Pair of South Carolina Gamecocks Earn SEC Honors After Win Over Old Dominion

The South Carolina Gamecocks found themselves in a neck-and-neck race against Old Dominion on Saturday in a game that saw them open as 21-point favorites. While the offense struggled to get going throughout the game, it was the Gamecocks’ defense, led by Kyle Kennard and Dylan Stewart, that secured the win over the Monarchs.

Coming into Saturday’s game, Kennard and Stewart were expected to be counted on heavily at quarterback, and they were. The Gamecocks’ star pass rush duo accounted for four sacks on the night, including a big fumble inside the 10-yard line.

Stewart played so well that he earned a 95.2 pass rush grade from PFF. The kicker there? That’s the highest-rated player of the week as a true freshman.

Each week the SEC publishes their “players of the week” detailing which players have been the most successful at each position. This week, because the play of Kennard and Stewart was so spectacular, the SEC gave them both the player of the week title.

This defense has been talked about all offseason as one of the best in the conference. If they clean up some plays, ODU scores twice on a blown coverage and a QB scramble, this defense could become one of the best in the country.

South Carolina needs another big performance from this duo and an improvement in attack as they prepare for their first road game of the year against Kentucky.

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