NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- No. 9 South Carolina and coach Steve Spurrier got a big scare to open the season. Marcus Lattimore and Connor Shaw helped the Gamecocks grind their way through past plucky Vanderbilt.
Lattimore ran for two touchdowns and 110 yards in his first game back after tearing his left ACL, and Shaw ran for 92 yards while playing the second half with an injured shoulder as No. 9 South Carolina rallied for a 17-13 victory against Vanderbilt on Thursday night.
Shaw bruised his right, throwing shoulder late in the first half and missed the first two series of the third quarter before returning. The junior drove the Gamecocks for the go-ahead touchdown and ran 12 yards to the Vandy 1 before rolling in pain in the end zone.
Lattimore scored the go-ahead TD on a 1-yard run with 11:25 to go.
Vanderbilt had plenty of time to attempt a comeback, the last with 5:08 left. But The Commodores turned it over on downs with 1:47 to go when Jordan Matthews couldn’t handle a fourth-down pass from Jordan Rodgers. Gamecocks defensive back D.J. Swearinger appeared to grab Matthews’ arm before the ball arrived.
Vanderbilt didn’t have the sellout crowd coach James Franklin wanted, but most of the 38,393 who did turn out were wearing black as part of a "blackout." The Commodores came up with three sacks and forced two turnovers, and they outgained South Carolina 276-272 in total offense.
But South Carolina
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