Ed Barnard struck out lustily to move his side into an 11-run

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- South Carolina coach Will Muschamp isnt surprised by the early success of freshman quarterback Jake Bentley.I dont think the moment is too big for him, Muschamp said.It hasnt been so far, anyway.Bentley improved to 3-0 as a starter, throwing for 254 yards and two touchdowns as South Carolina handed Missouri its 11th straight SEC loss 31-21 on Saturday. Bentley showed poise, strength and accuracy in the pocket, completing 22 of 28 passes to lead the Gamecocks (5-4, 3-4 SEC) to their third straight victory and keep them in contention in the SEC East.The Gamecocks are in the midst of a rebuilding project with 78 percent of their roster consisting of underclassmen, but they appear to be on the right track. Freshman running back Rico Dowdle ran for 149 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries and also hauled in a 17-yard TD strike from Bentley.Jake is bringing a lot of energy to the offense and when we have a man-to-man matchup we like were going to take it, said wide receiver Deebo Samuel, another young star for the Gamecocks.Samuel, a sophomore, had 125 yards receiving on nine catches and also ran for a score.He muscled us around a little bit, said Missouri coach Barry Odom.Bentley was off limits after the game because of a team rule instituted by Muschump preventing freshman from talking to the media.Hes very level headed and a very humble young man, Muschamp said. He handles the moment very well.Drew Lock threw for 302 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions for Missouri (2-7, 0-5).South Carolina didnt let down after pulling a 24-21 upset of 18th-ranked Tennessee last week. One of South Carolinas assistant coaches set mousetraps around the locker room earlier in the week to remind players it was a trap game.Everyone is patting you on the back, but I told our players `Dont take the cheese, Muschamp said.With the game tied at 21 late in the third quarter, Rashad Fenton intercepted Lock near the goal line on a deep ball along the right sideline. Bentley led a 98-yard drive, culminating in a go-ahead 20-yard TD run by Dowdle .Bentley showed poise beyond his years in his third start.Late in the first half, he took a sack on a second-and-goal at the 1 rather than throw the ball away. Rather than dwelling on the loss, Bentley tossed a 6-yard TD pass to tight end K.C. Crosby on the next play to give the Gamecocks a 21-14 lead at half.When Jake is in there we feel like we can score from anywhere on the field, said Gamecocks tight end Hayden Hurst.THE TAKEAWAYMISSOURI: Odom said it hurts on a lot of different levels that he wasnt able to get this group of seniors into a bowl game. They entrusted me in putting them in position to have a great senior (season) and that one is going to bother me, Odom said. ... Im frustrated in myself that we havent played a complete game yet.SOUTH CAROLINA: Bentley looks like the real deal for the Gamecocks, which makes you wonder why they waited so long to play the true freshman. The defense, which hasnt allowed an opponent to score 30 points all season, can hang with anyone.TARGETING THE QB: Missouri linebacker Cale Garrett was ejected less than five minutes into the game for targeting Bentley. Garrett became the fourth Missouri player ejected for targeting this season, joining Ronnell Perkins, Marcell Frazier and Brandon Lee.South Carolinas Chris Lammons was ejected from the game in the second quarter for a similar hit on Lock.JUST FOR KICKS: Senior kicker Elliott Fry became South Carolinas all-time leading scorer when he converted an extra point in the second quarter to give him 331 for his career. Fry called it a special honor to be at the top, even if someone knocks him off that pinnacle soon.STREAK CONTINUES: The Tigers havent won an SEC game since Oct. 3, 2015 when they won at home against South Carolina.SCORING OUTBURST: South Carolina isnt used to playing high-scoring games, at least in conference play. The Gamecocks 31 points were their most in an SEC game since a 45-42 overtime loss to Vanderbilt in 2014.MISSED CHANCES: Missouris Tucker McCann missed a pair of fourth quarter field goals, including one with 4:49 left in the game that would have cut the South Carolina lead to seven.UP NEXTMISSOURI: The Tigers return home to host Vanderbilt next Saturday.SOUTH CAROLINA: The Gamecocks travel to Florida on Saturday to face the Gators, who have they have beaten in four of the last six meetings.