Recap: South Carolina’s 2023 spring football game
The 2023 Garnet & Black Spring Game is Saturday night at Williams-Brice Stadium. The State’s Ben Portnoy, Michael Lananna and Lou Bezjak are there to bring you updates.
Black team wins
The spring game ended in a 17-17 tie in regulation, but the Black team won after both teams participated in a two-point shootout. Running back D.J. Twitty ran the ball up the middle for the game-winning score, giving the Black team a 19-17 win.
Pick-6 ties it up
Stepping in at quarterback in place of Tanner Bailey, freshman Braden Davis scrambled during a fourth quarter play and threw an interception right at linebacker Colin Bryan, who ran it back for an easy touchdown, tying the game at 17-17.
Garnet inches closer
In the opening of the fourth quarter, the LaNorris Sellers-led Garnet team scored a touchdown thanks to a short tun by running back Dante Miller, making the score 17-10 Black team.
Rattler’s final stats
Rattler played the majority of the first half for the Black team. He completed 12 of 20 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown and no interceptions, with a long of 55 yards.
Garnet scores before halftime
The Black team dominated most of the first half, but the Garnet team was able to finally get on the board in the final seconds of the second quarter when kicker Mitch Jeter made a 23-yard field goal.
Bailey connects with Wells
Redshirt freshman quarterback Tanner Bailey replaced Rattler in the waning minutes of the first half, and Bailey connected and a wide-open Wells near the end zone for a 34-yard touchdown strike to give the Black team a 17-0 lead.
Black scores again
Defense has been king so far through a quarter and a half, but the Black team was able to extend its lead midway through the second quarter as kicker Alex Herrera connected on a 36-yard field goal to give the Black team a 10-0 lead over the Garnet team.
Lineman Nichols suffers injury
In the Black team’s second offensive drive of the game, offensive lineman Jaylen Nichols went down to the ground with an apparent left leg injury. He needed assistance to get up and walk off the field, walking with a pronounced limp toward the sideline. There’s no official word yet on the extent or nature of the injury. Athletic trainers worked with Nichols on the sideline after the injury, fitting him with a brace on his knee and giving him crutches.
Black team takes lead
Led by incumbent quarterback Spencer Rattler, the star-studded Black team drove down the field to open the spring game with a score. Rattler connected with Antwane Wells on a 55-yard pass to get USC within striking range, then Rattler found tight end Trey Knox in the end zone for a short touchdown pass.
South Carolina spring game details
What: Garnet & Black Spring Game
Where: Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, SC
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
TV: None
Stream: SEC Network Plus via the ESPN app
Admission: Free
Weather: Partly cloudy, upper 70s at kickoff, low 70s by end of game
