COLUMBIA, South Carolina - Rashod Faison's 82-yard
return of a blocked field goal closed a sluggish first half as
22nd-ranked South Carolina woke up in time for a 32-13 victory
over Boise State in the season opener for both teams.
Boise State trailed by just six points when it set up for a
22-yard field goal try by Nick Calaycay in the waning moments of
the first half. But the try was blocked by defensive tackle
Langston Moore and scooped up by Faison, who raced in for a 19-7
halftime edge. Calaycay tried to chase Faison in vain.
"I was in the right place at the right time," Faison said.
"Langston did a good job blocking it and I went with it. I knew
I couldn't let the kicker catch me and tackle me. If he did, I
would have heard from some teammates."
The Gamecocks took the second half kickoff and Derek Watson
capped a 14-play, 79-yard drive with a six-yard touchdown run
for a 26-7 lead with 8:08 remaining.
Daniel Weaver added a pair of short field goals in the fourth
quarter to cap South Carolina's scoring.
"What really got us was the second-half long drives by South
Carolina," Boise State coach Dan Hawkins said. "That just wore
our defense down."
South Carolina is coming off an 8-4 season that was capped with
a 24-7 victory over Ohio State in the Outback Bowl.
Watson, who was suspended for the Outback Bowl for violating
team rules, rushed 13 times for 74 yards and also caught a
16-yard touchdown pass from Phil Petty for a 7-0 edge in the
first quarter. Andrew Pinnock's five-yard touchdown run made it
13-0 as Weaver missed the extra point.
"I felt a little jitery," Watson said. "The ovation from the
crowd felt good. I knew they were always behind me all the
time."
Petty finished 18-of-25 for 220 yards and one touchdown,
including a 66-yard pass to Corey Alexander. South Carolina
coach Lou Holtz is looking for more fireworks from his offense,
however.
"He knows the offense," Holtz said. "We need to get some big
plays from the receivers. I thought he played well."
Boise State lost in its first game under first-year coach
Hawkins. Hawkins replaced Dirk Koetter, who left to take over at
Arizona State.
"We'll go back to practice this week and we will work on field
goal protection, figure out what happened there," Hawkins said.
The Broncos cut the deficit to 13-7 on a one-yard plunge by
Brock Forsey four minutes into the second quarter.
Kevin Lowsma caught a five-yard TD pass from Ryan Dinwiddie in
the fourth quarter. But Boise State's offense was on the field
for only four plays in the third quarter.
The Gamecocks punted just once in their 10 drives.
Saturday marked the first meeting between the teams.
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