LaNorris Sellers ran for a go-ahead 3-yard touchdown with 6:11 to play as host South Carolina survived an upset scare from visiting Old Dominion, winning 23-19 on Saturday in Columbia, S.C.
In the season opener for both teams, the winning score was set up when DeAndre Jules recovered an Old Dominion fumble at the 6-yard line. It was the second time a South Carolina scoring chance was set up by a turnover deep in Monarchs’ territory.
Old Dominion scored 12 straight points to burst into the lead.
Sellers rushed for 68 yards and threw for 114 yards in his first career start.
Old Dominion’s Grant Wilson was 22-for-38 passing for 197 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions, while two of his four fumbles also resulted in turnovers.
Isiah Paige caught eight passes for 115 yards and one touchdown for the Monarchs.
After falling behind 23-19, Old Dominion had two more possessions and neither time did the Monarchs reach South Carolina territory. Jalon Kilgore intercepted Wilson with 1:29 to play to clinch the outcome.
The Gamecocks racked up 174 rushing yards, led by Raheim Sanders’ 88 on 24 carries.
Ethan Sanchez booted a 33-yard field goal with 9:54 to play to push the Monarchs to a 19-16 edge. The kick followed a blocked South Carolina punt that put Old Dominion in South Carolina territory.
That came after the Gamecocks stretched their lead to 16-7 on Alex Herrera’s third field goal of the game midway through the third quarter.
But in a span of less than five minutes, Wilson ran 36 yards for a touchdown (with the extra-point kick blocked) and the Monarchs pulled even on Sanchez’s 40-yard field goal with 14 seconds to play in the third quarter.
With South Carolina leading 10-7 early in the second quarter, the game entered a weather delay. Herrera’s 46-yard field goal marked the only scoring in the second quarter, putting the Gamecocks up 13-7.
South Carolina’s Kyle Kennard sacked Wilson, who fumbled, on the game’s second snap. Taking over at the Monarchs’ 3-yard line, the Gamecocks needed three plays for a touchdown on Sanders’ 1-yard run.
Just 31 seconds later, Wilson pulled the Monarchs even with a 72-yard pass to Paige.
South Carolina followed with a drive that lasted 13 plays and just over six minutes, settling for Herrera’s 40-yard field goal.
–Field Level Media
