D.J. Swearinger was one of the few defensive players that didn't get hurt Saturday

USC’s 41-20 victory over The Citadel was a costly one on the injury front, especially for the defensive unit. Linebacker Reginald Bowens suffered a shoulder stinger, safety Demario Jeffery left with a high ankle sprain, defensive back DeVonte Holloman was sick and defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and linebacker Qua Gilchrist suffered concussions. Jeffery’s injury may be the worst, but all of the players availability for next week’s game against Clemson are in question. Gamecock assistant head coach over defensive Ellis Johnson said his unit could be in serious trouble as it prepares for the high powered Tiger offense this week.

AUDIO: Ellis Johnson

Wide receiver Bruce Ellington was also hurt. He sprained his ankle in the first half and did not return to the game.

On a brighter note, quarterback Connor Shaw passed for 217 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another 104 yards with one score. It was easily the most complete game the sophomore has put together since taking over the starting job five games ago.

AUDIO: Connor Shaw

Freshman running back Brandon Wilds continued his admirable job filling in for injured running back Marcus Lattimore. The Blythewood high product rushed for 109 yards on 20 carried and scored twice. Junior wide receiver Alshon Jeffery also had a nice game with five catches for 81 yards, including a 31 yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter.

AUDIO: Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Wilds

USC is 9-2 and can reach the 10 win mark for just the second time in school history with a victory over arch rival Clemson next weekend in Columbia. That game will kick off at 7:45 on ESPN.

Brandon Wilds scored twice as USC rolled past El Cid

USC withstood The Citadel’s option attack and cruised to an easy 41-20 win over the Bulldogs Saturday afternoon at Williams-Brice Stadium. Following the game Steve Spurrier said it might have been the best offensive performance by his team since he arrived seven years ago. Perhaps that was a bit of hyperbole by the Head Ball Coach, but the Gamecocks did finish with 473 yards of total offense and scored a touchdown on six of its seven possessions.

AUDIO: Steve Spurrier post game presser

Perhaps the highlight of Spurrier’s press conference was when the HBC found out Georgia had extended its lead on Kentucky. He thought it was still a 12-10 Bulldogs lead early in the fourth quarter at Sanford Stadium. When he was informed it was now 19-10 Dawgs, Spurrier let out a loud, “Awwwwwwww” and tossed his stat sheet on the table. “I shouldn’t have said anything,” a clearly Spurrier sighed. The HBC was still mumbling about Georgia scoring again as he left the presser.

Saturday’s win moves USC to 9-2 this season. The Gamecocks close out the regular season at home next weekend against Clemson.

1st QUARTER RECAP

2nd QUARTER RECAP

3rd QUARTER RECAP

4th QUARTER RECAP

FINAL STATS

Connor Shaw threw three TDs and ran for another Saturday

USC started the fourth quarter with the ball. The Gamecocks converted a fourth down play on a fake punt to keep the drive going. They ran the same fake they used in the Georgia game earlier this season, with Melvin Ingram scrambling for the first down. Ingram scored on the play against Georgia. The conversion paid off later in the possession when Alshon Jeffery snagged a 32 yard touchdown pass from Connor Shaw. Jeffery, a potential first round NFL draft pick, returned to the sidelines with fans chanting, “One more year!” USC led 34-13.

The Citadel answered the score on its next possession. The Bulldogs went 58 yards in 12 plays, scoring on a 12 yard touchdown run by Ricky Anderson. That made it 34-20 with 3:46 left to play.

USC recovered an onside kick attempt and started its next drive in Bulldog territory. The Gamecocks went 38 yards for a touchdown on a drive that ended with a 20 yard touchdown pass from Connor Shaw to Rory “Buster” Anderson. That gave USC a 41-10 lead.

FINAL SCORE: USC 41, The Citadel 20

Brandon Wilds rushed for over 100 yards Saturday

The Citadel received the ball to start the second half. The Bulldogs put together a decent drive, moving across midfield into Gamecocks’ territory, but were unable to get any points. They chewed up almost eight minutes of clock before they punted it away.

USC took over on its own nine yard line. The Gamecocks put together an impressive 91 yard touchdown drive, capped by a 26 yard pass from Connor Shaw to Ace Sanders. The drive took six plays and took 2:44 seconds. USC led 27-13 with 4:30 left in the quarter.

The Citadel was forced to punt on its next possession, and USC had the ball as the quarter ended.

THIRD QUARTER SCORE: USC 27, The Citadel 13

USC never trailed against the Bulldogs Saturday

The second quarter began with USC in the middle of their third possession of the game. Connor Shaw and the offense bounced back from the interception on its previous possession, taking the ball 72 yards on 18 plays. The drive to 9:18 seconds off the clock. Brandon Wilds capped the drive with a three yard touchdown run, his second of the game, and USC reclaimed the lead by seven, 14-7.

On its next possession The Citadel offense found some rhythm running its option attack. The Bulldogs drove 61 yards in 12 plays before settling for a 32 yard field goal. The drive took 8:20 seconds off the clock.

USC reclaimed possession with just over two minutes to play in the half. It took less than a minute for the Gamecocks to reach the end zone. Connor Shaw scored on a 60 yard run on a quarterback draw. They missed the extra point, making the score 20-10 with 1:14 to play. The Carolina scoring drive covered 71 yards in three plays and took: 55 off the clock.

The Citadel wasn’t done scoring though. Using only the running attack, the Bulldogs drove 40 yards in eight plays to set up a 41 yard field goal by Ryan Sellars.

