Game Balls - USC vs NC State
Gamecocks started the season off on a positive note against the Wolfpack, winning 35-28 on a last-minute goal-line stand. Here are our game ball recipients from the South Carolina's victory.
Chris Gillespie, GamecockCentral.com
Offense:
Deebo Samuel
Samuel picked up where he left off last season. He finished with five catches for 83 yards and two touchdowns and rushed once for five yards. His second touchdown was a spectacular one-handed grab that saw him adjust his route as Jake Bentley scrambled out of the pocket. Samuel also broke up an interception. He was easily the best player on the field.
Jake Bentley
Like Samuel, Bentley did not lose anything during the offseason. He finished the game 17-29 for 215 yards and three touchdowns. His incredible 39-yard touchdown strike to Samuel will be on highlight reels all season. He had a 13-yard scramble in the first quarter to pick up a first down and continued to show deceptive mobility. However, Bentley did make some mistakes. He had an interception dropped and another broken up, and his one interception was an under-thrown pass to Samuel, who had a step on the defender.
Defense:
Dante Sawyer
Sawyer finished with seven tackles, a sack, 1.5 tackles for loss, two quarterback hurries, and two forced fumbles, both of which were recovered by South Carolina. He seemed to be in the offensive backfield for most of the third quarter, when South Carolina took a 14-point lead.
D.J. Smith
Smith saved his best play for the fourth quarter. He finished with seven tackles and three pass breakups, but it was the timeliness of the plays that was most important. He tackled Jaylen Samuels just short of a first down midway through the fourth quarter to create a turnover on downs. On the final drive, Smith was credited with a pair of pass breakups, including the game-clincher in the end zone on fourth down.
Special Teams:
Deebo Samuel
Samuel got the game off to a fast start with an electrifying 97-yard kickoff return for a Touchdown. It set the tone for a game full of momentum-swinging special teams plays, and this was easily the best one.
