Another Top 5 Team Falls...South Carolina Upsets No. 4 Ole Miss 16-10

Sports Betting News - September 25th, 2009 - Written by Scott

Another Top 5 team has fallen as No. 4 Ole Miss could not get passed South Carolina.  The Rebels came into the game with their highest ranking since 1970, but the Gamecocks snapped their eight game winning streak by upsetting the Rebels 16-10 at home.  The Rebels quarterback, Jevan Snead, was regarded as one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC, and even was a preseason Heisman candidate.  Snead, whom Gamecocks' coach Steve Spurrier had originally voted as a first-team SEC quarterback, was less than impressive Thursday night.  He only completed 7 of 21 passes for 107 yards and 1 touchdown.  The defense for the Gamecocks did a great job in stopping the Ole Miss offense that was averaging 424 yards and 48 points coming into the game.  South Carolina limited the Rebels offense to just 248 total yards.  The Gamecocks were previously just 1-31 against top 5 teams.  This win came at North Carolina back in 1981.

"It was good to get a win when everybody watches," Spurrier said. "It was good for all Gamecocks."

Ole Miss opened up the scoring on a 42 yard field goal late in the first quarter.  South Carolina place kicker Spencer Lanning nailed two field goals in the second quarter to give the Gamecocks a 6-3 lead going into half time.  The Gamecocks owned the third quarter as they got yet another field goal from Lanning and quarterback Stephen Garcia hit Patrick DiMarco from 2 yards out to give the Gamecocks a 16-3 lead heading into the fourth quarter.  Snead then got the Rebels back on the board with just under ten minutes left to go in the game on a 45 yard touchdown pass to Markieth Summers.  This was the lone bright spot for Ole Miss.

On their final drive, the Rebels got down to the Gamecock's 32 yard line. They had their chance to steal the win on their final drive, but on third down, Snead was sacked and on the next play, had his pass knocked down by Darian Stewart.  Ole Miss tried to surprise the Gamecocks on their first two plays from the 32 yard line, but South Carolina was not fooled.  On first down, they tried a play that went for a loss in their "Wild Rebel" package.  On second down, a double reverse was snuffed and went for another loss. 

The Gamecock defense controlled the game all night against an Ole Miss offense that had been virtually impossible to stop all season.  In their only four drives of the first half, the Rebels could not get a first down on three of these drives.  Snead had his opportunity in front of a nationally televised offense to display his talents and show the nation that Ole Miss could contend for a national title, but failed to live up to these expectations. 

The loss drops the Rebels to 2-1 and 0-1 in the SEC.  More importantly, it probably will knock them out of their national title hopes.

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