South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore, looks for a hole in the Missouri defensive line as he rushes for a first down during the first half of an NCAA college football game, at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, S.C., Saturday, Sept. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Brett Flashnick)
South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore, looks for a hole in the Missouri defensive line as he rushes for a first down during the first half of an NCAA college football game, at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, S.C., Saturday, Sept. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Brett Flashnick)
South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore dives through a hole in the Missouri defensive line to score a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game, at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, S.C., Saturday, Sept. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Brett Flashnick)
Missouri quarterback James Franklin drops back to pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against South Carolina at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, S.C., Saturday, Sept. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Brett Flashnick)
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) ? Leave it to Steve Spurrier to focus on Connor Shaw's one mistake.
"Well, he got off to a slow start," South Carolina head ball coach said with a grin. "He missed his first one, I think."
Shaw was absolutely perfect after that, completing his final 20 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns in the seventh-ranked Gamecocks 31-10 victory over Missouri on Saturday.
The Tigers' first Southeastern Conference road game didn't go any better than their first at home. In fact, it was worse. Thanks in large part to Shaw, they were never really in it.
Spurrier, the Heisman Trophy winning passer notoriously harsh on QBs as coach, gave Shaw a game ball and plenty of praise after a performance that left the junior tied for second all-time in the SEC for consecutive completions.
Marcus Lattimore ran for two touchdowns to set another school record as the Gamecocks (2-0 SEC) moved to 4-0 for just the ninth time in 119 years of football.
Shaw had played less than two quarters the past two games, dealing with a hairline fracture in his right throwing shoulder. Spurrier, though, said early in the week his junior starter was fine and ready to go against Missouri.
South Carolina's head ball coach knew what he was talking about.
"I just found a groove and stayed with it," said Shaw, who improved 11-1 as a starter.
There were plenty of South Carolina fans who wanted Shaw on the sidelines longer after backup Dylan Thompson threw for 507 yards and five touchdowns in wins over East Carolina and UAB while Shaw sat.
Shaw, though, showed there's no doubt who is in charge of South Carolina's offense.
Shaw's "our leader, he's consistent. He stays in the pocket when he has to, he runs when he has to," Lattimore said. "He's a complete quarterback."
And he was completely unstoppable against Missouri (2-2, 0-2).
Shaw was on target after that early incompletion to Lattimore and showed no discomfort from the injury. His consecutive passes streak was tied for second in the SEC to Tennessee's Tee Martin, who completed 23 in a row against the Gamecocks at Williams-Brice Stadium during the Vols' national championship season.
Shaw also ran for 41 yards.
Lattimore rushed for 85 yards. His touchdowns gave him South Carolina's career mark with 33 rushing scores, a record Lattimore shared with Heisman Trophy winner George Rogers and Harold Green. Last week, Lattimore set the school's all-time total touchdown mark, also surpassing Rogers and Green.
Missouri struggled against a Gamecocks defense that has given up three touchdowns all year and hadn't yielded a TD from 20 yards and in until the Tigers scoring pass at the end. Missouri had a season-low 255 yards.
Starting quarterback James Franklin was back after missing last week's win over Arizona State because of a shoulder problem. He was held to 92 yards passing and was sacked three times.
"I don't even know how many times we gave ourselves a chance to make plays," Missouri receiver T.J. Moe said. "We were dropping balls all over the place and not making plays. We were so bad offensively, we didn't put ourselves in position to make plays. That's hard to do."
South Carolina linebacker Shaq Wilson felt Missouri's up-tempo offense slowed down.
"We practiced hard during the week and then came out here and put on a show," Wilson said.
The Gamecocks' defense didn't miss senior safety D.J. Swearinger, suspended by the SEC for his hit on UAB's Patrick Hearn last week. Missouri had just 151 yards through three quarters.
The Tigers finally crossed the goal line on Corbin Berkstresser's 1-yard pass to Marcus Lucas with 17 seconds left.
Missouri had held strong into the third quarter before fading in its SEC opener against No. 5 Georgia two weeks ago. The Tigers fell apart in the second quarter in their first conference road game since joining the league this fall.
Ace Sanders' 49-yard punt return to the Missouri 4 set up Lattimore's first rushing TD from 2 yards out.
Missouri's Russell Hansbrough fumbled on the team's following possession and South Carolina took over at the Tigers 37.
Shaw threw to Nick Jones for 36 yards to the Missouri 1 and Lattimore followed with another touchdown.
Missouri put together its offense near the end of the half, driving 76 yards to the South Carolina 4. That's when the Gamecocks' defense ? third in the SEC and the country last year ? kicked in. Chaz Sutton stuffed Franklin for a 3-yard loss on 1st-and-goal, and Franklin overthrew Dorial Green-Beckham at the back of the end zone two plays later.
The Tigers settled for Andrew Baggett's 22-yard field goal with 1:20 left.
South Carolina, though, wasn't finished. Bruce Ellington went 50 yards on the Gamecocks first kickoff return of the season and five plays later, Shaw connected with Sanders for a 23-yard touchdown with 24 seconds to go that put South Carolina ahead 21-3.
The fans at sold-out Williams-Brice broke out the "S-E-C" chant as Missouri defenders jogged off the field.
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