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South Carolina holds off East Carolina

Sep 7, 2014 - 3:13 AM Columbia, SC (SportsNetwork.com) - Mike Davis rushed for 101 yards and two touchdowns to lead No. 21 South Carolina to a 33-23 win over East Carolina on Saturday.

Dylan Thompson passed for 266 yards with a touchdown and interception for the Gamecocks (1-1), who responded from last week's 52-28 drubbing to Texas A&M that snapped their 18-game home winning streak.

Shaq Roland hauled in seven passes for 94 yards, while K.J. Brent had a touchdown reception in the win.

Shane Carden threw for 321 yards on 32-of-46 passing with a touchdown and two interceptions for the Pirates (1-1).

The Pirates first possession ended with Warren Harvey's 26-yard field goal. Thompson was then intercepted on South Carolina's next touch, and Harvey nailed a 35-yard kick to give the visitors a 6-0 lead.

The Gamecocks responded with a 10-play, 82-yard touchdown drive that Davis capped with a 36-yard run to the end zone.

On 3rd-and-9 from the South Carolina 39, Carden was rushed out of the pocket and just got the pass off, a 9-yard completion to Justin Hardy, for a first down. Three plays later, Chris Hairston scampered around the right end for a 10-yard touchdown with 13 1/2 remaining in the second quarter.

Elliot Fry knocked down a 39-yard field goal on the Gamecocks' ensuing possession, then Thompson connected with Roland on a 31-yard completion that set up Davis' 3-yard plunge into the end zone for a 17-13 lead with 4:49 left until halftime.

South Carolina blocked a field goal on the Pirates' next drive which led to Fry's 42-yard make. Harvey then converted a 40-yard attempt at the other end with Eastern Carolina trailing, 20-16, at the break.

Carden was picked off by Sharrod Golightly on East Carolina's opening drive of the second half. South Carolina turned the interception into points, with Thompson hitting K.J. Brent for a 16-yard score and extending the lead to 27-16.

The Pirates' signal caller was intercepted again on the following possession and again the Gamecocks added points as Fry delivered a successful field goal from 26 yards out.

Carden made amends for the two turnovers, however, converting a tough 4th- and-3 with a 4-yard run to the South Carolina 35. He later tossed a 17-yard touchdown pass to Cam Worthy which cut the deficit to a touchdown with over 12 minutes left.

The Gamecocks' ground game helped orchestrate a lengthy 18-play, 86-yard drive that chewed up just over 10 1/2 minutes of clock and resulted in a 20-yard boot from Fry to make it a 10-point game.

Game Notes

Steve Spurrier won his 200th game in the SEC, joining Bear Bryant and Vince Dooley as the only coaches to accomplish that feat ... East Carolina outgained the Gamecocks, 453-441 ... South Carolina owned an edge in time of possession, however, 36:19-23:41 ... The Gamecocks host Georgia on Saturday, while East Carolina travels to Virginia Tech.