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COLUMBIA, S.C. — Spencer Rattler had the very best day of his unpredictable profession, throwing for 438 yards and 6 touchdowns as South Carolina beat No. 5 Tennessee 63-38 on Saturday night time, all however eliminating the Volunteers from the playoffs.
Tennessee (9-2, 6-2 Southeastern) might need additionally misplaced Heisman Trophy contender Hendon Hooker, who left the sport within the fourth quarter with a leg damage, falling and fumbling with out being hit.
Tennessee coach Josh Heupel mentioned he did not have an replace on Hooker’s standing and that the group will consider him when it returns to Knoxville.
Even earlier than the damage, the quarterback of the night time was Rattler, who went from Heisman hopeful to the bench at Oklahoma in 2021. The junior lastly lived as much as the potential that followers of South Carolina (7-4, 4-4) hoped for when he arrived.
Rattler got here into the night time with 9 interceptions and eight touchdowns and averaging 198 passing yards per recreation. There have been questions requested about whether or not the Gamecocks may need to check out the backup.
However the junior was affected person within the pocket, dropping passes into the narrowest of home windows. He ran when he needed to with 5 carries for 16 yards. And he even caught a go within the pink zone from Dakereon Joyner, who South Carolina sometimes makes use of as a operating menace below heart.
Rattler’s profession highs earlier than Saturday had been 387 yards in opposition to Kansas State for Oklahoma in 2020 and 5 TDs for the Sooners in opposition to Western Carolina in 2021.
Antwane Wells Jr. caught 11 passes for 177 yards, and Josh Vann and Jaheim Bell every caught two touchdowns for the Gamecocks.
The Tennessee protection might do nearly nothing to cease the Eleventh-best offense within the SEC. The Gamecocks gained 606 yards after failing to recover from 300 yards in three of their previous 4 video games. The 63 factors are probably the most by an unranked group in opposition to an AP top-five opponent within the ballot period, in response to ESPN Stats & Data analysis.
“Clearly, extraordinarily upset with the efficiency and the end result of the soccer recreation,” Heupel mentioned. “It is everyone concerned, from myself to our assistant coaches to our gamers, had a possibility right here and did not reap the benefits of it, did not play properly. Credit score to South Carolina. They did play properly. Simply disappointing that we did not carry out higher.”
Hooker was 25-of-42 for 247 yards and three TDs earlier than his damage. There was no speedy phrase on the severity of his harm leg, however he didn’t return to the sport. Joe Milton III took over at QB for the Vols when Hooker went down, turning the ball over on downs after driving into the pink zone, then main a four-play, 75-yard scoring drive within the remaining two minutes.
The Related Press contributed to this story.
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