Carolina becomes bowl-eligible with dominating win over Chattanooga

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - Jake Bentley threw for 339 yards and four touchdowns as South Carolina became bowl eligible with a 49-9 win over Chattanooga on Saturday night.

A.J. Turner, a junior with eight career touchdowns coming in, accounted for three TDs for the Gamecocks (6-4) against the Mocs (6-5) of the Football Championship Subdivision.

The Gamecocks, who fell to FCS opponent The Citadel here three years ago, didn't want to mess around with Chattanooga. Bentley and Turner made sure they started fast with touchdowns on their first three possessions.

Bentley was 5-of-6 passing on South Carolina's opening possession, including a 16-yard TD throw to Turner.

He was at it again the next time he got the ball with a 12-play drive that ended with a 6-yard TD throw to Turner.

Turner was front and center on the next drive, too, finishing the series with an 11-yard scoring run.

Turner had only one touchdown in eight games this season before breaking out big against Chattanooga in the opening half.

Bentley, who was 25 of 29 passing, didn't stop after the break in adding scoring throws of 53 yards to Shi Smith and 61 yards to Deebo Samuel.

Bentley tied his career high of four touchdowns first accomplished in a win over Coastal Carolina in September.

Samuel finished with five catches for 112 yards, his second straight game with over 100 yards receiving.

Former Fort Dorchester quarterback Dakereon Joyner entered the game late in the fourth quarter and tallied 23 yards rushing and completed one pass for one yard.

Former Berkeley Stag Israel Mukuamu had an interception return for 26 yards.

Chattanooga was overmatched from the start. The Mocs had a field goal and an extra point blocked. They were just one of eight on third-down tries in the opening half.

Chattanooga's lone TD came when receiver Bryce Nunnelly threw a 2-yard scoring pass to a wide open quarterback Nick Tiano with less than five minutes left in the game.

They were in the thick of the Southern Conference race the first two months of the season, but fell to 0-3 in November with this loss.

THE TAKEAWAY

Chattanooga: The Mocs made the NCAA FCS playoffs for three straight seasons from 2014-16, but have gone 9-13 the past two seasons under coach Tom Arth. The team doubled its win total from Arth's first season, but struggled down the stretch as it went 0-3 in November.

South Carolina: Beating an FCS team does not make all OK for the Gamecocks, but it does take some of the sting out of its fourth-quarter collapse at Florida a week ago. Most importantly, the victory gives South Carolina a December of bowl practices which it certainly needs to shore up its defense, which ranked 12th in the Southeastern Conference coming into the game.

UP NEXT

Chattanooga's season is complete.

South Carolina travels to state rival Clemson next Saturday night.