Recap, scoring plays: South Carolina comes up short on the road in loss to Missouri
South Carolina (2-2) lost to No. 23 Missouri (3-0) 29-20 on Saturday.
Here’s everything you need to know at happened in the game:
South Carolina vs Missouri score updates
1st quarter
South Carolina 0, Missouri 0: Neither team was able to score in the first quarter. South Carolina punted on its first two drives. Missouri was forced to punt on its first drive. Missouri second was paused by the end of the quarter, but the Tigers are in scoring position.
2nd quarter
Missouri 6, South Carolina 0: Missouri quarterback Beau Pribula found Joshua Manning for a 7-yard touchdown pass. Robert Meyer missed the extra point attempt. Scoring drive: 9 plays, 99 yards, 4:38
South Carolina 7, Missouri 6: South Carolina took advantage of a free play thanks to an offsides penalty from the Missouri defense to take the lead. LaNorris Sellers found Vandrevius Jacobs down the right side of the field for a 49-yard touchdown pass. Scoring drive: 6 plays, 67 yards, 2:52
Missouri 9, South Carolina 7: The Gamecocks got a much needed third down stop deep in the red zone. As a result, the Tigers had to settle for a 23-yard field goal from Meyer. Scoring drive: 11 plays, 60 yards, 5:32
South Carolina 14, Missouri 9: An interception by Gerald Kilgore got South Carolina the ball back on its own 30-yard line shortly after the Gamecocks were forced to punt out of their own end zone. Sellers led South Carolina on an efficient drive and capped it off with a 24-yard touchdown pass to Brian Rowe. Scoring drive: 4 plays, 70 yards, 1:15
South Carolina 14, Missouri 12: The Tigers drove deep into the red zone but South Carolina’s offense came up big and got a stop on third down in the red zone. Missouri settled for a 22-yard field goal. Scoring drive: 11 plays, 71 yards, 2:14
3rd quarter
South Carolina 17, Missouri 12: The Gamecocks had to settle for a 32-yard field goal from William Joyce after driving deep into the red zone. Scoring drive: 8 plays, 49 yards, 4:23
Missouri 18, South Carolina 17: Ahmad Hardy rumbled over a few Gamecocks for a 5-yard touchdown rush. The Tigers attempted a two-point conversion but the attempt came up short. Scoring drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:53
South Carolina 20, Missouri 18: Joyce drills a 36-yard field goal to put South Carolina back in front. Scoring drive: 9 plays, 56 yards, 5:10
4th quarter
Missouri 26, South Carolina 20: Jamal Roberts breaks a few tackles to score on a 16-yard rush. Pribula runs it in for a successful two-point conversion. Scoring drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:46
Missouri 29, South Carolina 20: Meyer drilled a 40-yard field goal to extend Missouri’s lead. Scoring drive: 10 plays, 57 yards, 3:29
Field goal ices the game for Missouri
Missouri drove down the field but South Carolina was able to keep the Tigers out of the end zone.
Meyer hit a 40-yard field goal with 1:34 left to put Missouri up by nine points, effectively icing the game.
Gamecock OL out for game
South Carolina offensive lineman Nolan Hay suffered a left knee injury in the second quarter. Hay is out for the remainder of the game, per the ESPN broadcast.
Hay started at center in the game for Boaz Stanley who was moved to right guard. Rodney Newsom is playing center in Hay’s absence.
First half box score at a glance
South Carolina is up 14-12 going into halftime. Here’s what stands out on the box score:
- The Gamecocks have rushed 13 times for just one yard in the game. Matthew Fuller leads with seven rushing yards but Sellers’ -13 rushing yards has brought the teams’ total to one yard.
- Vandrevius Jacobs and Brian Rowe have combined for 113 receiving yards in the game. The two wideouts are responsible for both of South Carolina’s touchdowns.
- Sellers started slow but is 8-for-12 for 143 yards and two touchdowns through the air. Missouri’s Beau Pribula is 12-for-21 for 131 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
- Missouri is already 6-for-9 on third down.
- South Carolina has had seven penalties for 43 yards. Of those penalties, five have come before the snap.
Where’s DQ?
Veteran defensive back DQ Smith did not play at all in the game.
Smith was listed on Friday’s SEC injury report as probable but was not listed on the Saturday report that is sent out roughly 90 minutes before kickoff. Smith was seen in full pads on the sideline but was not wearing a helmet, opting for a towel wrapped around his neck instead.
Smith was vocal on the sideline and was even helping defensive coaches relay signals to his teammates on the field.
Veteran OL exits on first play
Starting right tackle Cason Henry entered the injury tent after the first play of the game holding his left arm. He was replaced by Tree Babalade.
Henry left the Vanderbilt game early last week with a similar injury.
Henry spent the entirety of South Carolina and Missouri’s first offensive drives in the injury tent. He emerged from the tent just before the start of South Carolina’s second drive in the first quarter.
He was initially ruled questionable to return, per South Carolina’s radio broadcast. Henry did not return to the game.
Gamecock captains
South Carolina’s captains tonight are: defensive back Peyton Williams, wide receiver Nyk Harbor, tight end Brady Hunt and defensive lineman Nick Barrett.
Starting lineup notes: Moves on the offensive line and young WRs
South Carolina has shaken up the starters on offensive line based on the Gamecocks’ warmups. Boaz Stanley has started the last three games at center but will be at right guard against Missouri. Nolan Hay will start at center in his place. Here’s what the offensive line looks like:
LT Josiah Thompson, LG Shedrick Sarratt, C Nolan Hay, RG Boaz Stanley, RT Cason Henry
South Carolina will also start two freshman wide receivers against Missouri, per the Gamecocks’ pregame radio show. Donovan Murph is starting his third-straight game and Brandon Rowe is making his first start.
The final injury report
South Carolina starting quarterback LaNorris Sellers is officially off the SEC student-athlete injury report and available for the game. The Gamecocks will be without tight end Michael Smith and defensive back Judge Collier on Saturday.
Both defensive back DQ Smith and wide receiver Mazeo Bennett were listed as probable on Friday’s injury report but were not listed on Saturday’s report.
Gamecocks uniform combo
South Carolina is wearing its all white “stormtroopers” uniforms on Saturday.
The Gamecocks will don their typical white helmets (with black facemasks), white jerseys and white pants.
Final betting line
South Carolina is an underdog in the matchup. Missouri opened as a 3-point favorite but is now a 10-point favorite over the Gamecocks, according to the VegasInsider consensus. Missouri has an 80.3% chance to win the game, according to ESPN Analytics.
Watch the Gamecocks play today
- Who: South Carolina vs. No. 23 Missouri
- When: 7 p.m. Saturday
- Where: Memorial Stadium at Faurot Field in Columbia, MissouriTV: ESPN
- Stream: ESPN.com or the ESPN app
- Broadcast crew: Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek and Taylor McGregor
- Local radio: 107.5 FM in the Columbia area. See affiliates here. (Todd Ellis, Tommy Suggs, Chet Tucker)
- Satellite radio: SiriusXM Channel 161 or 191
- Series history: Missouri leads 9-6 (last game played in 2024)
This story was originally published September 20, 2025 at 6:07 PM.
