Gamecocks Fall to Missouri, Struggle With Missed Tackles in 29-20 Defeat
South Carolina left Columbia, Missouri, with more bruises than positives after dropping a 29-20 decision to the No. 23 Missouri Tigers on Sept. 20.
Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy proved unstoppable, rushing for 138 yards and capping the night with the game-clinching touchdown. He led a Tigers ground attack that piled up 287 rushing yards. The Gamecocks’ defense repeatedly failed to bring him down—missing tackles at the waist, slipping off his ankles, or relying on shoulder bumps that did little to slow him.
Missouri’s offense didn’t need anything fancy; it leaned on efficiency, feeding Hardy and rotating in other backs, fully aware South Carolina couldn’t consistently tackle in space. Each time the Gamecocks needed a defensive stand, they came up short.
Now sitting at 2-2 overall and 0-2 in SEC play, South Carolina’s preseason optimism is beginning to fade. Still, there were moments of encouragement. Vandrevious Jacobs hauled in a 49-yard touchdown, while Brian Rowe scored on a 24-yard strike from LaNorris Sellers. Sellers flashed his potential, but behind shaky protection, he never found enough rhythm to spark a comeback.
Defensively, the Gamecocks managed a few stops, holding Missouri to a pair of red-zone field goals. Gerald Kilgore also came up with an interception that gave South Carolina late hope. But those highlights weren’t enough to turn the tide.
The loss underscored glaring fundamentals—running the ball effectively, cutting down penalties, and, above all, finishing tackles. Without improvement in those areas, South Carolina won’t resemble an SEC contender this year or moving forward.
The Gamecocks will return home to Williams-Brice Stadium on Sept. 27 to host Kentucky before heading into their first bye week of the season.
