Butch Dill / AP

Connecticut receiver Kashif Moore catches a pass for a touchdown against South Carolina on Saturday.

Leading receiver Alshon Jeffery was held to three catches for 28 yards, all in the first half. Tailback Kenny Miles had just six carries for 24 yards.

“We missed things the whole day. Passes, tackles,” Spurrier said. “I’m embarrassed. Blame me. It was a sad, sad effort, especially the offense.”

Dixon’s 10-yard touchdown with 13:12 left effectively put the game away. Jesse Simpson had set the Huskies up at the Gamecocks’ 29-yard line by forcing Garcia to fumble, knocking it away from behind at the end of a run.

A South Carolina team that pounded Clemson with 58 runs in a win to finish the regular season finished with 26 rushes for 76 yards.

UConn jumped ahead 13-0. Kashif Moore snagged the ball one-handed down the right sideline for a 37-yard touchdown catch from Zach Frazer in the first quarter. Dave Teggard then hit field goals of 33 and 44 yards. The first kick was set up when Garcia was stopped on a sneak on fourth-and-1 from South Carolina’s 32.

South Carolina didn’t even manage its initial first down until midway through the second quarter, and that took Garcia converting a third-and-16.

South Carolina’s sloppy play continued into the second half. Running into the kicker and roughing the passer calls helped UConn keep its first drive alive for more than seven minutes, though it ended with a fumble.

Then, cornerback Akeem Auguste dropped an easy interception with nothing between him and the end zone.

“There were a lot of plays we didn’t make and a lot of people who didn’t make them,” Auguste said. “I had one for six (points), and I didn’t make it. I don’t want to put our team down but it’s just heartbreaking. There’s no excuse for how we played today.”

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