South Carolina's Muschamp rips 'gutless' unsportsmanlike penalty vs. Florida

South Carolina head coach Will Muschamp could be seen fiercely arguing several second-half calls with referees Saturday, eventually earning an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty late in the Gamecocks' 38-27 loss to the No. 9 Florida Gators.

Asked postgame if he knew why he was flagged, Muschamp made his feelings clear.

"No, I don't. The guy ran 40 yards away and dropped the flag," Muschamp told reporters. "I have no idea. I'd rather him drop it on my feet ... Drop it on my feet next time."

Muschamp admitted he said something to the official prior to the penalty but added it was not for him to judge whether it warranted the call.

"I'm not going to comment about anything else," he continued. "Don't go 40 yards away and drop a flag. How about that? Gutless."

The 48-year-old coach was not happy with some seemingly missed calls that favored the Gators, whom Muschamp coached from 2011-2014.

First, a false start from Florida right tackle Jean Delance went uncalled in the third quarter as Gators tailback Dameon Pierce ran for a 75-yard touchdown on the play.

Then, in the fourth quarter, Gators receiver Josh Hammond went unflagged as he appeared to commit offensive pass interference. Tight end Kyle Pitts hauled in a five-yard touchdown pass on the play to essentially put the game away.

Muschamp's former team beat his Gamecocks 35-31 last year, engineering a 17-point comeback.