COLUMBIA, S. C. — Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino wasn’t hiding his disgust.

Petrino envisioned a game in which he thought his Razorbacks should have been competitive until the end on Saturday, but the reality was different.

Arkansas came out flat offensively, handed South Carolina 10 points off turnovers and had its bowl hopes damaged with a 34-21 loss to the Gamecocks on a clear, crisp afternoon in front of a Williams-Brice Stadium crowd of 80, 290.

“I’m disappointed in that game,” Petrino said. “I thought we would play a lot better than that. I think that’s a game we should have been in right at the end to win.”

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South Carolina (7-3, 4-3 SEC ) improved its bowl standing and broke a two-game losing streak against Arkansas with games against Florida and Clemson left on its schedule.

“We’re 7-3 but still have a lot to work on,” South Carolina Coach Steve Spurrier said. “It was a good win for us. Things got tight for us there in the second half, but we had a couple of guys make some big plays.”

Arkansas (4-6, 1-5 ) lost tailback Michael Smith to a shoulder injury in the first half and had quarterback Casey Dick knocked out of the game in the fourth quarter. The Razorbacks gained 309 total yards against a South Carolina defense that was leading the SEC by allowing just 251 yards per game, but Arkansas ’ error-prone ways in the passing game proved decisive.

Dick threw three interceptions and was sacked six times, the last of which was a helmet-to-helmet shot that appeared to leave him with a concussion and knocked him out of the game.

South Carolina benefited from Jeremy Davis’ 20-yard shanked punt on the first change of possession of the game, taking over at the Arkansas 44. Rotating quarterbacks Chris Smelley and Stephen Garcia, the Gamecocks were in the end zone in four plays.

Garcia hit Kenny McKinley with a quick screen for 30 yards out of an odd formation called “Cajun” in which a pack of three linemen stands with the center and quarterback and two other packs of players split wide to both sides of the field.

Two plays later, Garcia kept on a quarterback draw up the middle for a 14-yard touchdown.

Dick’s first interception was taken by cornerback Addison Williams at the Razorbacks’ 31, leading to a 54-yard Ryan Succop field goal that made it 10-0 before Arkansas could gain a first down.

Arkansas got back into the game early in the second quarter on a 70-yard touchdown play-action pass from Dick to an unguarded Jarius Wright to make it 10-7. Dick completed 16 of 26 passes for 217 yards, 2 touchdowns and the three interceptions.

The last interception was the killer.

Arkansas pulled within 20-14 late in the third quarter when walk-on fullback Mitchell Bailey scored on a 4-yard touchdown catch to cap a 15-play, 62-yard drive.

Arkansas then forced a punt and swiftly penetrated into South Carolina territory on London Crawford’s 30-yard catch and run with a crossing route.

On second-and-8 from the South Carolina 40, Dick had tight end D. J. Williams open on a slant and running back Dennis Johnson available in the right flats, but a blitz forced him to throw a little flat toward Johnson.

South Carolina defensive end Jordin Lindsey jumped high, swiped Dick’s pass out of the air and ran 40 yards to the Arkansas 15. Garcia threw a 15-yard touchdown pass McKinley on a fade route two plays later.

“It was a dagger,” Arkansas center Jonathan Luigs said of the turn of events. “We had just come off a big completion down in their territory. If we score, we’re up by one and I think it’s a completely different game.

“ They made the plays when they had to and we didn’t, and that’s why we lost.”

South Carolina put the game out of reach with a rare display of power. The lowest-rated rushing team in the SEC with 100 yards per game, the Gamecocks called 11 consecutive running plays. Mike Davis’ 13-yard touchdown came on an up-the-middle run that made it 34-14 lead with 6: 21 remaining.

Dick was hit by Cliff Matthews on the next offensive play, sending Dick off the field and his brother, Nathan, on for his first collegiate action.

Nathan Dick showed composure, moving the Hogs 83 yards in 12 plays, overcoming a second-and-17 and converting two fourth downs along the way.

Arkansas drew a pass-interference call on Chris Culliver to convert a fourth-and-20, then Nathan Dick converted a fourth-and-2 from the 12 when he completed an 11-yard pass to Miller.

Brandon Barnett’s 1-yard touchdown dive pulled Arkansas within 34-21.