Will Joe Cox's performance quiet critics?

He'll stay there in the coming days, thanks mostly to the fourth quarter interception he threw into the chest of linebacker Eric Norwood, who returned the pick 35 yards for a score that brought the Gamecocks to within a point at 38-37.

For one night, though, and maybe just a few hours, the fifth-year senior might be able to get some decent rest.

That's what happens when you are the steady hand, for all but a handful of plays, in a surprisingly wild 41-37 shootout win against a Steve Spurrier-coached team, a game decided by the UGA defense on a fourth down stop three yards from the goal line with seconds to play.

"You just play as hard as you can and try to have fun," a smiling Cox said after the game. "And I think we had a great time out there."

It's always a great time when you win. And Cox managed the game the way you'd expect from a guy that's been around seemingly forever. He led his team on critical scoring drives to end the first half and start the second, pushing the UGA lead from 24-23 with 2:29 to play in the second quarter to 38-23 with 9:04 to play in the third, scores that enabled UGA to breathe a bit and stretch out a little bit on the offensive end.

He also led them down the field for the game-winning field goal after that pick to Norwood, which was perhaps his most impressive showing of the entire night.

"I really think the important thing for Joe and the whole football team is that they didn?t hang their heads," said UGA offensive coordinator Mike Bobo. "They really bonded together and played hard together, and that's really been the trademark of coach [Mark] Richt's football teams since we've been here.

"I was just really proud of him. I think he came out and played very well. He played with authority. He made decisions quick. And he was definitive. He came back after the mistake and led us down for a field goal. I was just extremely proud of him and the way he played."

Cox's night was far from perfect.

Sure, he finished the first half 10-for-16 passing for 113 yards and a 9-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Green. Any concerns that he didn't go to Green enough were put to rest when Cox went to him on UGA's first two offensive plays.

He finished the game 17-for-24 for 201 yards and two scores, the second a 4-yard strike to Michael Moore on that first drive after halftime. That interception he threw to Norwood, however, was costly. It provided the opportunity to win that the Gamecocks needed. He also fumbled on UGA's next drive, a fumble recovered by Carlton Thomas.

But he didn?t make any excuses for his mistakes. He wouldn?t even take the easy out and blame the interception on his bad shoulder.

"No, I'm not," he said, still smiling. "I mean, I was laughing with [Norwood] out there. I knew it was a play where we we're going to throw the ball. And it was one of those things where I could work either side. I kind of even saw Norwood, and I was like hmm, and I decided to throw it anyway and he made a great play."

Cox said it was words from Richt a night earlier at the team hotel that worked for the entire team throughout a game filled with plot twists at every turn.

"I think everybody is playing for everybody right now," he said. "Coach Richt talked about it at the hotel last night and he says it every year. This is the senior's last year. The young guys play for them and play for the guy beside you. Because you never know, it might be their last time playing that team or last game or whatever. I think everybody took it upon themselves to play for the guy beside them tonight."

Cox's teammates certainly rallied to his defense.

"We didn't worry about it," Green said of all the drama surrounding his quarterback. "We knew Joe could have a game like this. Joe's a great quarterback. I never had any doubts about him."

His critics will argue that Cox wasn't even the best quarterback on the field Saturday night. Stephen Garcia did pass for 313 yards and two scores and had the Gamecocks on the 7 at game's end with a chance to win it.

"We got the win," Bobo said. "That's what counts."

Plus, a win in your first home start of your senior has to be the perfect tonic for all the bruises, physical and psychological, that Cox has dealt with lately.

"I hope this puts that stuff to rest," said sophomore receiver Tavares King. "Joe came out confident. He didn't let any of that stuff he went through throughout the week bother him. He came out confident in his game and he came out confident in us. And we put our confidence in him. Joe came out making plays and that's something I think he'll continue to do."