COLUMBIA, S.C. — In an intense showdown, LaNorris Sellers connected with Raheim Sanders for a 15-yard touchdown pass with just 15 seconds remaining, leading No. 23 South Carolina to a dramatic 34-30 victory over No. 24 Missouri on Saturday night. This triumph marked the Gamecocks’ third consecutive win against a ranked opponent.

Sellers turned in a remarkable performance, setting personal bests with five touchdown passes and 353 passing yards, completing 21 of 30 attempts. South Carolina, now 7-3 overall and 5-3 in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), has put together four straight SEC wins, a feat not achieved since 2012 when Steve Spurrier was the head coach. Under the leadership of Shane Beamer, Spurrier’s former recruit, the Gamecocks have emerged as one of the strongest teams in the competitive conference.

The game initially seemed like it would follow the trend of the Gamecocks’ last three victories, in which they dominated Oklahoma (35-9), Texas A&M (44-10), and Vanderbilt (28-7). Sellers started strong, throwing three touchdown passes in the first half, giving South Carolina a solid 21-6 lead.

However, the Tigers (7-3, 3-3 SEC) showed resilience, managing to seize the lead in the fourth quarter. Brady Cook orchestrated a dramatic comeback, hitting Luther Burden III with a 37-yard touchdown pass to put Missouri ahead 30-27 with just over a minute left.

Yet, Sellers would not be outdone. He executed key completions of 10 and 49 yards, positioning the Gamecocks at the Missouri 21-yard line. Following a 7-yard run by Sellers, he passed to Sanders, who powered through the defense to score the winning touchdown, igniting a jubilant response from the Williams-Brice Stadium crowd.

Missouri had one last opportunity to respond, but Cook’s pass was intercepted by Jalon Kilgore with only five seconds remaining, solidifying South Carolina’s victory and marking the program’s first time defeating three ranked teams consecutively in history.

Missouri’s Nate Noel was a standout for the Tigers, rushing for 150 yards and scoring a pivotal touchdown in the fourth quarter, but it was not enough to secure a win.

Key Insights:
For Missouri, this defeat marks the end of their five-game win streak against South Carolina, and coach Eli Drinkwitz’s perfect record in Columbia is now broken. The loss also diminishes their hopes of securing a spot in the College Football Playoffs (CFP).

Meanwhile, South Carolina has entered the conversation as a potentially formidable team within the SEC. To boost their playoff aspirations, they will need a bit of unpredictability in the coming games and a victory against No. 17 Clemson in two weeks. Currently, few teams would relish the prospect of facing the Gamecocks in this form.

Looking ahead, Missouri will face Mississippi State next Saturday, while South Carolina will host Wofford on the same day.