South Carolina football puts three on SEC's list of Players of the Week
South Carolina football won big once again on Saturday in a 28-7 beatdown of the then-No.24 Vanderbilt Commodores. The game was another strong offensive showing for the Gamecocks, and the victory pushed the team into bowl eligibility.
On Monday, the SEC announced that three South Carolina stars earned their way onto the SEC’s list of the Conference Players of the Week. Quarterback LaNorris Sellers was the league’s Freshman of the Week for the second week in a row. Guard Torricelli Simpkins was also on the team again as the Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week. Running back Rocket Sanders joined them this week as the SEC’s Co-Offensive Player of the Week.
[GamecockCentral: $1 for 7 days and 50% off first year]
From the Southeastern Conference press release:
Football Players of the Week
OFFENSIVE
Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama
- Put together another dominant performance against LSU, this time in Baton Rouge
- Accounted for 294 total yards on a rain-soaked night, including 185 rushing and 109 passing
- Racked up 185 yards and four scores on only 12 carries for a 15.4 yards per rush average, tied for the fourth-best single-game average in UA history (min. 10 carries)
- Matched his career-high total with the four rushing touchdowns and became only the second player in Alabama history to record two four-plus touchdown games in a career (Shaun Alexander)
- Found the end zone as a runner from 39, 10, 19 and 72 yards away
- His four rushing touchdowns moved his season total to 16 to set the new Alabama single-season record for rushing scores by a quarterback
- Added 109 yards through the air on 12-of-18 passing
Raheim “Rocket” Sanders, RB, South Carolina
- Carried 15 times for 126 yards and two touchdowns in the Gamecocks’ 28-7 win at No. 24/25 Vanderbilt.
- Caught two passes for 52 yards and a touchdown.
- Totaled 178 yards and three scores.
- Scored on a 33-yard run, a 1-yard run and a 43-yard pass reception.
- Became the first Gamecock to rush for 100 yards in back-to-back games since Kevin Harris in 2020.
DEFENSIVE
Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
- Was dominant in Death Valley as the Tide limited LSU to only 13 points, including just two field goals until the final seconds of the game
- Led the Tide with 12 tackles, including a team-high six solo stops
- Registered three tackles for loss (-15 yards) and 1.5 sacks (-14 yards) to pace UA and set new career single-game highs in both categories
- Also forced a key fumble in the second quarter, giving the Tide the ball back deep in LSU territory and leading to an eventual touchdown
- Added one pass breakup and a quarterback hurry to his stat line
Triston Newson, LB, Missouri
- Totaled 10 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1.0 sack, & one forced fumble
- Logged a strip-sack with 22 seconds left that Mizzou scooped up and scored for the game-winning TD
- Tackles and TFL totals marked season highs
SPECIAL TEAMS
Caden Davis, PK, Ole Miss
- Connected on all five field goals in the rain and one PAT to lead Ole Miss to the historic win over No. 2 Georgia, 28-10.
- Became the first Rebel kicker to make five field goals in a game since Luke Logan in 2018.
- Booted his second 50-yard FG of the season with a 53-yarder in the second quarter.
- Moved up the Ole Miss all-time charts to sixth in extra points, seventh in field goals and eighth in points scored.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Tyler Booker, OL, Alabama
- Continued his standout season with another impressive performance in the top-15 matchup
- Helped the Crimson Tide total 420 yards of offense and hang 42 points on the Tigers
- Highlighted UA’s offensive line unit that did not allow a sack against the elite LSU pass-rush
- Opened holes for the Alabama backs to accumulate 311 rushing yards and six scores on the night
- Kept Jalen Milroe upright as the Tide quarterback finished with 109 yards passing
- Graded out at a 91 percent by the Crimson Tide coaching staff
- Totaled a team-high 10 knockdown blocks and did not allow a pressure or commit a penalty against the Tigers
Torricelli Simpkins III, OG, South Carolina
- Led an offensive line that produced 452 yards of offense on just 63 plays in the Gamecocks’ 28-7 win at No. 24/25 Vanderbilt.
- The Gamecocks rolled up 214 rushing yards and 238 passing yards in the win.
- Vandy was allowing just 112 yards rushing and 337 yards of total offense per game prior to the contest.
- Graded out a team-high 93 percent with 11 knockdown blocks and eight pancakes.
- The Gamecocks did not allow a sack for the second-straight week.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Jared Ivey, DE, Ole Miss
- Led a dominant Ole Miss defense in the historic win over No. 2 Georgia, 28-10.
- Tallied seven tackles with a career-high five solo stops and two sacks, including one that forced a fumble.
- Also recorded two pass break-ups, including a tipped pass that resulted in an interception for the Rebels.
- Directed an Ole Miss D that limited Georgia to its fewest total yards since 2017 and fewest rushing yards and points scored since 2021.
- The Rebels forced four fumbles and three total turnovers with nine TFL, five sacks, five pass breakups, four QB hurries and an interception.
- His 15th and 16th career sacks for the Rebels moved him into ninth all-time at Ole Miss, passing Dewayne Dotson.
Princely Umanmielen, DE, Ole Miss
- Led a dominant Ole Miss defense in the historic win over No. 2 Georgia, 28-10.
- Tallied five total tackles with two sacks, including one that forced a fumble.
- Directed an Ole Miss D that limited Georgia to its fewest yards since 2017 and fewest rushing yards and points since 2021.
- The Rebels forced four fumbles and three total turnovers with nine TFL, five sacks, five pass breakups, four QB hurries and one interception.
- Boasts six sacks in the last three games.
FRESHMAN
LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina
- Completed 14-of-20 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns in the Gamecocks’ 28-7 win at No. 24/25 Vanderbilt.
- Added 13 rushes for 38 yards.
- Touchdown passes were from 17 and 43 yards out.
- Completed a 51-yard pass to Jared Brown that led to a touchdown after it appeared he would be tackled near his own end zone.