CHARLOTTE, NC (AP) — South Carolina coach Shane Beamer poured a bucket of mayonnaise over his head on Thursday, creating a memorable and messy finish on Gamecock's 38-21 win over North Carolina at Duke's Mayo Bowl.
Jahim Bell took five catches for 159 yards and two touchdowns for South Carolina (7–6), which turned out well after a 30–0 loss to Clemson in their regular season finale on November 27. Kevin Harris rushes for 169 yards and scores one, helping secure a mayo bath for the beamer.
Bell came into the game during the regular season receiving 338 yards and with three TDs, but began to feature prominently in the game plan.
The sophomore tight end freed for a 69-yard touchdown reception from wide receiver to quarterback DeKarron Joyner and was caught in a 66-yard TD catch from former graduate assistant coach Jeb Noland at South Carolina's first two properties.
JuJu McDowell added a 35-yard TD run in the second quarter as South Carolina averaged 11.6 yards per game while leading 25-13 in the first half.
Sam Howell threw for 205 yards and a touchdown for the Tar Heels (6–7), and reserve back running British Brooks held the bowl record of 63-yard touchdown runs for the Tar Heels.
South Carolina swung Joyner and Noland into the center, and both were effective.
Joyner attempted only one pass this season and 31 in his college career.
But the element of surprise proved effective on the Gamecocks' first possession, when Joyner struck a 6-foot-3, 232-pound bail down the middle of the field.
Joyner completed a 9-of-9 passing for 160 yards and also ran for 64 yards. Noland was passing 3-of-6 for 82 yards as Gamecock went about three quarters past his first incomplete pass.
Howell, a predicted first-round pick in the NFL's draft, made several impressive throws with his strong, precise hand. But the junior quarterback spent most of the game under heavy pressure behind an offensive line that struggled for most of the season.
The Tar Heels cut the lead to 11 in the middle of the third quarter on a double-reverse flea flick, with Howell finding a wide-open Garrett Walston for a 37-yard touchdown.
But South Carolina's offense proved to be too much for a punchy North Carolina defense as Gamecock covered 543 yards on the offense.
GAME CHANGER
Dakereon Joyner found Jaheim Bell on Carolina's first possession for a 69-yard touchdown pass with 10:15 left in the first quarter, giving the Gamecocks a lead it would not relinquish. Joyner was a perfect 9-for-9 passing and earned MVP honors while Bell had a career high 159 yards on five receptions.
KEY STAT
543 – Carolina had a season and bowl game high 543 yards of total offense in the win, 301 on the ground and 242 in the air. The previous Gamecock high in a bowl game was 512 vs. Houston in the 2006 Liberty Bowl.