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Wildcats scratch out win as Gamecocks can’t capitalize on chances

South Carolina receiver Dakereon Joyner glanced toward the sideline as he picked himself off the Kentucky 40-yard line. The ball that smacked him in his hands on a five-yard out route from quarterback Luke Doty sat harmlessly on the turf.

Another chance gone awry.

Joyner’s drop marked the second consecutive drive in Saturday’s fourth quarter that South Carolina’s offense failed to cash in on the opportunities its defense afforded as USC (2-2, 0-2 SEC) fell to Kentucky (4-0, 2-0) 16-10.

Saturday’s meeting between two programs sandwiched amid the SEC East’s middle tier offered as much football finesse as a rock fight.

South Carolina wasn’t so much sloppy out of the gate as it was predictable. Play after play the Gamecocks ran tunnel screens and inside run plays that were swallowed by the Kentucky defensive front.

Doty, who earned his first start since Dec. 5 at Kentucky, finished the first half an effective 6 of 9, but only recorded 46 yards for his efforts.

The Gamecocks running game didn’t exactly help Doty’s cause, recording just 34 yards on 16 touches in the opening 30 minutes — good for a 2.4 yard per touch average.

While the first half brought with it audible groans and disdain among the 70,000-plus fans in the stands at Willaims-Brice Stadium, South Carolina showed glimpses of life in Saturday’s third quarter.

Doty carved up the Kentucky defense with the poise and precision we’ve only seen in spells as he completed five of his first six passes in the third quarter.

As South Carolina’s second-year signal-caller found his rhythm, the Gamecocks marched 75 yards over 10 plays for its first sustained drive of the night. Doty capped it off with a play-action lob to a wide-open Jalen Brooks in the back left side of the end zone for his first score in a USC uniform.

With the offense finding its footing, South Carolina defensive coordinator Clayton White’s unit stalled what had been a largely dynamic Kentucky offense through three weeks.

Thrice the Gamecocks forced the Wildcats to fumble, though they only recovered two. Safety Jaylan Foster — who led the Southeastern Conference in interceptions entering Saturday — recorded his fourth pick of the day off an underthrown ball from Levis in the second quarter.

Yet for all the opportunities White’s unit gifted, the Gamecocks offense couldn’t connect.

Twice South Carolina didn’t convert on fourth downs in Kentucky territory. The Gamecocks also didn’t muster a single point off the Wildcats’ three turnovers.

South Carolina entered Saturday with hopes of a bowl run. SEC Nation brodacasted live from The Horseshoe in the morning. Fans lined Bluff Road two hours before kickoff to catch a glimpse of Shane Beamer and the upstart Gamecocks. The optimism that had come with the beginning of the Beamer era was everywhere.

But before a near-capacity crowd, South Carolina watched one too many balls fell harmlessly to the turf.

First Down

Jalen Brooks had the best receiving day of his South Carolina career Saturday. Brooks, who previously set his career-high mark with 54 yards at Georgia last week, reeled in four catches for 63 yards and a touchdown against Kentucky.

The one-time Wingate transfer now has nine receptions on the season.

Offsides

South Carolina punted on four of its first five drives on Saturday. The only non-punt came when the Gamecocks were stopped on a 4th and 1 on the Kentucky 47-yard line.

USC finished the first half with only 64 yards passing and another 34 yards on the ground.

Touchdown

Parker White drilled a career-long 54-yard field goal to pull South Carolina within a score late in Saturday’s fourth quarter.

White, who nailed a game-winning kick in USC’s win over East Carolina two weeks ago, now sits 45 points shy of the Gamecocks’ all-time scoring record and is 2 of 11 from 50 yards or more in his career.

Key Numbers

80 — South Carolina notched just 80 yards of offense in the first half

4 — Safety Jaylan Foster recorded his SEC-leading fourth interception of the season off UK QB Will Levis