---More AP college football at www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25. Nik Stauskas Jersey . Halifax beat the Saint John Sea Dogs 7-5 on the strength of two goals apiece from Nikolaj Ehlers, Matt Murphy and Brent Andrews. Jonathan Drouin also scored and had three assists while Zachary Fucale made 17 saves for the Mooseheads (16-8-0), who led 6-1 after two periods. Dean Wade Jersey . Pettersen, winner of last years Evian Championships, had nine birdies and three bogeys, holding off a series of challengers led by Marion Ricordeau of France. The second-ranked Norwegian made her season debut after missing the LPGA Tours opening event last month in the Bahamas because of a shoulder injury. https://www.thecavalierslockerroom.com/ . -- There were so many positives from the Orlando Magics first victory of the season that it was hard for coach Jacque Vaughn to stop praising his players. Kyle Korver Cavaliers Jersey .7 million, one-year contract, a raise of $2.2 million. Wieters had asked for $8.75 million and the Orioles had offered $6. Collin Sexton Jersey . LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string. Kent 451 (Stevens 81, Gidman 75*) and 14 for 0 beat Worcestershire 211 and 251 (Rhodes 55, Stevens 3-31) by 10 wicketsScorecard Kent dented Worcestershires promotion tilt by mopping up the visitors last four wickets in barely an hour and knocking off the 12 runs required to clinch a 10-wicket win in their Specsavers County Championship match.The marquees - bursting and busy for the first three days of the 165th Canterbury Cricket Week encounter - stood empty and silent, all bar the CAMRA real ale tent where a gaggle of happy and hardy Kentish supporters applauded their sides deserved victory, wrapped up with more than two sessions to spare.Having dismissed Daryl Mitchells side for 251 second-time around, Kent openers Sean Dickson and Daniel Bell-Drummond needed only six minutes to knock off the runs to inflict a second defeat of the summer upon Worcestershire.Resuming on their parlous overnight score of 213 for 6 - an overall match deficit of 27 runs - the Midlanders were soon even deeper in trouble.Kent started making inroads as early as the 15th ball of the day when Matt Coles, having just taken the second new ball, struck with his fifth ball of the day.Pushing defensively at one just outside off stump, Ben Cox (39) found a thick outside edge for James Tredwell to claim a comfortable catch at second slip with the visitors still 20 runs in arrears.Without addition to the total Joe Leach (3) sparred at one from Darren Stevens to nick behind and give Sam Billings his eighth catch of the match.Stevens struck again with Worcestershire still six runs in arrears. Having played and missed at one that clipped his front pad, Kyle Abbott lifted his back foot during a half-hearted lbw appeal allowing Sam Billings to whip off the bails for a gift stumping. Billings became the tenth Kent keeper to claim nine dismissals in a match.Ed Barnard struck out lustily to move his side into an 11-run lead before his sliced drive against Stevens flew to Will Gidman at short third man to end the Woorcestershire innings soon after noon.dddddddddddd Stevens finished with 3 for 31, while Gidman and Tredwell bagged two apiece as Kent banked 23 points for their third win of the summer. Worcestershire went home with only four points.Having enjoyed runs and wickets on his home championship debut for Kent, Gidman, the on-loan Nottinghamshire allrounder said: To get those two second-innings wickets with a slightly older ball and just as Worcestershire were forming a decent partnership was really pleasing. On the whole Im delighted with the way the bowling has gone since coming here.I got slightly lucky with the first wicket. The lad George Rhodes was playing really well, but he started batting way out of his crease and, when I bowled him a really full one, he ended up yorking himself. Then, against Daryl Mitchell, that was one that moved back up the him and hit him full in front.Id have loved to have scored a hundred, but batting at No8 its the last thing youre really expecting. Im more thankful that Tredders, Colesy and Mitch hung around as long as they did and, in the context of the match, formed some vital partnerships with me.Worcestershires head coach said the defeat was simply a blip in an otherwise excellent season for his side. Kent played really well and the fact that we were a little under par was mainly due to the fact that Kent played some really good stuff over the four days. On this performance theyre becoming a very good side.Brett DOliveira will come back in but it wont be a case of wholesale changes just because weve lost one match. Sport is all about winning and losing and I don;t know many teams who just keep winning all of the time. Sometimes these lads deserve another chance to get themselves into some better form and weve played plenty of good cricket already this season to know that were capable of producing better than this. ' ' '