Update: Christian Ponder is out of the game, standing on the sideline in his civvies.
The Chick Fil A Bowl is now without its two biggest star players, as Florida St. Seminoles QB Christian Ponder is on the bench and doubtful to return. South Carolina Gamecocks RB Marcus Lattimore left early in the first quarter with a mouth injury. Ponder has taken a shellacking all night, and wasn’t 100 percent coming into the game. At one point he was folded in half while scrambling, getting caught in a spin cycle of Carolina defenders.
He’s relieved by E.J. Manuel, who started the ACC Championship Game a few weeks ago.
Carolina has turned the ball over four times already, with three interceptions by Stephen Garcia. Minus those turnovers, this game would be … well, even lower-scoring, I guess.
Lattimore has been taken to the locker room. His backup, Brian Maddox, has 33 yards on eight carries. The 53-yard pass Lattimore caught to open the game remains the bulk of the Carolina offensive attack, while FSU has mustered a dismal 62 yards. This game is missing its two most well-known offensive players? You don’t say!