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Florida Gators beat up team and players CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 game at 10-10. After another USC punt, the Gator offense came back out and used a balanced charge, once again led by quarterback Rex Grossman. Two plays after a fif teen-yard completion to Reche Caldwell, Grossman scrambled under pressure and came out with a 13-yard gain for another first down. After another Graham rush, Grossman put the ball in the air, this time to Robert Gillespie, who took it 36 yards before being pushed out of bounds at the Gamecock 1-yard line. Grossman punched it in to give Florida the lead. The Gamecocks tried to recover on their next drive. Petty and backup Corey Jenkins alternated snaps and led Carolina into Florida territory. Watson began with a 6-yard rush, and Jenkins followed with rushes of six and three yards. Petty returned and threw to receiver Matthew Thomas for a 26-yard pickup. After a Florida penalty, Jenkins gained seven yards on the ground for a first down on the Florida 21-yard line. However, Petty couldn’t keep the drive going, which led to a 39 yard field goal attempt by Weaver that sailed wide. According to Holtz, after that miss, “It all fell apart.” From that point forward, Florida had all the answers and put up the points on the score board. After the missed field goal. Grossman completed six passes to five different receivers for 59 yards. Graham added five yards off three runs to put Florida inside the red zone. When Grossman couldn’t convert on third down, Spurrier called upon Chandler again, and he responded with a 36 yard field goal. Gamecock fans received a scare when senior linebacker Kalimba Edwards went down with a knee injury. It was later determined to be a sprain, and Holtz was told that, while it would not require surgery, an MRI would be per formed. Edwards did not return to the game and will likely miss the Clemson game. The Gamecocks tried to move the ball again with just more than a minute remaining in the half, but a Petty pass was tipped by Florida’s Alex Brown and inter cepted by Marquand Manuel. Seconds later, with the ball at the USC 11-yard line, Grossman threw a quick strike to Caldwell for a touchdown, giving Florida a 27-10 lead going into halftime. Holtz lat er acknowledged that he should have burned the clock since Florida was going to receive pos session again to start the second half. The Florida offensive attack continued with the start of the third quarter. Beginning at their own 20, the Gators did not let up at all, as Grossman threw a 37 yard bomb to Taylor Jacobs. The drive ended with another field goal from Chandler, who booted it in from 46 yards out. This Florida drive claimed an other victim in Jeremiah Garrison, who had a pulled ham string and did not return. The Gamecocks stalled again, and the Gator offense returned to the field. Spurrier used his offense to inflict more damage to the al ready hurting Gamecock defense. Grossman followed a short gain by Graham, who finished with 91 yards rushing on 19 carries, with a pass to Gaffney for the first down. Graham broke for a 10-yard carry, then went ahead for five yards be fore losing the ball. He recovered, and the drive ended when Chandler nailed a 44-yard field goal. The field goal was the 60th of his career. After recovering the kickoff deep in their territory, the Gamecocks found themselves at their own 12 after Petty was sacked by Tron LaFavor. On the next play, Petty threw the ball in good coverage, only to have it in tercepted and returned for a touchdown by Florida’s Travis Carroll. Petty and Watson were then added to the injury list. At the end of the play, Watson fell hard on his right side along the sidelines. He was diagnosed with a hip pointer and did not return, but he should be able to play against Clemson. Petty’s throwing shoulder was hurt on the play, and he’s doubt ful for next week. Jenkins came in on the next Carolina offensive series. Matthew Thomas began the drive with a six-yard run, and Jenkins continued it with a six-yard pass to Pinnock. Jenkins rushed twice for 14 yards but was stymied on a sack by Manuel. Florida took over early in the fourth quarter inside the 20 after a punt. Grossman pro vided the big play in the drive, hit ting Gaffney on a 59-yard scoring pass. The Florida passing game torched the Gamecock secondary. Grossman went 21 for 33 with 