Thumbs up, thumbs down: USC vs. Georgia

He kept the Gamecocks in the game in the first half with three kick returns for 106 yards. His 51-yard return set up a field goal as the half ended and cut Georgia’s lead to 24-13. Carson finished the game with 162 yards on six returns.

The freshman can run. He can go inside or outside. He’s got moves and he’s got speed. He rushed for 76 yards on 10 carries and one touchdown. And, he’s got the potential to be a decent passer. He completed his first pass attempt and finished by hitting 4-of-5.

Steve Spurrier has called him maybe the best kicker in the country, and he lived up to that Saturday night. He connected on a 45-yarder in the first quarter and then kicked a career-long 51-yard field goal at the end of the first half.

As hard as it is to believe, the final outcome could have been even worse without Moore. He had five tackles in the first quarter and seemed to be about the only Gamecock defender who could tackle Georgia running back Nick Chubb. He led USC with 12 tackles.

The Gamecocks’ secondary managed to make Georgia quarterback Greyson Lambert look like Peyton Manning. They played soft all night and allowed Lambert to set an NCAA record with a 96 percent completion rate (24-of-25 passes). Corners Al Harris Jr. and Rashad Fenton allowed catches in front of them all night.

They put no pressure on Lambert the entire game and had no sacks. Heralded Juco defensive transfer Marquavius Lewis was a total non-factor, barely making the final stat sheet with one assisted tackle.

OK, here’s a question: Who’s first to be banished to the press box? Jon Hoke and Lorenzo Ward both are working from the sideline – to little avail. Hoke was supposed to be the answer for USC’s defense. USC allowed 576 yards total offense to Georgia. Not the right answer.

South Carolina wound up with a meager 84 yards passing. Perry Orth accounted for 66 yards on 6-of-17 passing with one interception. Orth frequently was overthrowing or throwing behind Gamecocks receivers by several yards.

This story was originally published September 19, 2015 at 11:35 PM.