QB James Franklin starts

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After missing last week's game against Arizona State with a shoulder injury, Missouri quarterback James Franklin started Saturday at No. 7 South Carolina.

Franklin has an inflamed bursa sac in his right throwing shoulder and was injured in Missouri's 41-20 loss to Georgia on Sept. 8, when Bulldogs' linebacker Jarvis Jones hit his arm as it was coming forward on a throw.

Franklin didn't throw much during the week leading up to the Arizona State game and redshirt sophomore Corbin Berkstresser started in his place during the Tigers' 24-20 win over the Sun Devils. In his first-career start, Berkstresser completed 21 of 41 passes for 198 yards and an interception. He also ran the ball 18 times for 25 yards and a touchdown.

Controversy surrounded Franklin's absence last week, as he refused to take a cortisone shot to numb his shoulder pain. Franklin -- and his family -- don't believe in taking painkillers to mask pain.

Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said both before and after the Arizona State game that Franklin couldn't play because the pain in his shoulder was too intense.

"It was too painful for him, and he didn't want to play," Pinkel said after the win.

Pinkel later said that he never questioned his quarterback's toughness. Franklin also told reporters this week that he didn't feel his coach questioned his toughness either.

On the season, Franklin has passed for 400 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. He has also carried the ball 26 times for 64 yards.

South Carolina has its own injury issue at quarterback, as starter Connor Shaw is dealing with a hairline fracture in his right throwing shoulder. Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier said on Wednesday that doctors and trainers informed him that Shaw's injury can't worsen and that Shaw will start against Missouri.

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Edward Aschoff | email

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• ESPN.com SEC blogger
• Joined ESPN.com in 2011
• Wrote for The Gainesville Sun