South Carolina beats No. 16 Florida 38-19, spoiling Homecoming in The Swamp

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — LaNorris Sellers threw four touchdown passes and ran for another, and South Carolina beat No. 16 Florida 38-19 on Saturday at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, spoiling Homecoming and the 500th game in The Swamp.

Florida (4-2, 2-2 SEC) lost for the second straight week. South Carolina (3-3, 1-3 SEC) won its first conference game of the season.

The Gators led 10-7 in the second quarter and were within 17-13 after Patrick Durkin's 48-yard field goal on the opening drive of the second half. South Carolina answered with 21 straight points. Jadan Baugh's 2-yard touchdown run with 1:01 left closed the scoring; the two-point try failed.

How it turned

Sellers hit Donovan Murph for a 26-yard touchdown to make it 24-13. After a Florida punt, Sellers scored on a 1-yard run with 1:08 left in the third quarter, one play after a replay review ruled him down at the 1.

Florida drove to the South Carolina 13 early in the fourth quarter, but Dylan Stewart forced an Aaron Philo fumble that Shawn Murphy recovered. The Gators later turned the ball over on downs at their own 27, and three plays after that Sellers found Lex Cyrus for a 21-yard touchdown and a 38-13 lead. Justin Okoronkwo then intercepted backup Tramell Jones Jr.

The first-half swing came on Vicari Swain's interception of Philo late in the second quarter. Swain returned it 18 yards to the Florida 26, and Sellers threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Mazeo Bennett Jr. five plays later for a 17-10 halftime lead.

Florida's bright spots

Bailey Stockton caught 8 passes for 127 yards, including a 59-yard touchdown from Philo on Florida's second possession. Linebacker Myles Graham had seven tackles and two sacks.