Swain's 2 punt return TDs set school career record, lead South Carolina to 45-9 win over FCS Towson

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Vicari Swain had two punt return touchdowns to break the South Carolina career record with five while quarterback LaNorris Sellers and tailback Matt Fuller had long scoring runs as the Gamecocks defeated Towson 45-9 on a rainy Saturday night.

The game was delayed by lightning and heavy rain for 74 minutes after Sellers' 58-yard TD run early in third quarter put South Carolina up 24-3.

Swain, a senior defensive back, started the Gamecocks scoring with a 58-yard punt return in the first quarter. He added a 45-yard return score in the third quarter as Towson punted from the end zone and Swain had rolled left and through several defenders, leaping to get past punter Owen Scheihing and into the end zone.

Scheihing left the field by cart, sitting up, after the collision.

Swain also blocked an extra point after Towson's lone touchdown, a 23-yard pass to Aaron Enterline in the third quarter.

The Gamecocks, who started 2-0 for a third consecutive season, had come in off a dominant 57-0 showing in the opener against Kent State and figured to do the same to Towson, of the Football Championship Subdivision. But mistakes and misconnections cost the Gamecocks throughout.

Fuller, who had a 55-yard scoring run, fumbled the ball twice and saw his apparent, 14-yard TD run wiped out by penalty. Max Kelley missed his first field-goal try of the season and quarterback Sellers was picked off right before halftime with the Gamecocks driving.

Twice, open receivers dropped Sellers' passes in the end zone and the senior finished with 96 yards passing, his lowest total as a starter.

Swain surpassed the school career mark for punt return TDs of Dickie Harris, who had four from 1969-71.

Towson (0-3) struggled to move the ball against the swarming South Carolina defense. The Tigers managed just 203 yards, just 21 on the ground.

Towson: Lots of positives for the Tigers who had lost a week ago to FBS program Navy 42-15. They were hanging in 24-9 before South Carolina scored the final 21 points. And they collected $550,000 from the Southeastern Conference school for the visit.

South Carolina: While the team looked on-point in the opener, coach Shane Beamer will find plenty of issues to correct after this week as South Carolina prepares to face Mississippi State which won its first two games by a combined 100-26 score.

Towson returns home to play Morgan State on Saturday night.

South Carolina opens Southeastern Conference play at home against Mississippi State on Saturday.

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