South Carolina had Mississippi State on the ropes early, then let the game slip away in one brutal third quarter.
The Gamecocks led 23-16 at halftime on Sept. 19, but the Bulldogs stormed back with 17 points in the third quarter and went on to beat South Carolina 41-34. The most damaging stretch came after a first half that should have been even more lopsided in South Carolina’s favor, according to coach Shane Beamer.
In his halftime radio interview, Beamer said the Gamecocks should have been up 42-0, a sharp jab at the offense’s inability to finish drives. Instead of turning early control into touchdowns, South Carolina settled for field goals and left the door open.
South Carolina opened fast, building a 16-0 lead four minutes into the second quarter. But the offense bogged down in the red zone.
On the opening drive, the Gamecocks used seven minutes of clock before failing to convert on third-and-goal. A fourth-down run by Sellers reached the end zone, but it was wiped out by a holding penalty, and the drive ended with three points.
Later in the second quarter, Sellers hit Nyck Harbor on a 44-yard gain, but that possession also stalled near the goal line. This time South Carolina turned to backup kicker Malik Orsan, who had not started the last two weeks, and he drilled a career-long 51-yarder.
"I don't like the field goals we kicked in the first half but to come out in the second half ... to not get stops and give them momentum right back in the third quarter was certainly really frustrating and really disappointing," Beamer said.
The defense did its part early, spending just under 7.5 minutes on the field in the first half. Then the third quarter arrived and everything tilted.
South Carolina managed only five total yards in the period while Mississippi State rolled up 166. The Bulldogs controlled the ball for 27 plays to the Gamecocks’ seven, picked up nine first downs and averaged 6.1 yards per play to South Carolina’s 0.7.
In the other three quarters, South Carolina posted between 129 and 147 total yards.
The biggest breakdown came on third-and-18 with 10:13 left in the third quarter, when Marquis Johnson was left uncovered in the end zone for a touchdown.
"We have to recognize, communicate and execute," safety Peyton Williams said of the busted coverage.
South Carolina’s offense never stabilized after that. Quarterback LaNorris Sellers threw two interceptions in the second half, and both giveaways led to 10 points for Mississippi State. Neither turnover came under pressure.
"Those two plays are big in the SEC," Sellers said. "You lose by three, six points, you can't have plays like that."
Sellers finished 25-of-40 for 282 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. It was his fifth-most passing yards in three years, but the turnovers defined the night.
"Wasn't great," Sellers said of his performance. "I take full responsibility for how the offense played.
Two turnovers, costly turnovers, can't turn the ball over in the SEC. We lost by six points.
We get those two plays back, maybe go down and score ... get a stop and get momentum on our side, you never know where the game swings."
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