TAMPA, Fla. — If Shonn Greene has played his last game for Iowa, he’s going out in style.
The Big Ten’s most valuable player rushed for 121 yards and three touchdowns Thursday, helping the Hawkeyes trounce South Carolina 31-10 in the Outback Bowl.
Greene, who sat out the 2007 season because of academic problems, ran for more than 100 yards in all 13 of Iowa’s games and scored in all but one. He finished with school single-season records of 1,850 yards and 20 TDs.
The 235-pound junior from Sicklerville, N.J., said this week that he plans to meet with his family and consider information from the NFL college advisory committee before making a decision this month on whether to turn pro.
Iowa (9-4) won for the sixth time in seven games since losing three straight to fall to 3-3. South Carolina (7-6) lost three straight down the stretch while being outscored 118-30.
Greene scored on a pair of 1-yard runs to help Iowa build a 21-0 halftime lead, then added an 11-yarder to make it 31-0 late in the third quarter. South Carolina scored on Chris Smelley’s 10-yard TD pass to Jared Cook and Ryan Succop’s 48-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.
After struggling offensively in lopsided losses to Florida and Clemson, Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier decided to start quarterback Stephen Garcia, a highly regarded redshirt freshman from Tampa who was the centerpiece of his recruiting class in 2007.
But Garcia, who nearly undermined his career by being arrested twice within his first month on campus, turned the ball over four times in the first half and was replaced by Smelley after going 9-for-18 for 79 yards and three interceptions.
The 20-year-old’s homecoming turned sour in a hurry. His first pass was intercepted and returned 29 yards set up an Iowa touchdown, then the dual-threat quarterback fumbled on his first run to give the Gamecocks turnovers on two of their first four offensive plays.
The next two South Carolina possessions ended with interceptions. After Bradley Fletcher picked off Garcia in the end zone, Iowa drove 80 yards to take a 21-0 lead on Greene’s second touchdown.
Ricky Stanzi was intercepted twice before halftime, but neither mistake really hurt the Hawkeyes. Iowa was trying to turn’s Garcia’s third interception into a quick TD when South Carolina’s Chris Culliver made a leaping pick in the end zone.
Smelley, who started nine games for South Carolina this season, replaced Garcia at the start of the second half. Moe Brown fumbled on the quarterback’s first completion to set up an Iowa field goal, but the Gamecocks did have some success moving the ball the rest of the game.
Stanzi was 13-for-19 for 148 yards, including a 6-yard TD throw to Trey Stross on the first drive of the game. Smelley finished 16-of-31 for 174 yards and no interceptions.
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Comments » 23
BillsBrother writes:
The Bird's looked like they were playing with broken wings, today.
jobrando#216494 writes:
He needs to retire before becoming the next Fulmer
ncvol writes:
Now that was a sad game for the SEC...Go Vols!
TommyJack writes:
Like I said to USCgamecock. Lower tier. Thanks for the embarrasing the SEC.
BillsBrother writes:
It's a shame that we lost to that team.
rabidvol1998 writes:
Spurrier will retire next year as the second winningest coach in SEC history (SEC wins). Fulmer will be 8 or so behind him.
Maybe Fulmer will take SC job for a few years to pass Spurrier? The irony is thick.
Ralph_Crampton writes:
The Big Ten teams are fired up today...SEC teams are playing as if they had no practice sessions at all...thanks SEC teams for letting the Conference down againsty not better...but emotionally teed off teams from the big 10. This will be fodder for football writers around the country to lambast our conference.
givehim6 writes:
OK, what's up with USC and UG? Last night after watching Vandy & LSU playing lights out I thought, the SEC is on a mission. But I think USC and UG did a bit of partying last night, and are a bit hung over.
Ralph_Crampton writes:
SEC teams must win convincingly in bowl games to keep their hard won respect...let downs in bowl games effect the following years' rankings...their detractors fron most of the country look for any reason to ignore the conferencve teams.
BigOrangeInCarolina writes:
I realize this looks bad for the SEC but, being a South Carolinian, NOTHING warms my heart like watching the coots take a thumping-on the gridiron or anywhere else. The fact that Spurrier, who SC fans equate to God, can't put a product on the field that looks any better than teams who played for Granny Clampett or the rest of those loser coaches just makes it that much sweeter. He will realize the whole program is cursed, as Clemson fans have been saying for 50 years, and he'll retire to Amen Corner and enjoy the rest of his days. Meanwhile, the football program at SC will continue its reputation as a toilet dweller and the place where old coaches go to die. GO IOWA!!!
yeavols#228407 writes:
Has anyone seen USCgamecock? I know we didn't go to a bowl, but I didn't see South Carolina on the field today either. I just want to offer my humble apologies.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Very lower tier. Cocky-locky looked like a cooked goose.
Another coach who needs to consider parking his ego and go play 27 a day.
seattlevol writes:
The best part of this game was watching Spurrier throwing fits and pouting on the sideline.... He is not the coach he once was
smokeyvol1 writes:
Seemed like Stevie was more concerned with what was going on in K-town than getting ready for Iowa!
Hudro writes:
He came to SC with two main goals. One to beat Florida and the other to win the SEC. That way he could show Florida what a big mistake they made by hiring Urban and not him. And he could show everyone that he is the greatest by taking a hapless program like the shamecocks and making them a winner. Well he has beaten Florida once but he took his worst whuppin ever from the gators this year and is obviously not closing the talent gap. If he is there for two more seasons I will be very surprised. You can tell in his face that he isn't having very much fun and Garcia is not the second coming of Danny Weurfel. With todays loss Carolina slips under .500 after playing football for over 100 yrs. The longer visor man stays the worse his SEC and overall record gets . Carolina is a coaches graveyard. No one ever leaves there for a better job somewhere else. The 'chicken curse' is a reality!!!!!!
volfan54 writes:
USC was baaaaad today. how did that team beat UT by 3+ touchdowns? i think it shows how much a change was needed at UT. As bad as the gamecocks were, the Vols were worse. better days ahead!
oldsarge writes:
After watching part of this game today. (I switched over to the other bowls) All I can say is, No wonder Spurrier fired his O-Line coach. The Carolina line couldn't block my old, fat posterior. A good O-Line can make even adequate running backs and QB's look good. Until the Ole Ball Coach can solve this problem, USC will be a second tier team. The good news is that the Gamecock defense looked good.
blitzshoot writes:
Choked on their own feathers. To all of those that whined for Superior as HC, there you go. I hate it when they use USC. Embarrassing.
Go4Two writes:
I will say it again it's not about changing times it's about players and Spurrier does not have them and he will never have the players needed to compete in the big time. Give Spurrier OK, Texas, Florida players and he wins big
SignalMtnVol writes:
Nothing I love more than watching the Visor get a boot shoved up his A $$ !!!
huntined#565710 writes:
Hate to say it but ole ball coach got it handed to him today..maybe Urban will trade schools with him and show him how to win the SEC at S.C.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
The henhouse is quiet, just as another group will be if Bradford drains the swamp.
GreerVol22 writes:
What if Kiffin would send Dupree down to Spurrier as a "special" teams coach/peace offering?....we could even buy him his own cockaboose short bus to drive around as a parting gift.
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