Freshman quarterback Jake Bentley threw two touchdown passes in his first game and running back David Williams added a pair of rushing scores as South Carolina held off Massachusetts 34-28 on Saturday in Columbia, S.C., to snap a three-game losing streak.

Bentley was 17 of 26 passing for 201 yards while defensive back Chris Lammons recorded an interception and recovered a fumble for the Gamecocks (3-4), who matched their win total from 2015. Running back Rico Dowdle ran for a score as South Carolina improved to 23-3 in its last 26 non-SEC games.

Quarterback Andrew Ford was 20 of 42 for 247 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions while tight end Adam Breneman recorded nine catches for 94 yards and a career-high two touchdowns for the Minutemen (1-7). Wide receiver Jalen Williams caught a 74-yard TD pass and running back Marquis Young rushed for 123 yards.

UMass (1-7), which is one of four independent FBS teams (Army, BYU, Notre Dame), lost its fifth straight game and third this season to an SEC team.

The Gamecocks took advantage of three Minutemen turnovers to take a 27-14 halftime lead with Bentley throwing a pair of touchdowns, including a 16-yarder to tight end K.C. Crosby, who made a diving catch. Ford also tossed two TD passes before the break as Breneman made up for a fumble that led to South Carolina's second touchdown with a 14-yard score on the first play of the second quarter.

The Gamecocks became the final FBS team to participate in a game in which at least one team reached 30 points when Williams recorded his second 1-yard touchdown run to make it 34-14 midway through the third quarter.

UMass rallied with 14 straight points when Ford stuck the ball across the goal line to complete an 8-yard touchdown run with 9:59 left and connected with Breneman for a score on third-and-goal from the 18 with 4:32 to play. South Carolina ran out the clock after converting a third-and-4 from the Minutemen 29 with 1:35 remaining.