COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) Vicari Swain returned two punts for touchdowns to rescue a struggling offense for No. 10 South Carolina as the Gamecocks beat South Carolina State 38-10 early Sunday.
The kickoff was delayed more than two hours because of lightning in the area.
South Carolina (2-0) scored more from its special teams and defense than its offense as Jaron Willis also returned a fumble for a score and LaNorris Sellers couldn’t get the offense going for a second week.
South Carolina looked like it was up past its bedtime, trailing 3-0 before Swain eluded a tackler right on top of him and then ran 64 yards for a touchdown. His second TD was a 42-yard return after he picked up a partially blocked punt just before it stopped rolling.
With his 80-yard punt return TD in last week’s opener against Virginia Tech, Swain is now tied for the school’s single-season record. The sophomore defensive back is the first FBS player with two punt returns scores in a game since Penn State’s Daequan Hardy did it against UMass in October 2023.
Sellers threw six incompletions in his first eight attempts and finished the game with 128 yards passing and 23 yards rushing,
The takeaway
South Carolina State: The Bulldogs will take $500,000 back to Orangeburg, which is a lot of help for an athletic program that takes in about $13 million a year.
South Carolina: The Gamecocks have to figure out how to get their offense going, gaining just 253 yards against the Bulldogs. And South Carolina may not last long in the top 10 with a tepid performance against a FCS school compared to No. 11 Illinois 45-19 drubbing of Duke.
Up next
South Carolina State: Hosts Bethune-Cookman.
Clemson: Hosts Vanderbilt in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.
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