AP

Rattler, South Carolina beat Vanderbilt 38-27, bowl eligible

Nov 5, 2022, 8:30 AM | Updated: 9:53 pm

South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler, left, looks to pass against Vanderbilt in the first hal...

South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler, left, looks to pass against Vanderbilt in the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)

(AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)


              South Carolina defensive back Cam Smith (9) scuffles with Vanderbilt wide receiver Will Sheppard, front right, after South Carolina hit quarterback A.J. Swann on a pass play in the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
            
              South Carolina running back Juju McDowell, right, carries the ball past Vanderbilt cornerback B.J. Anderson (26) in the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
            
              South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer, left, talks with an official in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Vanderbilt, Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
            
              South Carolina wide receiver Antwane Wells Jr. (3) dives into the end zone for a touchdown ahead of Vanderbilt cornerback B.J. Anderson, right, in the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
            
              Vanderbilt wide receiver Will Sheppard, center, is tackled by South Carolina's Payton Mangrum, left, and Darius Rush (28) on a punt return in the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
            
              Vanderbilt cornerback Jeremy Lucien (25) breaks up a pass intended for South Carolina wide receiver Xavier Legette, left, in the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
            
              South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler (7) looks to pass against Vanderbilt in the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
            
              South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler, left, looks to pass against Vanderbilt in the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Spencer Rattler threw three touchdown passes and South Carolina became bowl-eligible with its sixth win of the season, a 38-27 victory over Vanderbilt on Saturday night.

“I think it’s a huge accomplishment, I really do,” Gamecocks coach Shane Beamer said of his team’s bowl eligibility. “For this team to have two wins two years ago and now we just got bowl eligible with three games to go for the second year in a row is a testament to the leadership that we have in this room and the resiliency.”

Rattler threw a 29-yard TD pass to Xavier Legette, a 19-yard TD to Josh Vann and a 17-yard TD to Antwane Wells.

The Gamecocks (6-3, 3-3 Southeastern Conference) won their 14th straight game over the Commodores (3-6, 0-5).

South Carolina built a commanding 31-14 halftime lead and handed Vanderbilt its fifth straight loss.

The Commodores suffered their 26th consecutive SEC defeat despite a career-high 167 rushing yards from senior running back Ray Davis, a Temple transfer.

“Disappointed in the game, disappointed in the result,” Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said. “We knew that we weren’t going to be able to find the success we wanted turning the ball over. Obviously, that became an issue. The game for us comes down to turnovers and tackling.”

South Carolina scored 10 points off turnovers in the first quarter.

Darius Rush intercepted an underthrown pass by AJ Swann at the Gamecocks 30-yard line, setting up the game’s first touchdown.

Five plays later, Legette got behind the coverage in the middle of the end zone for a 29-yard scoring strike from Rattler to give South Carolina a 7-0 lead.

“I felt like we were going to take off from then,” Gamecocks tight end Jaheim Bell said. “I knew we were going to have a big game.”

The teams traded long TD passes before Swann fumbled during a sack at the Commodores 17, setting up Mitch Jeter’s 31-yard field goal which extended the Gamecocks’ lead to 17-7 with 21 seconds left in the first quarter.

THE TAKEAWAY

South Carolina: The Gamecocks’ offense rambled for 492 yards and never trailed. South Carolina faces a difficult finish with games against Florida, No. 2 Tennessee and No. 5 Clemson.

Vanderbilt: Defense continues to be a problem for the Commodores, who have allowed 38 or more points in four of their last five games. Three tough games remain for Vanderbilt: Kentucky, Florida and Tennessee.

TEMPERS FLARE

Gamecocks cornerback Cam Smith and Commodores wide receiver Will Sheppard were flagged with personal fouls after getting into a shoving match with 37 seconds left in the first half. Players from both teams surrounded Smith and Sheppard during the scuffle.

The teams appeared to be yelling at each other from close range as they jogged to their locker rooms for halftime, but nothing escalated beyond that.

UP NEXT

South Carolina visits Florida on Saturday.

Vanderbilt visits Kentucky in its final road game of the season on Saturday.

___

More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap_top25. Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/mrxhe6f2

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Associated Press

Ex-Packer Guion gets 1 year for domestic violence assault

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Former Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading no contest in a domestic violence assault at his home last fall. Brown County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Walsh also ordered Guion on Tuesday to serve three years’ probation and complete a domestic […]

1 year ago

Joe Jarzynka...

Associated Press

Durant eager for Suns debut vs. Hornets after knee injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kevin Durant has been through quite a bit during his 15-year NBA career — but joining a new team midway through the season is a new one for the 13-time All-Star. The 34-year-old Durant doesn’t seem all that worried. Durant makes his highly anticipated Phoenix Suns debut on Wednesday night against […]

1 year ago

FILE - Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores stands on the sideline during the second half of an N...

Associated Press

Judge: NFL coach can press discrimination claims in court

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Coach Brian Flores can pursue some of his discrimination claims against the league and its teams in court rather than through arbitration, a judge ruled Wednesday. The written decision by Judge Valerie Caproni in Manhattan was issued months after lawyers for the league tried to get the lawsuit moved to […]

1 year ago

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock cools off in the first period during an NHL hockey game ...

Associated Press

Kane trade reinforces hard reality of Blackhawks rebuild

CHICAGO (AP) — After days of speculation, the harsh reality of the Chicago Blackhawks’ situation was reinforced by one move in a flurry of transactions ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Showtime is over, at least in Chicago, and a seemingly bright future is, well, way off in the distance. The reverberations of Chicago’s decision […]

1 year ago

FILE -  Yves Jean-Bart, president of the Haitian Football Federation, wearing a protective face mas...

Associated Press

Disgraced ex-Haitian soccer president announces he’s back

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s former soccer federation president whose lifetime ban from sport over sexual abuse allegations was overturned last month announced Wednesday that he is reclaiming his position. Yves Jean-Bart’s defiant announcement could lead to a standoff with FIFA, which already has appointed an emergency management committee to lead the Haitian Football Association […]

1 year ago

FILE - Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after an NFL football game against the ...

Associated Press

Rodgers says decision on future will come ‘soon enough’

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers says he will make a decision on his future “soon enough” as the four-time MVP quarterback ponders whether to play next season and if his future remains with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers, 39, discussed his future while speaking on an episode of the “Aubrey Marcus Podcast” that […]

1 year ago

Rattler, South Carolina beat Vanderbilt 38-27, bowl eligible