Garcia Helps Nudge Gamecocks over Kentucky

Spurrier made his own “change we can believe in” by swapping the interception-prone Smelley out for Garcia late in a messy game, and the Gamecocks defense held the game within reach. The Gamecocks won a crucial game that would’ve could’ve derailed a wobbly season. And Garcia earned himself the immediate call as starter against LSU next week.

http://www.thestate.com/gogamecocks/story/552096.html

Recap

South Carolina (5-2, 2-2) won its ninth consecutive meeting against Kentucky (4-2, 0-2), which came in with momentum after nearly upsetting Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Instead, the Wildcats’ string of futility against Spurrier is the longest by any team against a single coach other than two losing streaks against Penn State’s Joe Paterno.

The game, billed as a field position showdown between two of the Southeastern Conference’s top defenses, lived up to that hype, at least until midway through the third quarter. That was when Spurrier, always quick with the hook on his quarterbacks, made a change that paid immediate dividends.

Stephen Garcia replaced a struggling Chris Smelley and led four consecutive drives into Wildcat territory, which the Gamecocks turned into 10 points. It could have been more if not for three missed second-half field goal attempts by Ryan Succop.

http://www.thestate.com/gogamecocks/story/552061.html