South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers fired four touchdown passes and rushed for another score as the Gamecocks broke a three-game losing streak with a stunning 38-19 Southeastern Conference whipping of No. 16 Florida on Saturday afternoon in Gainesville, Fla.
After blowing a 17-point lead in a home overtime loss last week against Kentucky, the Gamecocks (3-3, 1-3 SEC) snapped an eight-game conference losing streak as Sellers went 23-for-35 for 279 yards. Nyck Harbor posted 83 yards and a touchdown on four catches.
The Gators (4-2, 2-2) lost their second straight game as Aaron Philo was 21 of 28 for 227 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Bailey Stockton had 127 yards and a score on eight receptions.
Florida struck first in its homecoming game as Philo tossed a 59-yard scoring strike to Stockton, who tight-roped the final five yards for a 7-0 lead at 11:25.
After failing on a 47-yard field goal try, the Gamecocks evened the score when Harbor went up and pulled down Sellers’ 15-yard pass with 12 seconds left in the first quarter.
South Carolina made an impressive defensive stand in the red zone in the second, which forced Florida to settle for Patrick Durkin’s field goal from 21 yards out that gave the Gators a 10-7 lead at 8:51.
Malik Orsan drilled a 37-yard kick to knot it 10-all with 4:13 remaining in the first half.
Vicari Swain intercepted Philo on the next series to set South Carolina up at the Florida 26. Mazeo Bennett Jr. soon made a sliding touchdown catch of Sellers’ 12-yard strike for a 17-10 halftime lead.
Following a lightning delay at the break, Durkin kicked a field goal from 48 yards out as Florida cut the margin to 17-13.
Sellers tossed his third score by finding Donovan Murph from 26 yards. The signal-caller scored on a sneak with 1:08 left in the third for a 31-13 lead.
The Gators drove into the red zone in the fourth, but South Carolina star edge rusher Dylan Stewart, who returned after a one-game suspension, stripped Philo at the 15. Shawn Murphy fell on it for the Gamecocks’ first fumble recovery this season.
After South Carolina stopped Florida on fourth down, Sellers lobbed a 21-yard ball to Lex Cyrus to make it 38-13 with 8:07 to play.
Jadan Baugh (15 carries, 59 yards) scored his NCAA-best 12th rushing touchdown with 1:01 left for the final margin.
