South Carolina scored three touchdowns in the third quarter to turn a one-point game into a blowout as the Gamecocks soared to a 38-16 victory over FAU at Williams Brice Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 19.

After trailing only 17-16 at halftime, the Owls reverted to mistake-filled football, collapsing to the Gamecocks’ second-half surge as well as repeatedly shooting themselves in the foot with poor play.

“For a half there, we looked good, like we were going to able to hang with them,” said FAU quarterback Rusty Smith. “Second half, we kind of shot ourselves in the foot again. We have got to stop doing that.”

The first play of the game from scrimmage was a 50-yard scamper by USC wide receiver Moe Brown on an end around. That play set up a three-yard touchdown run by tailback Brian Maddox, who ended the day with three scores.

FAU did not respond until the closing moments of the first quarter, when kicker Ross Gornall hit a 37-yard field goal, making the score 10-3.

But the defense would let up again, allowing USC quarterback Stephen Garcia to cap off a nine-play drive with a 15-yard touchdown. The score, which gave the Gamecocks a 17-3 lead, came as a result of a holding penalty against defensive back Marcus Bartels on a third-down stop.

The Owls answered immediately.

Smith, who threw for 198 passing yards, finished two consecutive drives with touchdown passes, pulling FAU within a point of tying. Gornall would miss the point after, though, leaving the Owls trailing at halftime.

That would be as close as FAU got to making a game out of it in front of the 72,017 fans in attendance, as South Carolina would dominate the second half, specifically the third quarter.

The Gamecocks forced Smith to make an errant pass on the first play of the third quarter, which USC cornerback Stephon Gilmore intercepted. Three plays later, Maddox scored again.

“The interception in the second half was really the [turnover] that was hardest for us,” said Owls Head Coach Howard Schnellenberger.

It was downhill from there for FAU, as USC would go on to add two more touchdowns in the quarter. They also forced two more turnovers in the half, putting the result beyond doubt.

“We have to learn how to play second-half football. We’ve got to come out and execute, no matter how good we feel about [the score],” said FAU defensive tackle Josh Savidge.

With the loss, the Owls dropped to 0-2 while USC improved to 2-1.

FAU’s next game is their home opener against University of Louisiana at Monroe on Sept. 26 at Lockhart Stadium.