On quiet NFL Sunday for USC alums, one former Gamecock stands out

Week 7 of the NFL season was quiet Sunday for many former South Carolina Gamecocks – save for one player.

Former South Carolina place kicker Ryan Succop was impressive throughout and clutch in the end, leading the Tennessee Titans to a 12-9 overtime win over the Cleveland Browns.

Succop did all of the scoring for the Titans Sunday, making 4 of 5 field goal attempts. That included a 47-yard game winner with 1:55 left in overtime.

“That guy’s money,” Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota said.

Succop actually pulled his initial attempt at the game winner wide left, but play was stopped for the two-minute warning.

“We heard the whistle,” Succop said. “I thought it was a timeout. I didn’t know it was the two-minute warning. I wasn’t necessarily trying to make it. I was just trying to see what the wind was doing.”

It wasn’t just a game-winning kick for Succop, in a game where he dominated the scoreboard, it was also a record-setting field goal. Succop extended his NFL record for makes inside 50 yards to 55 in a row.

Succop’s clutch kick keeps the Titans (4-3) tied for first in the AFC South with the Houston Texans, owned by USC alum Bob McNair who has a roster full of former Gamecocks and Clemson Tigers, including Jadeveon Clowney, Bruce Ellington, Jonathan Joseph, Deshaun Watson and Deandre Hopkins.

In addition to the kick in overtime, Succop connected on field goals from 43, 23 and 46 yards before missing a 53-yarder. The big performance comes less than a week after making five field goals in Monday night’s win over Indianapolis.

For the season, Succop has made 16 of 17 field goals and is 14-for-14 on extra points. In his career, he’s 190-for-226 on field goals and 269-for-273 on extra points for 839 points.

“We’re very fortunate to have him,” Mariota said. “In these situations, he’s done it time and time again. When you have a guy like that it’s huge.”

Succop has kicked for the Titans since 2014. Prior to that, he played for the Kansas City Chiefs, who made him Mr. Irrelevant, the last player selected in the 2009 NFL Draft.

Succop played at South Carolina from 2005-08, where he was a place kicker and punter. His 251 career points ranks 10^th on South Carolina's all-time list and he was named second team All-SEC twice.

This story was originally published October 22, 2017 at 7:17 PM with the headline "On quiet NFL Sunday for USC alums, one former Gamecock stands out."