Wildcats finally claim a piece of S.C., Spurrier

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Steve Spurrier worried about the hangover against Kentucky. He kept reminding his South Carolina players not to get too high following an upset of defending national champion and No. 1 ranked Alabama last week.

The 10th-ranked Gamecocks seemed as if they’d keep it together before freshman running back Marcus Lattimore went down with an ankle injury.

Then they could only watch as Kentucky’s Randall Cobb caught a 24-yard touchdown pass with 1:15 remaining then added the two-point conversion to cap a furious second-half rally and give the Wildcats a stunning 31-28 victory, ruining South Carolina’s chance to get a leg up in the jumbled SEC East.

“Give Kentucky credit, they kicked our tails,” Spurrier said.

Mike Hartline threw for a career-high 349 yards and four touchdowns for the Wildcats (4-3, 1-3 SEC), who had lost 10 straight to the Gamecocks (4-2, 2-2) and never beaten Spurrier in 17 tries.

It appeared Spurrier was ready to make it 18 for 18 when the Gamecocks stuffed Cobb for a 4-yard loss, setting up a fourth-and-7 at the Kentucky 24.

Hartline calmly set his feet and faked a slant to Chris Matthews. The South Carolina defense bit and Cobb found himself wide open at the goal line. He then swept over left tackle for the 2-point conversion to put Kentucky up three.

South Carolina drove to the Kentucky 20 in the final minute but quarterback Stephen Garcia’s heave into the end zone was intercepted by Kentucky’s Anthony Mosley with 4 seconds left. Hartline took a knee to set off a raucous celebration and end two decades of torture at the hands of Spurrier.