[Tuck4Bama]

Defense dominates as Gamecocks nab second straight season-opening win

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Brian Maddox had a short touchdown run while Stephen Garcia completed a key third-down pass in the final minutes to help South Carolina beat North Carolina State 7-3 on Thursday night.

Garcia threw for just 148 yards on a frustrating night for both offenses, but the sophomore came through with a 33-yard completion to Moe Brown that allowed the Gamecocks to run out the final 2 1/2 minutes of the game. It gave South Carolina a second straight season-opening victory against the Wolfpack, who were shutout 34-0 in last year's meeting and failed to reach the end zone in the rematch.

Maddox scored from a yard out in the first quarter and finished with 66 yards rushing, which ended up being about the most reliable form of offense for typically pass-happy coach Steve Spurrier. Garcia completed 13 of 22 passes with an interception that gave the Wolfpack a needed burst of momentum and led to N.C. State's only scoring drive.

Team Stat Comparison

1st Downs 16 11
Total Yards 256 133
Passing 148 74
Rushing 108 59
Penalties 3-45 4-23
3rd Down Conversions 5-15 5-14
4th Down Conversions 2-3 0-1
Turnovers 1 1
Possession 32:25 27:35

Defense dominates as Gamecocks nab second straight season-opening win - NCAA College Football Recap - ESPN