No. 11 Florida holds off South Carolina

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Coach Jim McElwain is glad his 11th-ranked Florida Gators are learning to succeed -- by trying very hard. The latest example came Saturday when the SEC East champions held off a South Carolina rally for a 24-14 victory. "There's something special about that because wins are hard to come by," McElwain said. "I'm proud for our guys and proud for Gator fans out there who didn't think much of this season, probably." Now the Gators are thinking big. Jordan Cronkrite had a 3-yard TD run and a 41-yard scoring pass from Treon Harris in the first half. The win keeps Florida (9-1, 7-1 SEC) in the College Football Playoff mix as a potential one-loss SEC champion. The Gators, 11th in the CFP ranking, clinched their spot in next month's title game with their victory over Vanderbilt last week.