Gamecock Film Room: Breaking down Rocket Sanders' 15-yard game-winning shovel pass TD (and an earthquake?) from South Carolina-Missouri

On Saturday, South Carolina broke a streak and continued a couple more. The Gamecocks finally beat the Missouri Tigers (for the first time since 2018), and in doing so, Shane Beamer’s team finished the SEC portion of the schedule with a winning record (5-3) for the first time since 2017. Carolina also won their fourth game in a row and their third straight over a ranked opponent.

In the aftermath of each game, I will be breaking down three positive plays (in separate articles) from a South Carolina perspective.

First up, we will look at one of the loudest moments in Williams-Brice Stadium history, the final South Carolina-Missouri touchdown.

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Gamecock Film Room: South Carolina-Missouri Edition
LaNorris Sellers to Rocket Sanders, 15-yard shovel pass TD

Mere moments after many South Carolina football fans thought, “Here we go again,” the Gamecocks bounced back from surrendering a go-ahead score in the final two minutes against Missouri by driving the length of the field for the game-winning touchdown.

After a couple of big plays in the passing game and a LaNorris Sellers run to get the offense down to the 15-yard line, offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains called a familiar play. In a similar fashion to a big play from the Oklahoma win, Loggains called a shovel pass. This time, the Gamecocks gave a different pre-shovel look and, instead of Oscar Adaway getting the ball, Rocket Sanders was the ‘back.

You can watch the whole play below.

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The South Carolina offense lined up in a shotgun formation with Rocket Sanders (5) next to LaNorris Sellers (16) in the backfield. The 11-personnel grouping also saw tight end Josh Simon (6) in a wing spot off-set to the right. Gage Larvadain (7) was the only receiver on the boundary side. Nyck Harbor (8) was out wide to the right, but Mazeo Bennett (3) was even wider, nearly on the sideline. Before the snap, Bennett came in motion to the slot.

As the play began, Sellers started a short roll to the right. Simon ran a flat route, Bennett and Harbor headed downfield, and Larvadain made a beeline for the middle of the field. Sanders moved over in front of Sellers, almost (emphasis on almost) as if he was getting ready to block the free Missouri rusher off the edge in pass protection. The Gamecock front blocked the play almost like a power run. Left tackle Tree Babalade (51) reached the backside end, center Vershon Lee (53) helped backside while keeping his eye on the linebacker, right guard Torricelli Simpkins (76) blocked down on the tackle, and right tackle Cason Henry (75) worked to reach the playside end. The backside outside linebacker/EDGE player just stood around and watched, and the playside outside ‘backer/EDGE flew upfield thinking he had an easy sack opportunity.

After drawing the rusher in, Sellers delivered a shovel pass forward to Sanders, who remained in forward pitch relationship with his quarterback. The line created a nice hole up the middle after Lee had erased the linebacker. The receivers were looking to get into position for blocks.

As Sanders rocketed through the gaping hole, Missouri linebacker Corey Flagg (11) was waiting. Behind him, one free defensive back was coming up in run support. The backside EDGE and the playside defensive backs were working toward the middle of the field to help. The backside corner quit on the play, thinking his teammates had Sanders tackled.

Sanders broke a weak Flagg tackle attempt (whose falling body also eliminated the pursuit of previously-blocked linebacker Triston Newson (14). However, three Missouri Tigers defenders had Sanders trapped 10 yards shy of the end zone.

The next Tiger to arrive was backside EDGE Johnny Walker (15). He didn’t wrap up on the tough-to-bring-down Sanders, though, and No. 5 bounced off with ease. Walker’s poor attempt also knocked Sanders away from safety Joseph Charleston (28).

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Sanders met defensive backs Daylan Carnell (13) and Toriano Pride (2; also a former Clemson Tiger) at the 2-yard line. Neither player wanted much to do with hitting the South Carolina star. Sanders easily powered forward through them both. However, because Pride went low, Sanders began falling down.

Sanders probably would have crossed the plane had nothing else happened. However, big Tree Babalade made sure the play wasn’t close. Babalade crashed into the pile and drove Sanders a yard into the end zone. Touchdown, Carolina; touchdown, Rocket Sanders.

For good measure, Sanders waved goodbye to Missouri’s five-game winning streak over South Carolina. He also waved goodbye to a personal losing streak to the Tigers, having lost his previous two meetings with Mizzou as a member of the Arkansas Razorbacks.

The breakdown doesn’t end with the play, however.

Meteorologist Chris Jackson posted on X.com a seismograph reading of the Sanders touchdown. Seismographs measure seismic activity, AKA earthquakes. Yes, that picture means that the noise level created such a strong ground vibration in Williams-Brice Stadium that the “pop” caused earthquake readings on the seismograph (also, shoutout to the long pass play to Dalevon Campbell right before). Because it registered higher than 2 μm/s, people on the ground outside of the stadium, theoretically, could have felt the ground shaking.

Find the touchdown. pic.twitter.com/VEWBotPlAt

— ☈ Chris Jackson ☈ (@ChrisJacksonSC) November 17, 2024

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The final offensive play for the Gamecocks proved to be the decider. Missouri only had two more plays from scrimmage (a Kyle Kennard sack and a Jalon Kilgore diving interception) as South Carolina pulled off the victory in one of the wildest games of the college football weekend.

This Saturday, Shane Beamer and his team will play at home again, this time against the Wofford Terriers. Fans can stream the 4:00 p.m. contest on ESPN+, SEC Network+, or the ESPN app.

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