NASHVILLE, Sept. 5 (UPI) -- Chris Nickson accounted for two third-quarter touchdowns Thursday and rallied Vanderbilt to its second win in as many years over No. 24 South Carolina 24-17.
Nickson tied the game with a 31-yard pass to Brandon Barden one play after South Carolina's Addison Williams fumbled away a punt. The Vanderbilt quarterback then gave the Commodores a 17-10 lead on a one-yard run with 3:53 to play in the third.
Jared Hawkins increased the Vanderbilt advantage with a 13-yard run midway through the fourth quarter, only to have South Carolina close within a touchdown on Chris Smelley's six-yard pass to Freddie Brown.
The Gamecocks' score came with 7:39 to play and they soon moved to the Vanderbilt 34 before consecutive sacks brought up a fourth-and-18 situation. South Carolina punted down to the Vanderbilt five-yard line with 2:34 left, relying on its defense to give it another chance.
Hawkins, however, carried the ball five straight times for 24 yards and two first downs to clinch the victory.
Vanderbilt improved to 2-0 and South Carolina fell to 1-1 in the opening Southeastern Conference game for both teams.
Smelley completed 23 of 39 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns, but was intercepted twice.
