Associated Press
COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina quarterback Connor Shaw threw for 311 yards and four touchdowns, leading No. 18 South Carolina to a 54-3 win over Kentucky on Saturday.
Shaw, a sophomore who took over as starter this week from fifth-year senior Stephen Garcia, completed 26 of 39 passes and had no interceptions.
The Gamecocks (5-1, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) gained 639 yards as they enjoyed their biggest margin of victory in an SEC game since joining the league in 1992.
South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier took advantage of Kentucky’s bad defense to tinker with his own sputtering offense. He called direct snaps to the running back, threw to the tight end and even ran an option play.
The Wildcats (2-4, 0-3) offense gained just 96 yards, and their quarterbacks threw four interceptions and just four completions.
Kentucky might have been the perfect opponent after South Carolina’s tumultuous week following its first defeat, a 16-13 loss to Auburn. Beside changing quarterbacks, Spurrier kept his offensive assistants away from the media and suggested some players might not need to talk to reporters as much.