The South Carolina Gamecocks secured their third win of the season on Saturday night, defeating the Akron Zips by a score of 50 -7. Coming off last weekend’s second-half collapse against LSU, the Gamecocks were itching to get back out there and prove a point.
While the level of competition may not have been the highest, this type of performance was just what Carolina needed. Now Shane Beamer’s team can take their first 3-1 start in seven years into a much-needed bye week. With all the action from week four in the books, let’s take a look at some of the key takeaways from South Carolina’s week four win over the Akron Zips.
No Sellers, No Problem
The biggest story surrounding Carolina leading up to Saturday was the injury status of quarterback LaNorris Sellers. The redshirt freshman suffered an ankle sprain at the end of the first half against LSU, and as a result, was confined to a cast for most of the week. While Beamer stated Sellers would be available Saturday, he didn’t commit to him starting or even playing.
Whatever confusion surrounding Sellers was cleared up during pre-game warmups. As the Gamecocks took the field, Sellers was notably dressed in street clothes and had a protective boot over the injured ankle. With Sellers clearly out for the game, all eyes in the stadium quickly turned to one man: Robby Ashford.
The veteran backup was ready for the moment, and when it came time to play he put on a show. Ashford put up some crazy numbers, both through the air and on the ground. He completed 15 of 21 passes for 243 yards and two scores. He also led all Gamecocks in rushing with 133 yards and another touchdown.
Along with putting together a career day, Ashford may have also given Beamer something to think about heading into the bye. Not only does he provide a clear upgrade as a passer, but Ashford clearly showed his ability to use his legs. If Sellers is unable to come back soon, he may see his starting job slip away.
Carolina Defense Continues to Roll
On the other side of the ball, Carolina’s defense put together another dominant performance. The Gamecocks held the Zips to a season-low 154 total yards and allowed just nine first downs. Perhaps most impressive of all, Carolina held a very good Zips rushing attack to just 37 yards on the day.
The Gamecocks pass rush also got after it, as they harassed Akron quarterback Ben Finley all night. The constant pressure resulted in multiple hurries and two sacks. The Zips did manage to score their only touchdown on a Finley pass at the end of the first half. Outside of this though, Carolina pitched a shutout. When asked to comment on how his defense performed, Beamer exuded pride in his players.
“We knew we were going to have to adjust early on, and we did that,” Beamer said. “We knew they were going to show us a lot of new stuff on offense, and that we were going to have to adjust, and I thought we did. I’m really proud of how we started.”
Through the first four weeks of the season, Carolina’s defense is certainly living up to the lofty preseason expectations. It will be interesting to see how they hold up following the bye though, as the schedule becomes much more challenging.
Gamecocks a Little Banged Up
Speaking of bye weeks, Carolina’s first this season really could not have come at a better time. The Gamecocks enter the off-week with a couple of key injuries on offense. Along with Sellers, running back Raheim Sanders suffered an apparent ankle injury of his own early in Saturday’s game.
The star running back came up hobbling just minutes into the contest and was immediately taken to the medical tent. After a short evaluation, the Gamecocks training staff decided it was best to keep him out. When asked to comment on the injury, Beamer didn’t seem to be overly concerned.
“It’s nothing long term we don’t think at all,” Beamer said. “We hated to lose Rocket. That’s not what we wanted to see, but we had a plan to use our other backs more anyways.”
The Carolina head coach also provided an update on his freshman quarterback.
“We just got to the end of the week, and he wasn’t moving great,” Beamer said. “We didn’t think we needed to put him out there tonight in any circumstance. We expect him to be fine next week.”
While neither player appears to be in too rough a shape, the Gamecocks will need both back at 100% following their bye week.
Final Thoughts
Outside of the injuries, Saturday went about as smoothly as one could hope. Carolina came into a game against a lesser opponent and thoroughly dominated them. After last week’s letdown against LSU, this is exactly what the team needed to get back on track. Now with a week off to get healthy, the Gamecocks look towards the meat of their schedule.
They’ll need all hands on deck though, as the next three games are among the toughest stretches you’ll find in college football. Carolina hosts Ole Miss, then plays at Alabama, and Oklahoma in those three matchups. The Gamecocks have shown immense potential thus far but now it’s time to see what they’re really made of.
