MarShawn Lloyd after beating Texas A&M: 'We're here now'

South Carolina running back MarShawn Lloyd exited the win over Texas A&M with a major proclamation.

“Honestly, it felt like… we were able to show people that two weeks ago wasn’t a fluke. We’re here now,” Lloyd said in his post-game press conference. “South Carolina is on the rise. We’re here to compete with anyone and we’re just going to keep getting better and better each week. We’re able to prove to everyone that we can play against any team and compete against anybody.”

Lloyd helped the Gamecocks to a 30-24 win over the Aggies on Saturday with 92 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

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The win gave South Carolina their first four-game winning streak since 2013. The Gamecocks currently sit at 5-2 overall on the season and 2-2 in the SEC. Texas A&M fell to 3-4 overall and 1-3 in the SEC.

Shane Beamer’s squad is one win away from reaching bowl eligibility for another season. With Missouri and Vanderbilt coming up on the schedule, that sixth win should come soon. Then, the Gamecocks must close the regular season with Florida, No. 3 Tennessee and No. 5 Clemson. Ending the season with a top-10 upset would be a huge step forward for Beamer in his early years in Columbia.

Lloyd defends Marcus Satterfield

Saturday was a great day for MarShawn Lloyd and the Gamecocks. On Sunday, however, the running back felt the need to take to Twitter to defend his offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield.

“Please stop disrespecting Coach Sat! He’s literally the most dedicated coach I’ve ever had,” Lloyd tweeted on Sunday. “This man does not take his job lightly. I wish everyone could see all he put into this. Every time something goes wrong everyone goes straight to it being his fault when really it be us!”

The South Carolina offense notched just 13 first downs and they finished 8-for-16 on third-down conversions but ultimately, Lloyd’s four-yard touchdown scamper with three minutes remaining made the difference.

When the Gamecocks needed it most, the offense managed an eight-play, 80-yard drive. It was just enough to get them the win and to keep the critics at bay for Satterfield.