COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Coastal Carolina football team suffered a 49-15 loss Saturday afternoon in its 2018 season opener at South Carolina.
The Gamecocks (1-0) ran an efficient offense in their victory over the Chants (0-1), scoring touchdowns on seven of 10 possessions with just one punt and one turnover on downs.
Coastal’s lone touchdown of the game came midway through the fourth quarter when backup quarterback Bryce Carpenter connected with Jaivon Heiligh for eight yards to cap a seven-play, 68-yard drive. Freshman kicker Massimo Biscardi added three field goals, impressing in his Chanticleer debut with makes from 39, 45 and 27 yards.
Kilton Anderson started the game quarterbacking the Chants, completing 11-13 passes for 91 yards. Marcus Outlow finished the game as the Chants’ leading rusher with 59 yards on 12 attempts, while Malcolm Williams was the leading receiver with six catches for 49 yards.
Sophomore linebacker Silas Kelly continued where he left off in the 2017 season, leading all players with eight tackles that were all solo efforts, tying his career high. One of Kelly’s tackles was a nine-yard sack in the first half that forced South Carolina’s lone punt of the day, and he was also credited with two pass breakups.
South Carolina carried a 14-0 lead into the second quarter after a pair of scoring drives that took up half of the opening frame. Biscardi put Coastal on the board early in the second quarter after a 15-play, 53-yard drive stalled at the South Carolina 29 yard line.
The Gamecocks responded with two more touchdowns before halftime, however, both coming from the arm of quarterback Jake Bentley. The junior finished the game with four touchdown passes total, and completed 22 of his 29 attempts for 250 yards.
Coastal opened the scoring in the second half with Biscardi nailing a 45 yarder, a career best for the young freshman. Once again though, the Gamecocks answered with two more touchdowns to stretch their advantage to 42-6.
Coastal and South Carolina traded touchdowns just three minutes apart midway through the fourth, and the Chants capped the day’s scoring with Biscardi’s final field goal make from 27 yards.
The Chants return to action next Saturday to host UAB in their 2018 home opener at Brooks Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m., and the game will be streamed on ESPN3.
