South Carolina vs Auburn live updates: Gamecocks hold on to defeat No. 15 Tigers
The State’s Greg Hadley is inside Williams-Brice Stadium for Saturday’s South Carolina football game against Auburn. The game kicks off at noon on ESPN. The Gamecocks are playing a 10-game, SEC-only schedule during the coronavirus-delayed season.
Final: South Carolina 30, Auburn 22
Auburn had a chance to tie it on final drive but the Gamecocks’ defense stopped the Tigers on the 9-yard line to seal the win.
Carlson FG: South Carolina 30, Auburn 22
The USC defense held tough near the end zone, forcing the Tigers to settle for a field-goal. The Gamecocks haven’t defeated Auburn since 1933. An upset watch is in full effect.
White FG: South Carolina 30, Auburn 19
Receiver Shi Smith made his second acrobatic catch of the day to extend USC’s drive and set up a field goal. Smith is up to 76 yards on eight catches as he once again carries the passing game.
End 3rd Quarter: South Carolina 27, Auburn 19
South Carolina seized momentum out of the second half and overcame its first turnover of the day by immediately taking the ball back and scoring. USC has scored a touchdown off all three inceptions it has had today.
Harris TD: South Carolina 27, Auburn 19
The familiar duo of Jaycee Horn and Kevin Harris strikes again. After recording his first-career interception earlier in the game, Horn added a second pick to set up a walk-in touchdown for Harris with 54 seconds left in third quarter.
Smith TD: South Carolina 20, Auburn 19
Like a savvy veteran, quarterback Collin Hill drew Auburn offsides, then threw a jump ball to Shi Smith on the free play. Smith hauled in the ball in the corner of the end zone for his best catch of the day. He’s up to 44 yards on seven catches, and the Gamecocks are threatening to pull off an upset.
Carlson FG: Auburn 19, South Carolina 14
Veteran corner Jaycee Horn continues to lock down star receiver Seth Williams, breaking up a pass on third-down to force a field-goal attempt. The USC offense hasn’t hit its stride, but key plays by Horn have held Bo Nix and the Tigers at bay.
Halftime: Auburn 16, South Carolina 14
The Gamecocks enter the halftime break within a field goal thanks a pair of interceptions that have turned into quick scoring drives. Auburn has more than doubled USC’s yardage, but sophomore quarterback Bo Nix has made risky passes at times and paid for them.
Hill TD: Auburn 16, South Carolina 14
Jaycee Horn broke up another Bo Nix pass, and Jaylin Dickerson intercepted it to give the Gamecocks great field position. The USC offense leaned on backup running back Deshaun Fenwick to march down the field from Auburn’s 49-yard line and set up a quarterback keeper for Collin Hill with 35 seconds left in second quarter.
Bigsby TD: Auburn 16, South Carolina 7
Standout freshman running back Tank Bigsby finished off a strong drive for the Auburn offense, just narrowly missing the end zone on a 13-yard run, then punching it in one play later.
The big play in the drive was Bo Nix’s 44-yard pass to Seth Williams to the USC `15.
Harris TD: Auburn 9, South Carolina 7
After a huge interception by Jaycee Horn, USC took advantage of great field position. Kevin Harris, who had a 78-yard touchdown run negated by a holding call in the first quarter, scored his fifth touchdown of the year with 12:58 left in the second quarter.
Horn gets first interception
Jaycee Horn has been South Carolina’s top defensive back the last three years but has yet to have an interception.
That changed Saturday when Horn picked off Auburn’s Bo Nix at the Tigers’ 29 in the second quarter.
Stove TD: Auburn 9, South Carolina 0
Bo Nix continues to sizzle, spreading the ball around to six different receivers and completing eight of 14 passes. He connected with receiver Eli Stove twice on the seven-play drive, finding him over the middle for the game’s first touchdown. A two-point attempt out of the wildcat was unsuccessful.
Carlson FG: Auburn 3, South Carolina 0
Auburn quarterback Bo Nix completed five of nine passes in the Tigers’ first drive, but the USC defense managed to hold Auburn to a field goal.
The Tigers converted a pair of third downs. USC allowed just one third-down conversion last week against Vanderbilt.
Offensive line changes
The Gamecocks will have a starter on the offensive line on Saturday.
Junior college transfer Jazston Turnetine will start at left tackle for the Gamecocks while Dylan Wonnum moves to right tackle. Wonnum started the first three games at left tackle.
Two injured Gamecocks likely back. What about Mukuamu?
Senior defensive lineman Keir Thomas, who unexpectedly missed last week’s game against Vanderbilt for undisclosed reasons, was back in warmups with the rest of the Gamecock D-line unit. Sophomore linebacker Jahmar Brown, who has missed the first three games of the season with a knee injury, was also out in warmups jogging around. Defensive back Israel Mukuamu, who has battled a groin issue, was jogging around in warmups. Gamecock radio play-by-play voice Todd Ellis, however, suggested that Mukuamu is unlikely to play today. If Mukuamu can’t go, John Dixon would get the start for the Gamecocks, Will Muschamp told Ellis.
Final USC-Auburn betting line, predictions
Auburn started out as a 3-point favorite in the game being played at the home of the Gamecocks. The line was still 3 points on Saturday but dipped to 2.5 points at BetMGM. The over-under is 51.5 points.
College analysts from across the country made their predictions for the Auburn-USC game.
ESPN College Gameday - Derrick Henry (South Carolina) Desmond Howard (South Carolina), David Pollack (South Carolina), Kirk Herbstreit (South Carolina), Lee Corso (South Carolina)
SEC Nation - Tim Tebow (Auburn); Roman Harper (South Carolina); Jordan Rogers (South Carolina)
Homecoming for Auburn assistant coach
Saturday’s game will be a homecoming for Auburn linebackers coach Travis Williams.
Williams is a Columbia native and former standout at Spring Valley High School before signing to play at Auburn. He played at Auburn at 2001-05 and has had two stints as an assistant for the Tigers with the last starting in 2014.
Gamecocks uniform combo today vs Auburn
South Carolina’s look today against Auburn is garnet-heavy. The Gamecocks’ uniform combo for Saturday’s game at Williams-Brice Stadium: garnet jersey, a black helmet and garnet pants.
This story was originally published October 17, 2020 at 11:03 AM.
