No. 3 Florida thrashes No. 9 South Carolina 44-11

No. 3 Florida lived up to its surprising BCS ranking by thrashing a South Carolina team that appeared to be a contender in the SEC. The Gamecocks gave LSU almost all it could handle in Death Valley last week, and figured to follow up with a good showing in The Swamp. Instead, Loucheiz Purifoy knocked the ball out of South Carolina quarterback Connor Shaw’s hands on the first play, and Florida punched it in to start a 44-11 rout. Jeff Driskel threw four touchdown passes – three of them after turnovers – and the Gators matched their win total from last season. Florida avenged consecutive losses to the Gamecocks, including one a couple of years ago that ended with Steve Spurrier and his players celebrating a division title on the Gators’ home field. Florida managed just 29 yards and two first downs in the first half against South …