UNC vs. South Carolina: Score, Highlights and Twitter Reaction

The South Carolina Gamecocks sought a better start to 2015 than last year's debacle in Thursday's gridiron showdown with North Carolina at Bank of America Stadium. And coach Steve Spurrier's team overcame a rough start to begin its year in ideal fashion.

Tar Heels quarterback Marquise Williams threw three interceptions, including one with three minutes and 40 seconds left to Skai Moore on 4th-and-goal from the 8-yard line, to cost UNC as South Carolina emerged with a gritty 17-13 victory in Charlotte, North Carolina.

ESPN Stats & Info illustrated how careless Williams was with the ball so close to paydirt:

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Marquise Williams (UNC): 3 interceptions inside opponent's 25-yard line (0 such interceptions in 87 career passes entering game)

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 4, 2015"

A combination of Gamecocks quarterback Connor Mitch's inexperience and the improved North Carolina defense under new coordinator Gene Chizik allowed the visitors to overcome their errors for the first 45 minutes of the game.    

Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer praised the job Chizik did in his debut calling the shots—albeit with some hyperbole:

Everything changed on one play 2:11 into the final quarter. Gamecocks running back Shon Carson took off down the sideline for a 48-yard touchdown scamper to give South Carolina a 17-13 lead after the ensuing point-after attempt.

ESPN CollegeFootball provided footage of Carson's explosive run that turned out to be the game-winning jaunt:

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See ya! South Carolina RB Shon Carson takes the carry for 48-yard TD as Gamecocks take a 17-13 lead. http://t.co/qpDvnX6rVP #UNCvsSC

— ESPN CollegeFootball (@ESPNCFB) September 4, 2015"

The Gamecocks then relied almost exclusively on Carson and Brandon Wilds to ice the win, and the ball-carriers delivered in a big way. Carson registered 75 yards on four carries, while Wilds had 51 rushing yards on 14 attempts.

Spurrier acknowledged prior to Thursday's contest that he was rather uncertain about his team, implying a cautious approach as opposed to last season ahead of an eventual 52-28 loss to Texas A&M in the opener.

"Hopefully, we're not as overconfident as maybe we were last year," said Spurrier, per Sporting News' Jeff Owens. "We're not overconfident, I can say that for sure. Hopefully, we'll be anxious to show the country that we're a pretty good team."

The opening half of Thursday's game didn't inspire much confidence at all in the "Head Ball Coach," per College GameDay:

North Carolina marched down the field on its opening drive before Moore intercepted the talented but inconsistent Williams on 3rd-and-goal from the 6-yard line.

After a three-and-out to start, Spurrier dialed up a fake punt to avoid another brief possession. His sophomore signal-caller, Mitch, then misfired on three straight passes to trigger another punt.

Williams bounced back from the pick with three long completions capped by a 21-yard touchdown pass to Bug Howard to give UNC a 7-0 advantage. ESPN CollegeFootball had footage of the highlight:

To Mitch's credit, he rallied his side to even the score at 7-7 on an 11-play, 75-yard drive completed with a nine-yard TD strike on an underneath route to star Gamecocks receiver Pharoh Cooper. Two field-goal drives orchestrated by Williams allowed UNC to enter halftime up 13-10.

South Carolina responded to Spurrier, to say the least, in shutting out the Tar Heels in the last half.

Williams threw another interception in Gamecocks territory to Jordan Diggs in the third quarter; again South Carolina didn't transfer it into any points. ESPN's Danny Kanell lamented how Cooper couldn't clone himself for South Carolina's offense—though he did wear multiple hats as a Wildcat QB and receiver:

On Mitch's best throw, which could've led to at least a game-tying field goal on that next possession following Williams' second pick, he received a 15-yard unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty and ultimately stalled the drive.

Mitch finished 9-of-22 passing for 122 yards and the score to Cooper. Thankfully the defense and rushing attack picked up enough for the Gamecocks to come out on top.

South Carolina didn't even receive a top-25 vote in this year's initial Associated Press poll, though. The team faces an uphill battle to get into the national-rankings picture even after Thursday's win—especially in the difficult SEC.

The Gamecocks seem to be finding their footing in the post-Jadeveon Clowney era. The defense hasn't been the same since he left after 2013, but it appears South Carolina is turning a corner on that side of the ball to a degree. It will simply have to endure Mitch's growing pains under center and lean on the backfield on offense.

As for North Carolina, this is a tough defeat for the program. Still under fire from the NCAA amid an academic probe, the Tar Heels at least have some decent talent to work with in 2015.

If Williams can cut down on the turnovers and the defense holds form under Chizik, it stands to reason UNC can salvage a solid 2015 campaign.