By PETE IACOBELLI
AP Sports Writer

COLUMBIA, S.C.(AP) -- Another week, another Top 5 tumble.

This time, it was fourth-ranked Mississippi caught by surprise,
beaten 16-10 by South Carolina on Thursday night.

"I'm glad it's over with so everyone can just stop talking about
it," Rebels offensive lineman Bradley Sowell said.

Sowell or his teammates won't have to worry about that. All
he'll hear the next few days is how far down the Rebels (2-1,
0-1 Southeastern Conference) might slide when the new rankings
arrive.

And it'll bring up the same sick feeling felt by No. 3 Oklahoma
after losing to BYU in week one, or No. 5 Oklahoma State after a
loss to Houston on Sept. 12, or, just a week ago, by No. 3
Southern Cal after getting upset at Washington.

The Rebels entered with their highest ranking since Archie
Manning was quarterback in 1970. They left with their eight-game
losing streak gone, along with any sense they could challenge
for the national title.

"I never did sense that we were feeling a lot of pressure,"
coach Houston Nutt said. "Now it is what it is. You've lost your
first conference game. You've got to work hard and win the next
conference game."

That'll could be difficult unless Jevan Snead and the offense
perk up. They entered averaging 48 points and 424 yards a game
its first two weeks, but except for a fourth-quarter stretch,
couldn't solve South Carolina's defense.

The Gamecocks (3-1, 1-1) had been 1-31 all-time against Top 5
foes, but left Williams-Brice Stadium with the biggest win of
coach Steve Spurrier's five seasons.

Spencer Lanning kicked three field goals and fullback Patrick
DiMarco a key 2-yard TD catch for the Gamecocks.

"It was good to get a win when everybody watches," Spurrier
said. "It was good for all Gamecocks."

Ole Miss had one last chance at a go-ahead TD that would've
extended its eight-game winning streak. But Snead was sacked by
Cliff Matthews, then had a fourth-down pass knocked away by
Darian Stewart.

The Gamecocks jumped around when the game ended, celebrating a
victory these players had never enjoyed before at their own
stadium. South Carolina's lone top-5 win came at North Carolina
in 1981.

"It was a pretty ugly win, but a win and we'll take it every
time," Gamecocks quarterback Stephen Garcia said.

Snead came into the season with a Tim Tebow-like buzz - Spurrier
even voted him preseason first-team SEC quarterback before
changing to Tebow.

Snead, though, flopped in front a national audience eager to see
what the Rebels were made of.

The Ole Miss junior missed six straight throws during one
stretch and only once came through with a critical play. His
45-yard TD pass to Markeith Summers with under 10 minutes left
in the game that cut it to 16-10.

South Carolina's defense had to come through after that because
the offense, which controlled things for much of the first three
quarters went three-and-out on its final four possessions.

Snead's 11-yard pass to Pat Patterson brought Ole Miss to the
Gamecocks 32 with 2:55 to play. Then Nutt tried to outfox South
Carolina.

A carry by Brandon Bolden out of the "Wild Rebel" package went
for a yard. A double reverse to Dexter McCluster lost 4 yards.

Matthews followed with his sack of Snead before Stewart
preserved the win by batting down the final pass.

"We thought we could beat them. Thought it was a toss-up game,"
Spurrier said. "But the way it turned out, the way our defense
played, 16 points was enough."

Along with field goals of 26, 20 and 30 yards, Lanning also made
a touchdown-saving tackle on Marshay Green that earned the
kicker a game ball and Spurrier's praise.

"Up top, they said, 'Oh, he's gone,"' Spurrier said of Green's
punt return. "Somehow, Lanning got him. Saved seven points."

Snead had thrown at least two TD passes in each of his past
eight games and the Rebels were averaging 424 yards and 48
points a game coming in. Yet, he finished this game 7 of 21 for
107 yards and the team came far short of their earlier
production.

"We really hurt ourselves and we continued to do it all
throughout the game, into the last series. It's tough," Snead
said.

Right from the start, Snead and the Rebels looked tight. They
had only four drives in the opening half, three that ended
without a first down.

Eric Norwood ended the Rebels' first drive with his
school-record 27th sack. He added another in the third quarter
and also got a piece of punt.

South Carolina's senior knows how to play to the ESPN cameras.
Two years ago, Norwood returned two fumbles for touchdowns as
the 11th-ranked Gamecocks ended No. 8 Kentucky's unbeaten start.

"I'm glad he's on my side," Garcia said.

The Rebels, outgained by South Carolina 181 yards to 71 in the
first 30 minutes,

Bolden appeared to get things going with a 59-yard touchdown
run. A holding penalty, however, brought that back and the
Rebels eventually settled for their only points of the half on
Joshua Shene's 42-yard field goal.

Mississippi came close to scoring just once more in the half,
but instead of another field goal, Nutt went with a fake. Holder
Justin Sparks' pass to Derrick Davis came up 2 yards shy of a
first down.