Recap, scoring plays: Gamecocks drop home game to Vanderbilt
The No. 11 South Carolina Gamecocks host the Vanderbilt Commodores on Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams. The game kicks off at 7:45 p.m. on SEC Network.
South Carolina vs Vanderbilt score updates
1st quarter
Vanderbilt 7, South Carolina 0: Diego Pavia found Sedrick Alexander for an 18-yard touchdown for the first score of the game on the Commodores’ first possession. Scoring drive: 9 plays, 73 yards, 5:22
South Carolina 7, Vanderbilt 7: The Gamecocks answered on their first drive as Rahsul Faison scored on a 7-yard run to tie the game with 5:58 left in first quarter. Scoring drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:35
Second quarter
Vanderbilt 14, South Carolina 7: On third and goal, Diego Pavia hit Junior Sherrill on a 5-yard pass to put the Commodres up with 1:56 left in the quarter. Scoring drive: 12 plays, 76, 5:59
Third quarter
Vanderbilt 21, South Carolina 7: Jamezell Lassiter scored on a 41-yard on Vandy’s first possession. Scoring drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 2:20
Fourth quarter
Vanderbilt 24, South Carolina 7: Brock Taylor hit a 51-yard field goal to put the Commodores up three scores with 9:31 left. Scoring drive: 6 plays, 18 yards, 3:48
Vanderbilt 31, South Carolina 7: Sedrick Alexander scored his second touchdown of the night, a 2-yard run, with 5:29 left. Scoring drive: 5 plays, 37 yards, 2:29
Dylan Stewart ejected
After losing their top offensive player in the first half, South Carolina lost its top defensive player with 6:58 left as defensive end Dylan Stewart was ejected following a personal foul penalty.
LaNorris Sellers injured; Vanderbilt player ejected
Vanderbilt linebacker Langston Patterson was ejected with 1:52 left in the second quarter for targeting.
Patterson hit South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers after he released a pass. Sellers was ruled out for the rest of the game. Sixth-year senior Luke Doty came in to replace Sellers.
Gamecocks lineman injured
South Carolina starting tackle Cason Henry was seen going to the locker room after leaving the game in the second quarter with an apparent arm injury.
Tree Babalade replaced Henry in the lineup.
Celebrity starter
Former South Carolina running back great Marcus Lattimore led the crowd in the pre-game “Game-cock” chant.
Despite an abbreviated career due to injury, Marcus Lattimore ranks sixth on the school’s all-time rushing list with 2,677 yards, and owns the school record for both rushing touchdowns (38) and touchdowns scored (41).
Lattimore currently lives in Oregon and is now an accomplished poet.
Another freshman in starting lineup
Freshman Brian Rowe was listed as one of the starters at receiver. Rowe and fellow freshman Donovan Murph were both announced as starters. The two are part of the talented five-member freshman receiving group.
Duckworth in town
South Carolina Class of 2026 quarterback commit Landon Duckworth is back in Columbia for a visit and was spotted at the Gamecock Walk.
Duckworth, who visited LSU last week, committed to USC on July 18. Through three games in his senior season at Jackson High (Ala.), he has thrown for 643 yards, seven touchdowns and also ran for a pair of TDs.
Final injury report
There is only one South Carolina player listed on the final injury availibity report released 90 minutes before kickoff. USC defensive back Judge Collier was listed as out, though head coach Shane Beamer indicated Thursday that the Rock Hill product wouldn’t play in the game.
It will be the second straight game Collier has missed after getting injured in the opener against Virginia Tech.
Vanderbilt offensive lineman Yilanan Ouattara also is listed as out. Those are the only two players listed on the report.
Uniform combo
South Carolina will be wearing garnet jerseys with garnet throwback helmets and white pants for the matchup with Vanderbilt.
Gamecock captains
South Carolina’s four captains for the game are tight end/h-back Maurice Brown, quarterback LaNorris Sellers, offensive lineman Cason Henry and safety DQ Smith.
South Carolina vs. Vanderbilt betting odds
South Carolina is the favorite, but not by much. The Gamecocks opened as 8.5-point favorites but that spread is down to three points, according to the VegasInsider consensus line. Most major sportsbooks had the Gamecocks as a 3-point favorite as of Saturday afternoon, though ESPN Bet has USC by 2.5. South Carolina has a 65.1% chance to win, according to ESPN Analytics.
Watch the Gamecocks play today
Who: No. 11 South Carolina (2-0) vs. Vanderbilt (2-0)
When: 7:45 p.m. Saturday
Where: Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, SC
TV: SEC Network
Stream: ESPN.com or the ESPN app
Broadcast crew: Tom Hart, Jordan Rogers and Cole Cubelic
Local radio: 107.5 FM in the Columbia area. See affiliates here. (Todd Ellis, Tommy Suggs, Chet Tucker)
National radio: Elite Media Radio (Mike Morgan and Chuck Oliver)
Satellite radio: SiriusXM Channel 161 or 190
Series history: South Carolina leads 30-4 (last game played in 2024).
This story was originally published September 13, 2025 at 6:25 PM.
