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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP, WACH) -- Alshon Jeffery wasn't frustrated or anxious, just ready to contribute again.

South Carolina's star receiver caught his first touchdown in a month, a one-armed grab over a Citadel defender in the 14th-ranked Gamecocks 41-20 victory over the Bulldogs on Saturday.

The win earned the Gamecocks (9-2) back-to-back seasons with at least nine victories for the first time in 118 seasons of football. It also was the latest -- and perhaps one of the last -- chances to watch the 6-foot-4 junior wideout do his stuff.

Jeffery appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated's college football preview issue this summer and figured to have his best season ever after last year's remarkable 88 catches for 1,517 yards.

Instead, Jeffery watched as South Carolina's offense dealt with the dismissal of quarterback Stephen Garcia and season-ending injury to Marcus Lattimore and coach Steve Spurrier's shift to the running game simply to move the ball because he had inexperienced skill players.

Jeffery came into this game with a very ordinary output: 38 catches, 504 yards and five touchdowns. But he got a chance to shine against the FCS opponent when he reached out with his right arm to haul in the touchdown with safety Joseph Boateng right on him.

"You all may think I'm frustrated, but I'm not," Jeffery said. "As long as we win, I'm cool with that."

If that's the case, Jeffery's one very satisfied player.

The Gamecocks reached nine wins for just the fourth time in their history. They get a craged just 18 points a game in its previous four games. The Gamecocks had 473 yards, nearly double Citadel's total of 249.

"We came in here and nobody blinked," Citadel coach Kevin Higgins said. "We're able to keep ourselves in the game until the fourth quarter when it got away from us a little bit. ... We just didn't get in the end zone enough and didn't stop them enough."

The victory improved Spurrier to 44-0 against opponents from outside the BCS automatic qualifying conferences.

Things don't figure to be easy with the high-flying Clemson offense. Then again, the Gamecocks figured to struggle against the Citadel's triple-option attack. The Bulldogs (4-7) entered the game as the third-leading rushing team in the Football Championship Subdivision.

Spurrier was fairly resigned to the idea that Georgia wouldn't stumble at home against Kentucky and end the Gamecocks' hopes of returning to Atlanta for the SEC title game. Spurrier didn't talk much to his players about their chances because South Carolina had done all it could.

South Carolina struck first, which was a little unusual since the Gamecocks hadn't done that in 13 games dating back to last season. Shaw completed two straight passes to Jeffery before Wilds took over, rushing for 37 yards and ending the drive with a 1-yard TD run.

Shaw was intercepted by safety Rah Muhammad on the Gamecocks next series. Darien Robinson recovered his own fumble in the end zone for a tying touchdown five plays later.

After Wilds' second scoring run, the Citadel held the ball for more than 8 minutes against South Carolina's defense. The series ended in Ryan Sellers' 32 yard field goal.

Shaw showed his speed when South Carolina got the ball back, breaking off a 60-yard touchdown run and sprinting through three Citadel defenders with 1:14 left in the half.

The Bulldogs recovered, though, moving 40 yards in 1:11 to set up Sellers' 41-yard field goal, his longest of the season.

USC's long-shot chance to win the SEC East ended when Georgia beat Kentucky 19-10, meaning the Bulldogs will play in the SEC Championship Game.

South Carolina hosts Clemson on November 26 at 7:45pm.  ESPN will televise the game.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)