, 11-yd run (Scott Westerfield kick)
4 08:08 USC 13 19 Reid Bethea, 26-yd field goal
4 04:41 USC 20 19 Jermale Kelly, 25-yd pass from Erik Kimrey (Reid Bethea kick)
4 01:39 USC 23 19 Reid Bethea, 33-yd field goal
Team Stats
USCMississippi State
USC Rushing
PlayerAttYdsAvgTD
Phil Petty 7 21 3.0 0
Andrew Pinnock 8 12 1.5 0
Corey Alexander 1 2 2.0 0
Derek Watson 14 -1 -0.1 0
Erik Kimrey 1 -2 -2.0 0
Mississippi State Rushing
PlayerAttYdsAvgTD
USC Passing
PlayerAttComYdsYPATDInt
Phil Petty 40 19 305 7.6 1 0
Erik Kimrey 1 1 25 25.0 1 0
Mississippi State Passing
PlayerAttComYdsYPATDInt
USC Receiving
PlayerRecTrgtCom%YdsBPAvg34DTrgt34DConvTD
Jermale Kelly 9 12 75.0 123 4 13.7 4 3 1
Brian Scott 3 6 50.0 80 2 26.7 1 0 0
Corey Alexander 3 3 100.0 70 1 23.3 0 0 1
Derek Watson 2 3 66.7 16 0 8.0 0 0 0
James Adkisson 1 8 12.5 35 1 35.0 3 1 0
Ryan Brewer 1 3 33.3 4 0 4.0 1 0 0
Andrew Pinnock 1 1 100.0 2 0 2.0 0 0 0
Mississippi State Receiving
PlayerRecYdsInt
Kickoff Returns
PlayerKRYdsTD
Punt Returns
PlayerPRYdsTD
Punting
PlayerPuntsYdsAvgNet YdsNet AvgIn20TBLong
Game Defense
PlayerTKLTFLSKFFFRPBUQBHIPLCDPLRZPLSPP
Game Interceptions
PlayerIntYdsTD
Kevin House 1 0 0
Game Participation (Starters in All Caps)
PlayerPos
JAMES ADKISSON WR
RYAN BREWER WR
SHELDON BROWN CB
SCOTT BROWNE C
CECIL CALDWELL DT
KALIMBA EDWARDS DE
RASHAD FAISON SPR1
C.J. FRYE RG
ANDRE GOODMAN CB
KENNETH HARNEY LB
JERMALE KELLY WR
ANTIONE NESMITH FS
ANDRE OFFING LB
WILLIE OFFORD SPR2
MELVIN PAIGE RT
PHIL PETTY QB
CLEVELAND PINKNEY DT
DENNIS QUINN DE
BRIAN SCOTT WR
DEREK WATSON TB
TRAVELLE WHARTON LT
CEDRIC WILLIAMS LG