South Carolina gets 1st win of season, beating Vandy 41-7

Collin Hill ran for two touchdowns and Kevin Harris ran for two TDs and a career-high 171 yards as the South Carolina Gamecocks beat winless Vanderbilt 41-7 for their first victory of the season

South Carolina Vanderbilt Football (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Collin Hill ran for two touchdowns and Kevin Harris ran for two TDs and a career-high 171 yards as the South Carolina Gamecocks beat Vanderbilt 41-7 Saturday for their first victory of the season.

The Gamecocks (1-2) won their 12th straight in this series by dominating Vanderbilt 486-249 in total offense and three sacks on a rainy day. South Carolina had more yards rushing (290) than the Commodores had total yards.

Harris, the sophomore running back limited last season by an injured groin, had himself a day. He ran for a 25-yard TD early in the third, and he added a career-long 88-yarder early in the fourth.

Vanderbilt (0-3) remains winless after having 56 scholarship players available for this game, just three above the limit set by the Southeastern Conference for a team to play a game.

Parker White kicked a pair of field goals, including a 43-yarder that gave the Gamecocks the lead for good in the first quarter.

Vanderbilt had its chances early to either tie or take a lead. Pierson Cooke missed a 29-yard field goal wide right for Vanderbilt and is now 1 of 4 this season.

In the second quarter, the Commodores went for it on fourth-and-2 at the South Carolina 3. Freshman Ken Seals rolled right and wound up being tackled, missing the chance to throw to a receiver in the end zone when open or run himself.

Hill hit Nick Muse with a 32-yard pass, starting a 12-play, 96-yard drive that the South Carolina quarterback capped himself. Hill went over the top for a 1-yard touchdown and a 10-0 lead with 2:09 left in the first half.

The Gamecocks blew open the game on Harris' first TD. Vanderbilt got its lone points when Seals found Cam Johnson, and the receiver dodged a couple defenders before diving toward the end zone in the third.

South Carolina scored the next 24 points. Hill ran for a 10-yard TD in the third, and Harris broke loose for his 88-yarder and Dakeron Joyner had a 47-yard TD, both in the fourth.

THE TAKEAWAY

South Carolina: Coach Wil Muschamp had to be happy that his Gamecocks topped 30 points for the first time in 17 games. ... Muschamp now is 8-1 against Vanderbilt all-time.

Vanderbilt: Among the missing for the Commodores were safety and kickoff returner Donovan Kaufman, cornerback Randall Haynie, linebacker Alston Orji and leading rusher Javeon Marlow. ... Mason put freshman quarterback Mike Wright in for Seals in the fourth quarter once South Carolina led 41-7.

UP NEXT

South Carolina hosts Auburn.

Vanderbilt visits Missouri.

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Follow Teresa M. Walker at https://twitter.com/TeresaMWalker

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