COLUMBIA, South Carolina (Ticker) -- Lou Holtz and South Carolina woke up in plenty of time.
Quarterback Dondrial Pinkins threw for one touchdown and ran for another and Daccus Turman rushed for 123 yards and a score as the Gamecocks dominated undermanned Virginia in a 31-7 win over the 15th-ranked Cavaliers.
Following a slugging 14-7 win over Louisiana-Lafayette last week, Holtz went into his traditional routine of downplaying his team's ability, a practice made famous during his tenure at Notre Dame. Holtz lamented that his Gamecocks had little chance against the Cavaliers and that "we should take the week off and sleep."
But Holtz had nicer things to say about his team after Saturday's win.
"I don't want to undersell this football team," Holtz said. "I don't want anyone to belittle this football team. But I got to be honest - on Monday I was a basket case."
South Carolina (2-0) was alert and ready on Saturday, taking the lead for good midway through the second quarter on a school-record 99-yard touchdown pass from Pinkins to Troy Williamson that gave the Gamecocks a 10-7 lead.
The longest previous record was 97 yards from Todd Ellis to Robert Brooks against East Carolina in 1988.
"It wasn't a shift in momentum, but more like a shift in score," Virginia coach Al Groh said of the slant pass. "It was a play we anticipated by the way we were practicing this week. It was a very embarrassing play."
Pinkins completed 9-of-24 passes for 162 yards as the Gamecocks outgained the Cavaliers, 423-170. South Carolina, which plays Georgia next week, rolled up 261 yards on the ground, taking the pressure off Pinkins.
"I don't think we'll stop passing," Pinkins said. "We just tried to pound the ball in there and get in the end zone."
Turman, who carried 18 times, made it 17-7 with a six-yard TD run late in the third quarter.
Virginia (1-1) struggled without quarterback Matt Schaub, a preseason Heisman Trophy candidate who injured his shoulder last week in a 27-0 win over Duke.
Freshman Anthony Martinez started in Schaub's place and completed just 10-of-20 passes for 54 yards and was sacked twice.
"We didn't anticipate putting anyone else in the game," Groh said.
Star running back Wali Lundy gained just 35 yards on nine carries.
Alvin Pearman ran for 91 yards on 17 carries and scored the only touchdown for Virginia on a six-yard run in the second quarter.
Daniel Weaver of South Carolina opened the scoring with a 42-yard field goal with 11:14 left in the quarter. Bennett Swygert capped the scoring with a six-yard TD run with 1:18 remaining in the game.
