COLUMBIA, S.C., Oct. 6 (UPI) -- Derek Watson rushed for 135 yards on 16 carries Saturday as the 12th-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks coasted to a 42-6 victory over Kentucky to improve to 5-0 for the first time since 1988.
Phil Petty completed 10 of 16 passes for 112 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for a score, helping South Carolina boost its SEC East mark to 4-0. That is the Gamecocks' best conference start ever.
With games against Arkansas and Vanderbilt to follow, the Gamecocks could be 7-0 entering a showdown with Tenneessee on Oct. 27.
South Carolina won its first three SEC games by a combined eight points, including last week's 37-36 victory over Alabama, when it scored two touchdowns in the final 6 1/2 minutes.
Saturday's contest was never in doubt as the Gamecocks built a 21-0 lead in the first quarter.
Andrew Pinnock rushed for 61 yards on 11 carries for South Carolina, including a pair of one-yard touchdowns.
Pinnock's first touchdown started a stretch in which the Gamecocks erupted for 21 points in a 2:52 span late in the first quarter.
Petty scored on a 14-yard with 14 seconds left in the first quarter, then tossed a 23-yard pass to Corey Alexander on the final play of the period to give South Carolina a 21-0 lead.
Kentucky (1-4, 0-3) avoided a shutout on Shane Boyd's 28-yard pass to Aaron Boone 4 1/2 minutes into the fourth quarter.
The Wildcats have allowed 128 points in their three SEC defeats this season.
