LaNorris Sellers put together the kind of afternoon South Carolina has been waiting for, and Florida had no answer for it.
Sellers accounted for five touchdowns and delivered four through the air in his sharpest performance in nearly two years, powering the Gamecocks to a 38-19 upset of No. 16 Florida on Saturday in Gainesville. South Carolina ended an eight-game SEC losing streak, won in the Swamp for the first time since 2014 and finally finished off a league game without letting it slip away.
Sellers was 23 of 35 for 279 yards and spread the ball around with touchdown throws to Nyck Harbor, Mazeo Bennett Jr., Donovan Murph and Lex Cyrus. His best moment came on a 3-yard run in the third quarter, when he brushed off a defender and nearly scored before punching it in on the next snap to push South Carolina closer to putting the game away.
That was the decisive stretch for Shane Beamer’s team, which had blown four significant leads in its last five SEC games. This time, the Gamecocks closed cleanly.
The third quarter belonged to South Carolina. After a 45-minute lightning delay stretched halftime, the Gamecocks came out and scored twice, repeatedly attacking Florida’s shaky secondary and widening the gap while the Gators struggled to respond.
South Carolina could have created even more separation earlier. Sellers missed a wide-open receiver on a flea flicker, his pass catchers dropped three balls and Malik Orsan missed a field goal. Even with those wasted chances, the Gamecocks still had enough firepower to control the day.
Florida, meanwhile, kept digging its own hole. The Gators had trouble running the ball again, with Jadan Baugh carrying 15 times for 59 yards and a garbage-time touchdown. Aaron Philo turned it over twice, and the defense couldn’t slow Sellers or generate enough pressure to change the game’s rhythm.
The loss made for a rough second straight week for Florida, which entered as a double-digit home favorite and was coming off a 45-17 loss at then-No. 25 Missouri. Instead of bouncing back, the Gators were overwhelmed again.
There was also a noticeable reaction from the crowd. Coach Jon Sumrall was booed for the first time since taking over in Gainesville, with fans voicing their frustration over his clock management at the end of the first half. Florida ran out of time and then missed a long field goal.
South Carolina got a major boost from Dylan Stewart, who returned from a one-game suspension and forced two fumbles. Stewart had been sidelined after throwing a punch at an Alabama player two weeks ago and missed last week’s overtime loss to Kentucky.
He made an immediate impact. In the first quarter, Stewart beat Florida right tackle Emeka Ugorji for a sack of Philo and forced a fumble that the Gators recovered. He forced another Philo fumble early in the fourth quarter.
The Gamecocks also had a scare of their own when starting cornerback Judge Collier left in the first half with what appeared to be a concussion. David Bucey hit Collier while trying to make a tackle near South Carolina’s sideline, and Collier stumbled as he got up before being checked by trainers and escorted to the locker room.
Florida had its own injury issues. Backup running back Duke Clark hobbled to the locker room just before halftime, and the Gators were again without leading receiver Vernell Brown III, who is recovering from a sprained right knee.
For South Carolina, this was the kind of performance that has been sitting just under the surface. The talent has been there, and on Saturday the Gamecocks finally put it together. For Florida, the problems looked deeper and uglier, with both lines of scrimmage needing work and the secondary in clear need of help before next season.
In Other News...
Floridas Ground Game Just Took Another Hit Against South Carolina
Floridas backfield took another hit against South Carolina when sophomore running back Duke Clark left in the second quarter with a left foot injury and did not return. With Clark out, the Gators had to shuffle their rotation and lean on other backs during the third quarter to keep the ground game moving.
The injury adds another layer of concern for a Florida offense already trying to find consistency on the ground. On a different note, linebacker Myles Graham was seen warming up before the third quarter and returned to the sideline dressed out, suggesting a possible return as the game went on. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Faces An Uncomfortable Bounce-Back Test At Home
Florida gets a quick chance to reset at home against South Carolina after the loss to Missouri, a game that exposed just how much the Gators still have to sort out as SEC play settles in. At 4-1 overall and 2-1 in the conference, Florida is still in solid shape, but this matchup in Gainesville carries the feel of an early-season correction point, especially with the weather, injury updates and a few individual performances all part of the backdrop.
South Carolina arrives with a 2-3 record and still looking for its first conference win after an overtime loss to Kentucky, so both teams are bringing some urgency into a game that matters for different reasons. For Florida, the bigger question is how it responds after a stumble at Missouri and whether it can look sharper at home, where the Gators will be judged not just on the result, but on the way they handle a test that should tell a lot about their direction. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Still Has One Worry After Late Vernell Brown Decision
Floridas offense got a little clarity this week when sophomore wide receiver Vernell Brown III was ruled out for the game against South Carolina, even after showing positive progress in practice. The knee strain is being described as low-grade, and head coach Jon Sumralls update suggested there is optimism around Browns overall direction, but the Gators will still have to move forward without one of the young receivers they have been leaning on.
There was better news on the other side of the injury report, with senior safety Bryce Thornton expected to be available after a lower-body issue. Florida also got a look at South Carolinas availability report, which included several players listed out, but Browns status remains the more immediate concern as the Gators try to sort out their depth on offense and wait for the next step in his recovery. [Read more 🡒]