Gamecocks crush Coastal in opener as new-look offense passes first test
Deebo Samuel returned. Rico Dowdle emerged. And a revamped offense moved up and down the field as South Carolina checked all the boxes it could in a season-opening 49-15 win over Coastal Carolina on Saturday in Williams-Brice Stadium.
“I was very proud of the way we came out and played today,” said coach Will Muschamp, who won his third season-opener in three years as USC’s coach. “I thought we were very efficient offensively.”
Now the Gamecocks (1-0) must ready themselves for the start of the SEC season and a visit from No. 3 Georgia next week, when the degree of difficulty will rise dramatically.
Against an overmatched Chanticleers team (Coastal was ranked 125th of 130 FBS teams in ESPN’s Football Power Index headed into the season), South Carolina showed about all it could, scoring the most points of the Muschamp era and the most since it beat these same Chanticleers 70-10 in 2013.
Samuel, a senior wide receiver playing for the first time since missing 10 games last year because of a broken leg, had a game-high seven catches for 56 yards and a touchdown and one carry for 11 yards. Dowdle, a junior running back, had 105 rushing yards to pace the offense. Middle linebacker T.J. Brunson led the Gamecocks with six tackles, and linebacker Bryson Allen-Williams, who also missed 10 games last year because of injury, had a sack. For the day, South Carolina outgained Coastal Carolina 557 yards to 238 yards.
THREE POINTS
Star of the game: Junior quarterback Jake Bentley had a career-high four touchdown passes despite playing just three quarters. Bentley finished 22-for-29 for 250 yards and no interceptions. It was the seventh time in his 21-game collegiate career that he has completed more than 20 passes.
Play of the game: With 1:02 left in the third quarter, Samuel hauled in a one-handed, 8-yard touchdown reception for his first score of the season. It was reminiscent of his one-handed touchdown catch in last year’s season-opener against North Carolina State. “The guy had my right arm,” Samuel said. “I had no choice but to put one hand up and try to catch it.”
Stat of the game: The Gamecocks’ 557 offensive yards were their most since they had 588 against Western Carolina in 2016.
OBSERVATIONS
Youth movement: Eleven true freshmen played in the game with cornerback Jaycee Horn becoming the seventh true freshman to start a season-opener for South Carolina since 2009. Defensive linemen Kingsley (J.J.) Enagbare, Rick Sandidge and Josh Belk, offensive linemen Dylan Wonnum and Jovaughn Gwynn, defensive backs Israel Mukuamu and R.J. Roderick, linebackers Rosendo Louis and Ernest Jones and wide receiver Josh Vann also played.
Running back rotation: Dowdle got the start at running back and showed how he earned it in the preseason. He finished with 15 carries for 105 yards and had a 22-yard touchdown catch that put South Carolina ahead 28-3 late in the second quarter. It was the fourth 100-yard game of his career. Junior Ty’Son Williams was the second back in the game and finished with 82 yards on 11 carries. Junior A.J. Turner also played in the first half but only had two carries in the game. Mon Denson did not play because of a hamstring injury.
Cause for concern: Junior defensive end D.J. Wonnum left the game early in the third quarter with an ankle injury, but Muschamp is hopeful he will be able to play against the Bulldogs. “I think he’ll be fine,” the coach said. Wonnum was helped off the field by trainers and went straight to the locker room. Wonnum led South Carolina with six sacks last year and had his career high in tackles against Georgia with nine. If Wonnum can’t play next week, it will be the first time he’s missed a game in his 27-game career.
NEXT
Who: South Carolina vs. Georgia
When: 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8
Where: Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, S.C.
TV: CBS
This story was originally published September 1, 2018 at 3:10 PM.