Stephon Gilmore sets up a score with his fumble return to the Georgia five
USC finally broke out of it’s offensive funk, and it was a decision to punt that was key. Georgia’s Walsh missed on a 33 yard field goal attempt. The Gamecocks could not move the ball and faced a fourth and one at their own 29. Steve Spurrier decided to go for it but Stephen Garcia called time out. Spurrier sent his offense back out again and this time Georgia called time out. Again, Spurrier sent his offense out and again Garcia called a time out. This time Spurrier decided to punt. Joey Scribner-Howard boomed a 59 yard punt that flipped the field. Georgia started at its 12. The Gamecock defense got a stop and USC started its drive at its own 47, its best field position of the day. Four rushes moved the ball to the Georgia 34, and from there Garcia connected with Alshon Jeffery in the right corner of the end zone for a touchdown. USC leads 7-6 with 6:41 left in the half.
The Bulldogs answered with a scoring drive capped by a 26 yard pass from Aaron Murray to Rantavious Wooten who badly beat CC Whitlock on the play. Murray also had a 23 yard scramble to the USC 45 on the drive. Georgia retakes the lead 13-7 with 2:53 left in the half.
The Bulldogs then shocked the Gamecocks with an onsides kick which Rambo recovered and returned into USC territory. But, the Dogs were offsides.
Not to be outdone, the Gamecocks lined up to punt after not moving the ball on their possession, and they snapped the ball to upback Melvin Ingram who rambled down the left sideline 68 yards for a touchdown. With 2:03 left in the half, USC has a 14-13 lead.
The half ends with Garcia being intercepted by Brandon Boykin at the Georgia 2 as the ball was batted around on a hail mary. USC had 229 yards in the half to 201 for Georgia. Garcia was 7-18 for 87 yards, 1 TD and 1 interceptions. Marcus Lattimore rushed for 47 yards. Isaiah Crowell had 79 rushing yards for Georgia.
