COLUMBIA, S.C. -- The oddsmakers thought the Arkansas Razorbacks had a virtual toss-up game against South Carolina on Saturday.
The Gamecocks shredded that notion with three defensive touchdowns to break open a tight game in the third quarter for a 48-22 rout before an announced crowd of 79,416 at Williams-Brice Stadium.
The Razorbacks (2-3) suffered another second-half meltdown, had quarterback Austin Allen knocked out of the game and fell to 0-2 in the SEC for the fourth time in five seasons under Coach Bret Bielema. Arkansas, which has lost its past five games against Power 5 opponents, is 0-16 when trailing at halftime under Bielema.
"Obviously disappointed and very, very disappointed for our players, our fans, all the people that support us," Bielema said. "We just couldn't catch a break, and that's the way it is. When things are going against you and you need a break to happen, it doesn't seem like it does."
South Carolina (4-2, 2-2) snapped a seven-game losing streak to SEC West teams and posted its highest point total against a Power 5 team since a 52-7 victory over Arkansas in 2013.
"I'm really pleased with how our football team responded. It was a gut-wrenching loss last week," said South Carolina Coach Will Muschamp, referencing a 24-17 loss at Texas A&M.
The Gamecocks won the turnover battle 4-0 and turned their takeaways into 24 points.
"Defensively, we had some huge plays with turnovers," Muschamp said. "I told Bret at the end, you can't win with those turnovers, and turnovers with scores on top of that."
The Razorbacks have a tough road ahead with a road game at Alabama on Saturday followed by a home game against Auburn.
"They came out here and just outworked us," Arkansas safety Santos Ramirez said. "I don't know what it is, but we've got to get our stuff together."
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville tailback David Williams had 48 all-purpose yards and scored a 4-yard touchdown run against his former teammates.
"It's just disappointing," Williams said. "It's embarrassing, to be quite honest. It's the first game my family came to and for us to lose like that is really embarrassing."
Allen was not cleared to return after coming out late in the third quarter with what appeared to be a shoulder injury. Allen completed 12 of 24 passes for 84 yards, with 1 touchdown and 1 interception. He did not participate in postgame interviews.
Bielema said he didn't know Allen's injury status for certain, but he saw team personnel working on Allen's shoulder earlier in the game.
"At the end there, they just said he wasn't cleared to go and that's when we went with Cole [Kelley]," Bielema said.
Kelley led the Razorbacks to two fourth-quarter touchdowns, completing 8 of 13 passes for 140 yards. But he also contributed to the Gamecocks' defensive-touchdown parade when cornerback Keisean Nixon returned an interception 45 yards for a touchdown with 3:33 left.
South Carolina entered the second half with a 17-10 lead thanks to Bryan Edwards' high-jumping 18-yard touchdown catch with four seconds left in the second quarter. The Gamecocks extended their lead to 20-10 on Parker White's 29-yard field goal at the 9:28 mark of the third.
Then the game went completely off the rails for the Razorbacks.
Linebacker Skai Moore tracked an Allen rollout to the sideline, picked him off at the Arkansas 34 and returned it for a touchdown.
The Gamecocks thought they had another defensive score on a play that was called a Chase Hayden fumble on the field, but it was overturned in the replay booth. After the Razorbacks drove in to South Carolina territory, Allen was hit by Dante Sawyer as he drew back to pass, and linebacker T.J. Brunson scooped and scored a 73-yard touchdown.
After the blitz, the Gamecocks led 34-10.
"The third quarter was probably one of the most frustrating quarters I've ever been involved with," Bielema said. "It just seemed everything disintegrated right in front of us.
"I know Austin kind of just was feeling overwhelmed, trying to do a little bit to get rid of the football, and just very, very frustrating."
Allen was sacked twice, had seven hurries and didn't pull the trigger on several plays when he had protection.
"We just can't turn the ball over in general, and especially on the road," center Frank Ragnow said. "If you turn the ball over on the road, especially with the hostile crowd and everything, the momentum just kind of pours on you."
Arkansas rushed for 106 yards to South Carolina's 159. The Razorbacks trailed 358 to 330 in total offense.
South Carolina, playing with a patchwork offensive line, had been struggling to score since losing ace receiver Deebo Samuel with a broken leg Sept. 16. But the Gamecocks got in gear against Arkansas, driving into Hogs territory or starting in it on eight of their first nine possessions.
South Carolina safety Chris Lammons stripped the ball free from Cheyenne O'Grady on Arkansas' second offensive snap, and Brunson recovered at the Hogs' 15 to set up the game's first score.
Arkansas held the Gamecocks to no yards on three plays, but Parker White booted a 33-yard field goal.
David Williams' 23-yard run set up the Hogs' initial score on their second possession. The Razorbacks couldn't move past the 30, and Connor Limpert came on to put a 48-yard field goal over the crossbar with a couple of yards to spare for a 3-3 tie. It marked Limpert's first field goal and Arkansas' first of the season as the last team in the FBS to make a field goal.
The Razorbacks' concerns over tight end Hayden Hurst proved legitimate as the 6-5 junior got free down the middle and caught a 62-yard touchdown pass from Bentley to put South Carolina on top 10-3 on the second play of the second quarter.
Arkansas responded with a 75-yard drive. Allen beat a blitz with a swing pass to Williams in the right flats, and he followed a de-cleater block from Stewart into the end zone, but the replay booth ruled he was out at the 7. Allen connected with Jones for his first career touchdown reception on a 5-yard slant three plays later for a 10-10 tie.
Sports on 10/08/2017