HALFTIME SCORE: USC 20, The Citadel 13

USC scored first Saturday, the first time that has happened all season

USC won the toss and elected to receive. The Gamecocks took their opening possession 69 yards in 4:43 seconds, ending with a two yard touchdown run by Brandon Wilds. It is the first time this season USC has scored first. Connor Shaw was 4-4 for 54 yards on the drive. Wilds carried the ball four times for 17 yards.

The Citadel offense went three-and-out on its first possession. The key play on the drive came on a third down fumble that the USC defense appeared to be ready to scoop up and take the other way for a score. However, Melvin Ingram was unable to corral the ball and the Bulldogs found a way to retain possession. A 59 yard punt enabled them to flip the field, so the fumble recovery was a big one.

Further adding to the significance of the Bulldogs fumble recovery and long punt was the fact Connor Shaw threw an interception on the Gamecocks next possession setting up the Bulldogs with a short field and leading to the game tying score. The Citadel drove 35 yards into the end zone, the score coming on a fumble recovery of all things. Ryan Sellars fell on the ball just over the goal line.

FIRST QUARTER SCORE: USC 7, THE CITADEL 7

AUDIO: Kevin Higgins

Tanner Smith and the Tigers face The Citadel Wednesday

The Clemson basketball team will face the Citadel Tuesday Wednesday night at McAlister Field House in Charleston. The Tigers are 1-0 this season. The Tigers beat Gardner-Webb 65-44 in their season opener last week. The Citadel is 0-2 this season. The Bulldogs lost to Richmond and Charleston Southern last week.

Tigers coach Brad Brownell has never been to McAlister Field House and is looking forward to the unique experience of the venue.

AUDIO: Brad Brownell

Tuesday’s game tips off at 7:05.

CLEMSON GAME NOTES

CITADEL GAME NOTES

“We have a very demanding schedule coming in 2012 with great competition coming early in the season at home,” said Jordan. “Our league schedule will once again be a true battle each and every weekend. We are excited to see a much more balanced schedule that alternates home and away conference series each week after being on the road late much of last season.”

Highlighting the 2012 slate is a three-game series at Minnesota, out of the Big Ten, at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minn., from March 23-25. The Gophers and Bulldogs have only met on one previous occasion back in 2007 when Minnesota won a 6-3 decision in the Homewood Suites Shootout at Riley Park.

The season-opening tournament will feature Richmond, Liberty and Towson making their way south to Riley Park on Feb. 17-19. The Bulldogs have not faced the Spiders or Flames since 2007, also in Charleston. The Tigers will be making their way to Riley Park for the second consecutive season.

For the second time in three seasons, Delaware will come to Charleston to face the Bulldogs in a four-game set in the second weekend of the season. Columbia then makes their way down for a four-game series in the first weekend of March. It is the first trip back to Riley Park for the Lions since 2007.

The Southern Conference slate begins March 9-11 when The Citadel hosts Western Carolina at Riley Park before heading to Boone, N.C., for the first time since 2009 to face Appalachian State on March 16-18.

Midweek contests featuring USC Upstate, Winthrop, Charleston Southern and Coastal Carolina will once again appear on the schedule in 2012. The Citadel will face each of those squads once at Riley Park and once on the road.

After making their way to Minnesota in third week of March, The Citadel welcomes South Carolina, the two-time defending national champions, to Riley Park on March 27 and heads to Columbia on April 10 to face the Gamecocks.

Rounding out March, the Bulldogs host Wofford on March 30-April 1 and then head to Birmingham, Ala., to face Samford in the first weekend of April. UNC Greensboro comes to Riley Park on April 13-15, while the Bulldogs head across town to face rival College of Charleston on April 20-22 at Patriots Point.

Georgia Southern, the defending SoCon Tournament Champions, come to Riley Park on April 27-29 before the Bulldogs face North Florida for a pair of midweek games. It will be the first meeting between the two schools since 1995.

The Citadel travels to Davidson to face the Wildcats in the opening weekend of May as the series will be played on Friday and a doubleheader on Sunday with the senior Bulldogs returning to Charleston that Saturday for graduation. The Bulldogs then host Furman at Riley Park in their final home series of the season on May 11-13. The 56-game slate concludes with a trip to Elon to face the Phoenix on May 17-19.

The 2012 Southern Conference Tournament will shift to Fluor Field in Greenville, S.C., the site for the next two years, while keeping the same format with the top eight seeds qualifying for the event. The tournament will begin on Wednesday, May 23 with the championship game on Sunday, May 27.

Chal Port

Former Head Baseball Coach and Citadel Hall of Fame Honorary Inductee Chal Port passed away early Saturday morning after a prolonged illness.

Port compiled an overall record of 641-386-2 (.624) in 27 seasons (1965-91) and remains the winningest coach in the school’s history in any sport. An honorary inductee in The Citadel Hall of Fame in 1996, Port led The Citadel to five postseason NCAA Regional Tournaments while posting a winning record in 24 of his 27 seasons. His 1990 team advanced to the College World Series in Omaha with a school-record 46 victories. That squad was the first and still only military school ever to reach the College World Series.

“Obviously it’s a shock to The Citadel Baseball program and to the school in general,” said head coach Fred Jordan, who played for Port. “He touched so many lives within our institution and it’s a sad day for the Bulldog Family as a whole. He suffered a great deal as of late and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.” Port and Jordan have combined to coach the last 47 seasons of the program.

The Bulldog legend racked up seven Southern Conference championships and was named Southern Conference Coach of the Year five times and Atlantic Region Coach of the Year in 1983 and 1990. He was voted state of South Carolina Coach of the Year three times and honored by The Sporting News as the National Coach of the Year in 1990. In 1995, Port was voted into the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Hall of Fame. 

Port graduated all but three of his players in 27 years and coached 12 future professional players. He passed away at a local rehab facility early Saturday morning at the age of 80.