LaNorris Sellers throws for 2 touchdowns, South Carolina shuts down Kentucky 31-6 in SEC opener

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — LaNorris Sellers threw two touchdown passes, Nick Emmanwori returned one of South Carolina's two interceptions for another score and the Gamecocks held Kentucky to just 183 yards for a 31-6 victory to open Southeastern Conference play on Saturday.

Raheim Sanders rushed for a 21-yard touchdown late in the third quarter to help break the game open for South Carolina (2-0) in the SEC's lone head-to-head matchup. For one week, the Gamecocks sit atop the expanded 16-team league and can thank their opportunistic defense for helping make it possible in the nationally televised game.

“The way we practiced this week, I felt like a lot of guys did pretty good and the pass rush, one-on-ones and a lot of that stuff you see translates to the game really well," defensive tackle T.J. Sanders said. "It’s nothing special. It’s just about preparing for that moment.”

Emmanwori's 24-yard pick-6 to start the fourth quarter effectively sealed their third consecutive win over the Wildcats (1-1). Jalon Kilgore followed with an interception of backup Gavin Wimsatt, giving the Gamecocks four through two games.

Alex Raynor kicked field goals of 32 and 39 just before halftime for Kentucky. A week after jumping on Southern Miss quickly for a lightning-shortened 31-0 rout, the Wildcats showed none of that intensity and failed to score a touchdown for the first time since being shut out 21-0 by Iowa in the 2022 Music City Bowl.

“We’ve been beaten pretty badly by some really good football teams, but I felt like our team always fought back,” coach Mark Stoops said. “Today, it didn’t look like we were a very well-coached team and it didn’t look like a team that, that really, wanted to respond.”

South Carolina also rang up five sacks, capping a defensive performance that held Kentucky to just 44 yards passing. The overall yardage allowed was the Gamecocks' lowest since holding Eastern Illinois to 109 in 2021.

“What a team win for our football program," Gamecocks coach Shane Beamer said. "The offense, defense, special teams. You talk about gritty. You talk about tough. You talk about competitive. We showed it all today.”

South Carolina led throughout thanks to Sellers, who threw TD passes of 24 yards to wide-open Mazeo Bennett Jr. in the first quarter and 16 to Joshua Simon in the third to make 17-6. Sellers completed 11 of 15 for 159 yards with an interception to lead an offense that gained just 252 yards but did what it had to.

TURNING POINT

Kentucky seemed to gain footing with consecutive field goals to get within 10-6 just before halftime, the second coming off Ty Bryant's interception. South Carolina took control on its second possession of the third quarter and scored consecutive TDs, the first of which was helped by a huge offsides call on the Wildcats' Octavious Oxendine on fourth and 1 at midfield that extended the drive. Sellers’ TD pass to Simon soon followed for a double-digit lead.

“I just said to (offensive coordinator) Dowell (Loggains), 'let’s run whatever we call it, let’s just take a look at that and see if we can get him to jump,” Beamer said, "and we were able to.”

KEY TAKEAWAY

South Carolina continued its fierce defensive play with a backfield presence that harassed Brock Vandagriff early and often and blew up other plays before they could develop. That helped Sellers' early touchdown stand long enough for the Gamecocks to add another TD coming out of the break.

Kentucky struggled in most every phase and has a lot to correct before facing Georgia. Even before losing left guard Jager Burton and right tackle Gerald Mincey to injuries, the offensive line struggled to protect Vandagriff and never got the passing game going. Demie Sumo-Karngbaye rushed 17 times for 70 of the Wildcats' 139 yards, but the Wildcats couldn't reach the end zone. The Wildcats were 3 of 14 on third down and failed on both fourth-down chances.

UP NEXT

South Carolina hosts No. 18 LSU on Saturday.

Kentucky hosts No. 1 Georgia on Saturday.

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Gary B. Graves, The Associated Press