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Hawkeyes Dominate Gamecocks In Outback Bowl

Tribune photo by JASON BEHNKEN

University of Iowa Shonn Greene gets into the endzone for a 2nd quarter touchdown.

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By ADAM ADKINS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 1, 2009

Updated: 01/01/2009 02:55 pm

TAMPA - Iowa is heading into the offseason on a good note. South Carolina, meanwhile, is heading into the offseason with some uncertainty under center.

Outback Bowl MVP Shonn Greene rushed for 132 yards and three touchdowns to power Iowa to a 31-10 victory over South Carolina in the 23rd annual Outback Bowl on Thursday afternoon at Raymond James Stadium. It was the sixth victory in the final seven games for the Hawkeyes, who finish the season 9-4.

The Gamecocks finish the season at 7-6, having lost three consecutive games to close out Coach Steve Spurrier's fourth year with the program. But the worst news for South Carolina is the cloud of uncertainty floating over the quarterback position after freshman Stephen Garcia, a former Jefferson High standout was got the starting nod for the bowl game back in his hometown, was unable to establish himself as the team's signal caller of the future and was benched for the second half after turning the ball over on the Gamecocks' first four possessions of the game.

Iowa started fast and never really was threatened. Greene, an All-American and the Doak Walker Award winner, rushed for more than 100 yards for the 13th time this season – the only Division I running back to rush for more than 100 yards in each game. The Hawkeyes defense, meanwhile, was very effective as well, keeping South Carolina off the scoreboard through the first three quarters while forcing five turnovers.

The Hawkeyes scored touchdowns on three of six first-half possessions, with quarterback Ricky Stanzi throwing a 6-yard scoring pass to Trey Stross and Greene adding a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs, to take a 21-0 lead into halftime.

Garcia, making just his third collegiate start under center for the Gamecocks, struggled mightily in the first half as South Carolina fell into a huge hole. He was intercepted on his first pass attempt (one of three first-half interceptions) and fumbled on his first rushing attempt. He was replaced in the second half by sophomore Chris Smelley, who led the Gamecocks on their only scoring drives and produced the team's lone touchdown with a fourth-quarter touchdown pass to tight end Jared Cook.

Garcia finished 9 of 18 for 79 yards and three interceptions, while Smelley was 16 of 31 for 182 yards and no interceptions.

Greene added an 11-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter that gave the Hawkeyes a 31-0 lead. It was his 20th touchdown of the season, breaking Tavian Banks' (19 total touchdowns in 1997) single-season mark for touchdowns in a season.

All of Greene's scores this season have come on the ground, and the 20 rushing touchdowns is a new single-season record. Greene's three rushing scores Thursday also was a Hawkeyes bowl game record.

Iowa improved to 12-10-1 all-time in bowl games and 2-1 in the Outback Bowl. South Carolina fell to 4-10 all-time in bowl games and suffered its first loss in three trips to the Outback Bowl.

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