True freshman running back Jordan Cronkite accounted for two touchdowns and No. 11 Florida delivered a strong defensive effort while recording a 24-14 victory over South Carolina in SEC play at Columbia, S.C.

Cronkite rushed for one touchdown and also had a scoring reception as the Gators (9-1, 7-1 SEC) won their third straight game. Sophomore quarterback Treon Harris passed for 256 yards and one touchdown while being intercepted twice and junior running back Kelvin Taylor rushed for 105 yards and one touchdown.

Junior quarterback Perry Orth and junior receiver Pharoh Cooper each threw and caught a touchdown pass for South Carolina (3-7, 1-7), which suffered its third straight defeat. Orth passed for 163 yards and was intercepted twice.

The Gators had to sweat out a late comeback attempt by the Gamecocks but are one victory away from a 10-win campaign in coach Jim McElwain's first season. Florida already clinched the SEC East the previous week by defeating Vanderbilt.

"The art of winning is hard, guys. It's hard. I don't care who you are," McElwain said. "We never had any panic. They played in the moment, in the now and figured out a way to sweep the East. Ain't a bad gig, man. Let's get excited about it."

Florida's defense allowed 201 total yards but gave up just 39 on 30 plays over the first three-plus quarters before the Gamecocks' offense came to life.

South Carolina avoided the shutout on a trick play with 8:59 remaining. Orth tossed a lateral pass to Cooper and Orth headed out in the right flat and caught Cooper's aerial for a 17-yard touchdown. The touchdown pass was the fourth of Cooper's career.

Four-plus minutes later, Cooper got behind the two Florida safeties and Orth hit him in stride for a 38-yard touchdown to bring the Gamecocks within 17-14.

Momentum was on South Carolina's side as Florida faced a third-and-8 with 2:30 to play but Taylor broke through the center of the defense for a 53-yard run to the 1-yard line. Taylor plunged in on the next play for his 12th rushing touchdown of the season to put the game away.

"We ran an angle-block play," McElwain said of Taylor's big run. "They were pinching and we were able to get them out of gaps. Our guys did their job. As boring as that sounds, guys, there's something beautiful about when all 11 guys do their job and trust each other."

The loss was painful for the Gamecocks, who were playing at home for only the second time since Sept. 26 due to flooding that prompted a game against LSU to be moved to Baton Rouge, La.

"It always comes down to that last play or that last quarter," Cooper said. "And we just can't finish."

South Carolina's 1-7 SEC mark is its worst since it went 0-8 in 1999 under Lou Holtz.

"Realistically, I didn't think we had the horses to go make the run," interim coach Sean Elliott said. "I don't know if anybody can sit up here and say we did."

Florida led 14-0 at halftime after allowing just 53 yards in the first half.

The Gators put together a 15-play, 87-yard drive capped by Cronkite's 3-yard run to get on the board with 1:50 remaining in the first quarter.

Florida's second touchdown drive covered 76 yards on 12 plays and Cronkite made a superb individual play to haul in a 41-yard scoring pass from Harris. South Carolina sophomore cornerback Chris Lammons appeared to have an interception at the 10 but Cronkite outmuscled him for the ball and galloped into the end zone with 8:17 remaining in the half.

The Gators had a chance to stretch the lead late in the half but Harris was intercepted at the goal line by South Carolina senior safety T.J. Gurley with 1:02 remaining.

Junior kicker Austin Hardin booted a 39-yard field goal with 4:50 left in the third quarter to increase Florida's lead to 17.

NOTES: True freshman RB Jordan Cronkite scored two touchdowns during Florida's first nine games. ... Interim Gamecocks coach Shawn Elliott is 1-3 since replacing Steve Spurrier, who resigned on Oct. 13. ... Florida junior DT Joey Ivie (foot) missed the game while junior DE Alex McCalister (ankle) departed in the first quarter. ... South Carolina lost for just the second time in the last six games against the Gators. ... Florida junior RB Kelvin Taylor has three 100-yard outings this season and four in his career.