COLUMBIA, S.C. _ The Florida Gators arrived at South Carolina in the thick of the SEC East hunt.
But a week after losing at LSU, UF's title hopes were in danger of being washed away during a drizzly, dreary day at Williams-Brice Stadium.
Much of the contest, the No. 9 Gators and quarterback Kyle Trask did not resemble the group that suffocated Auburn and went to toe-to-toe before falling at LSU.
Eventually, though, Florida settled down and pulled away from the unranked Gamecocks for a 38-27 win before an announced crowd of 78,883.
Three fourth-quarter touchdown passes by Trask, who finished with a career-high four scoring tosses, and a pivotal strip sack by defensive lineman Zachary Carter broke open a nip-and-tuck game.
The Gators (7-1, 4-1 SEC) took their first lead of the day, at 24-20, on Trask's 25-yard touchdown pass to Freddie Swain. Swain broke free of a South Carolina defensive back, adjusted to the football and made a diving catch in the end zone with 9:54 remaining in the game.
Looking to answer, the Gamecocks faced second-and-five when Carter crushed South Carolina quarterback Ryan Hilinski to force a fumble. Defensive tackle Kyree Campbell recovered on the Gamecocks' 29-yard line.
Three plays later, Trask's pass into the end zone was intercepted. But officials called defensive holding on South Carolina's Jaycee Horn, leading Gamecocks fans to throw their white towels on the field in the north end zone.
It was symbolic.
Trask found tight end Kyle Pitts on the next play for a 5-yard touchdown.
The Gators then stopped the Gamecocks (3-4, 2-3) on the fourth down on their 37. Six plays later, Trask found Trevon Grimes for another 5-yard score.
Trask had been rock steady since stepping into the starting role, but until the fourth quarter, he was off the mark much of the day, seemingly struggling with the wet football. The redshirt junior finished 21-of-33 passing for 200 yards, four touchdowns and one interception.
Coming off consecutive top-10 matchups, the Gators were due for an emotional letdown.
A week after allowing 42 points at LSU, the Gators' defense came out flat.
Following an 8-yard run by Rico Dowdle on first down, South Carolina picked up 41 yards following a flea-flicker, ending with receiver Bryan Edwards using his body to keep Gators' cornerback CJ Henderson from breaking up the pass.
South Carolina soon reached the UF 10, where the Gators' nation-leading red-zone defense gift wrapped a touchdown for the Gamecocks. Two offsides penalties _ the second in third down by Luke Ancrum _ set up a 1-yard touchdown by Mon Denson.
But the Gamecocks' offense _ 10th in the SEC entering Saturday _ quickly came back to Earth and managed just 72 yards the rest of the half. Hilinski connected on his first three passes for 61 yards, but was 1-of-9 passing for 11 yards before intermission.
Other than a 14-second period when the teams traded touchdowns on consecutive snaps to tie the game 17-17, the first half of Saturday's matchup lacked the excitement of either team's previous game.
South Carolina's struggles allowed UF to get back in the game. A week after three 75-yard touchdown drives of their five first-half possession, the Gators and Trask were out of sync much of the game's opening 30 minutes.
