Five things we learned in South Carolina’s bowl berth-clinching win over Auburn
Believe it or not, South Carolina is going bowling.
With Saturday’s 21-17 win over Auburn, USC has hit the six-win threshold for bowl eligibility for the first time since 2018. It also marked the first time in history that South Carolina has beaten Auburn in back-to-back meetings.
Here are five things we learned in the Gamecocks’ win:
ZaQuandre White is the answer at running back
Kevin Harris might’ve led the Southeastern Conference in rushing a season ago, but ZaQuandre White is on another level at the moment.
White entered the game averaging 7.4 yards per touch on his last 31 carries. Saturday, he picked up right where he left off, finishing the night with 99 yards rushing on 16 carries. He also added another 69 yards and a touchdown on three receptions.
South Carolina’s running game has been a mess most of the season, but the way White is running right now inspires confidence the Gamecocks can figure it out late in the season.
South Carolina’s secondary might be elite
The Gamecocks lost both Jaycee Horn and Israel Mukuamu from last year’s secondary. USC has responded by ranking second in the SEC in passing defense.
Jaylan Foster has been a revelation at safety and should be a legitimate All-American candidate. Cam Smith — who went down with a knee injury Saturday — is still one of the better cover corners in the league. Carlins Platel, Marcellas Dial and Darius Rush, too, have had their moments.
Saturday, Rush recorded a pair of pass breakups, as did Platel. Dial shined in spurts as well.
South Carolina’s defense felt like it might have issues in the preseason. Eleven games in and it’s a group that continues to keep the Gamecocks in games — Saturday was no different.
WR Josh Vann is rounding into form again
There may not be anyone who has benefited from the new coaching staff as much as Josh Vann.
The former four-star recruit was mostly an afterthought through his Gamecocks career entering this fall. Vann responded by notching 127- and 128-yard outings against East Carolina and Georgia, respectively.
But after five consecutive games in which he recorded 45 yards or less, it felt as though South Carolina’s star receiver hit a wall. Nevermind that.
Vann finished with just 37 yards on Saturday, but his 7-yard touchdown reception gave the Gamecocks a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. He’s now recorded 15 catches for 210 yards and three touchdowns over his last three contests.
Heading into Saturday’s date with Clemson, Vann remains South Carolina’s best big-play threat. If his form continues as it has the last three weeks, the Gamecocks offense should find plenty of points.
Jason Brown can be a game manager down the stretch
Saturday was a rather nondescript outing for South Carolina’s starting quarterback. After a dip in his play at Missouri, Jason Brown was largely accurate and precise against Auburn.
Brown completed 10 of 15 throws for 157 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. The former St. Francis (Pennsylvania) star told reporters he simply didn’t see safety Donovan Kaufman over the top when Brown fired a pass right into Kaufman’s hands.
Interception aside, Brown has been best when South Carolina simply needs him to be consistent compared to a home run hitter. The run game got going again on Saturday, and it opened lanes for Brown in the passing game.
If South Carolina can keep that flow, it’ll have a chance at an upset when Clemson comes to town next week.
Shane Beamer is onto something in Year 1
Shane Beamer choked up during his postgame press conference Saturday. For a man not often lost for words, it was an endearing moment in a topsy-turvy season.
Beamer has spent months preaching a vision for the program and he insisted the Gamecocks were fighting to win this year. It largely fell on deaf ears — particularly around SEC circles, where media members picked USC to finish second-to-last in the SEC East.
Whatever Beamer is selling, it has worked. The Gamecocks have six wins with a game to go and reached the six-win bowl eligibility threshold for the first time in three years.
It’s hard to overstate how impressive the job Beamer has done this fall is with a team many predicted to have a bottom-of-the-barrel finish in the league. Saturday, South Carolina’s first-year head coach put an exclamation point on what has been a season filled with overachieving moments.