302 yards and three touchdowns. “They executed well,” USC cor nerback Sheldon Brown said. “The ball is in the air three to four seconds before they make their cuts.” “It’s always disappointing to have a loss; it’s more disappoint ing when the other team puts up more on the scoreboard,” said Watson, who was limited to 26 yards on six carries before the in jury. Carolina was effective on its next possession through the com bined efforts of Jenkins and re serve quarterback Dondria: Pinkins. Deep in Gator territory, £ series of short gains brought then to the Florida 3. After a timeout Pinkins darted a pass to Brewei in the end zone for a late touch down, bringing the score to 47-17. UF backup quarterback BrocI Berlin finished the Gator’s scor ing frenzy with a TD pass to Kiri Wells at the end of the game. The 54-17 defeat removed Soutl Carolina’s chances of getting into the SEC Championship game. Thf Gamecocks (7-3,5-3) can finish nc better than third in the Eastern di vision. On the other hand, thf Gartors (8-1, 6-1) will plaj Tennessee in the Swamp on Dec 1, with the winner going tc Atlanta. Florida remains at No. 3 in thf coaches’ poll and No. 4 in thf Associated Press poll. Thf Gamecocks fell to 22nd in both polls. A noticeably down Lou Holt; summed it up, saying, “I’ve nevei been through anything like that We’re humiliated. I’m disappoint ed for our fans, but life moves on.’ Comments on this story ? E-mail gamecocksports@hotmail.com. Injured in Saturday’s game A list of the players hurt in the Florida game and their status for the Clemson game Kalimba j Edwards OUT Phil Petty DOUBTFUL Jeremiah Garrison DOUBTFUL Derek Watson QUESTIONABLE NOT PICTURED: Rod Thomas QUESTIONABLE Clemson Gamecocks look for way to bounce back CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 week,” Holtz said. “This one was big, but the one next week’s more important. We’re so beat up and disorganized right now. You know, this was devastating: phys ically, mentally, every which way. I’m still in a state of shock, and the players are too, I’m sure.” More than anything, the Gamecocks seemed stunned at how badly Florida demolished them, shocked by the explosive of fensive performance that was im pressive even when considering USC’s underdog status. With the exception of a fumble on their First punt reception, the Gators put the hall in the end zone or between the uprights on every possession except their last, which was cut short by the clock. After scoring 10 points in the first quar ter, USC went through two shutout sets before finally coming up with something in the last half of the fourth. USC’s normally powerful rush ing game was almost completely shut down. No Gamecock player managed more than 70 yards; the biggest performance was from backup quarterback Corey Jenkins, who managed to run for 66 yards. The passing game was dismal. The Gamecocks gained just 57 yards in the air, and Petty threw two interceptions. Now, USC must try to regroup— without two of its marquee players — for what is unquestionably the most important game of the year. “And I think at this point, as I told the football players, I’m not embarrassed, because 1 thought they tried. But we’re humiliated, and there’s a difference,” Holtz said. “But you have two options: You either give up, of you move on. And we’re down as for as you can get. Not only were we down, we were stomped on and piled on, and we’ve got to pick ourselves up.” But Holtz himself seemed un sure of how to revive the playters in time for the showdown with the Tigers. “Ltell you what, we’re so low now; I’ve never seen a football team as low as that, andT’ve prob ably never been so low,” Holtz said, then offered members ofthe media a chance to help. “But we will be happy to put a suggestion box at the entranceway when you leave, if you want to give me any suggestions on how to bring them back, because we’re down as I’ve ever seen a football team... I maybe have never been as down as I am now. “But you have a faith in God, you move on, you press on,” Holtz continued. “There’s a reason for everything that happens. You can’t always understand it. But ' you accept it. And we’ll find the reasons for this.” To Kenny Harney, “how” is an irrelevant question. “You have to regroup. It’s not ‘How do you regroup?’ You just got to regroup,” he said. “This is talk ing about Clemson-South Carolina. The last two games have been decided on the last play of the game. We’re going to have to be upbeat for this game.... And we’ve got to go out this week and prepare harder and harder, just like we do every week, but I’m thinking this week, I think will prepare a little extra hard for this game.” Jenkins will likely start this week’s game if Petty can’t. Jenkins said the probability that he will start would not affect his practice routine. “I’m not gonna change my mind frame or thinking.... In foot ball, you never know. I mean, just like tonight, he went down, I had to be ready. So I got to prepare my self to go out and play like I do every week.” Jenkins was also focused on next week’s opponent. “We’ve just got to bounce back. You know, that’s Florida, this game is over with and next week to us, is still as big.... We’re 7-3. That’s nothing to hang your heads about. We’ve come a long way.” Comments on this story?E-mail gamecocksports@hotmail.com. Want to participate in The Gamecock Sports Challenge? Each week, The Gamecock will pick the winners of several games around the country, and we will have a slot for a selected reader. Give us your picks by e-mailing gjmecocksports@hotmail.com or coming by the newsroom, Russell House Room 333. Be sure to include name, major, year and a phone number or e-mail. This week’s games: ♦ CLEMSON AT NO. 22 USC ♦ NO. 14 SYRACUSE AT NO. 1 MIAMI ♦ NO. 21 FLORIDA ST. AT NO. 4 FLORIDA ♦ NO. 20 UCLA AT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ♦ NO. 9 WASHINGTON ST. AT NO. 16 WASHINGTON ♦ GEORGIA AT OLE MISS ♦ NO. 18 VIRGINIA TECH AT VIRGINIA Send your picks in this week and check The Gamecock on Friday to see the picks of the staff, as well as reader picks. LAST WEEK’S WINNER: Senior writer Rick Johnston went 6-1. Soccer USC gets one more chance to impress CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 Vitagliano contributed a lot to this program throughout their ca reers, and it was important to will this game for our season and for them. You want them to remem ber walking off this field on this beautiful afternoon with their last regular-season game (at home) be ing a win.” Worthen said he wasn’t sad af ter playing possibly his last home game. “I don’t think it’s really hit me yet,” he said. “I think once the season is over, then it’s going to hit me. But it’s been a good time. I’ve enjoyed it.” Vitagliano shares the same sentiment. “I’m disappointed it has to end, but it’s been fun and there’s a lot of good memories,” he said. “It’s not really a sad moment. It’s mov ing on. “Hopefully, we’ll get a tourna ment game here.” The Gamecocks will get a chance Saturday to make one last impression on the NCAA Selection Committee. USC and Florida International will square off in Miami at 7 p.m. RANKINGS Associated Press Top 25 1. Miami 2. Nebraska 3. Oklahoma 4. Florida 5. Texas 6. Tennessee 7. Oregon 8. Brigham Young 9. Washington State 10. Maryland 11. Michigan 12. Illinois 13. Stanford 14. Syracuse 15. Colorado 16. Washington 17. Auburn 18. Virginia Tech 19. Louisville 20. UCLA 21. Florida State 22. SOUTH CAROLINA 23. Georgia 24. Marshall 25. Ohio State THE GAMECOCK. NOBODY COVERS USC BETTER McGwire retires via fax to ESPN BRISTOL, CONN. (AP) - Mark McGwire, the former single-sea son home run king, told ESPN that he is “worn out” and will retire from baseball. McGwire strongly hinted of re tiring several times this year, when he batted just .187 with 29 home runs as he was slowed by a bum right knee. He told ESPN anchor Rich Eisen on Sunday night that he was “extremely happy with the deci sion.” McGwire had agreed to a $30 million, two-year contract exten sion in spring training but never signed the deal. “After a considerable discus sion with those close to me, I have decided not to sign the extension, as I am unable to perform at a lev el equal to the salary the organi zation would be paying me,” McGwire said in a statement to ESPN. “I believe I owe it to the Cardinals and the fans of St. Louis to step aside, so a talented free agent can be brought in as the fi nal piece of what I expect can be a World Championship-caliber team.” McGwire captured the nation’s imagination in 1998 while hitting 70 homers to break Roger Maris’ 37-year-old record. It was a short lived mark as Barry Bonds hit 73 homers this season. You pick up a lot of important survival tools in ROTC. Starting with a tuition check. First things first. 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