Published August 17, 2011 - 7:25am
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Call the bookie and place those bets. Or just brag to your SEC football-watching brethren that you know more than them. Here are eight games that South Carolina will not lose in 2011 …
The Guarantees
Sept. 3, vs. East Carolina (in Charlotte)
South Carolina has won all six season openers since Steve Spurrier’s arrival in Garnet and Black in 2005. ECU’s defense was awful in 2010, giving up a horrendous 44 points per game. The secondary was bad and the defensive line couldn’t muster enough pressure on the quarterback. Mark it down. The Gamecocks will take this one by at least three touchdowns.
Sept. 17, vs. Navy
Navy lost its only offensive weapon from last season in senior quarterback Ricky Dobbs. The Midshipmen won nine games but lost their bowl games by 21 points to San Diego State. South Carolina’s speed on defense, especially up front, should suffocate Navy’s triple option set. This one’s a laugher just from the talent discrepancy alone on both sides of the football.
Sept. 24, vs. Vanderbilt
After a tough, come-from-behind win at Georgia in the Week 2, South Carolina’s home SEC opener should be a breeze in Columbia. A repeat of what happened in 2007, a disheartening setback when the Gamecocks were ranked No. 6, is impossible. The Commodores won two games last season and will barely eclipse that win total, if they’re lucky, in 2011.
Oct. 1, vs. Auburn
Ah, the first “if” home game for South Carolina fans. If Auburn still had quarterback Cam Newton running the offense, I’d give this one a push. But with the Gamecocks itching to take out the Tigers for the first time since 1933, Auburn will lose its third game of the season in game No. 5. All the sudden the phrase “bowl eligible” makes the War Eagles sweat down south.
Oct. 8, vs. Kentucky
Joker Phillips. Danny Trevathan. A perennial bottom-dweller hungry for another win over the Gamecocks. This one has all the trimmings of an upset right? Wrong. Marcus Lattimore will gash the Wildcats for triple digits on the ground, like he did in Lexington, and send Kentucky back to the Bluegrass State with a bruised ego. A loss at South Carolina would mean the Wildcats are 0-3 in SEC play at the season’s halfway point. Not good.
Nov. 12, vs. Florida
My how far the Gamecocks have come. No longer is the “Florida Game” a scheduled loss but rather a favorable match-up. South Carolina returns home from a treacherous three-game road trip to clinch the East and a second berth in Atlanta. The silver lining for the Gators could be the play of its new quarterback. Incumbent starter John Brantley will be riding the bench at this point.
Nov. 19, vs. The Citadel
See last year’s 69-24 win over Troy on the same weekend.
Nov. 26, vs. Clemson
South Carolina fans won’t mind dropping a few bills outside Williams-Brice Stadium for a ticket to this year’s installment of the Palmetto State Rivalry. The Gamecocks are better at almost every position, especially the one that matters in most Clemson-Carolina games – quarterback. Stephen Garcia goes out with a bang in his final home game as a Gamecock and South Carolina wins its third straight over Dabo Swinney’s Tigers.
The What If’s
Sept. 10, at Georgia
We’ll see just how far South Carolina’s high-powered offense has come early in the season, perhaps the East’s most pivotal game in 2011. The winner of this one likely represents this side of the SEC in the Georgia Dome against Alabama. All Gamecock followers know, for this season to be the best in school history, Spurrier has to beat the Bulldogs between the hedges. He’ll get it done, but it won’t be easy.
Oct. 29, at Tennessee
For whatever reason, the Gamecocks struggle at Neyland Stadium. From fumbles to interceptions to missed field goals, wins are hard to come by in Knoxville even if the Volunteers aren’t as talented as they used to be. Tennessee coach Derek Dooley will certainly have his team fired up for this one, but too much will be riding on South Carolina’s sixth conference game for the Gamecocks to be shamed away from home. And please Tennessee, leave the black alternates in the locker room. Those things are hideous.
Nov. 5, at Arkansas
The loss of Arkansas running back Knile Davis for the season – as bad as it comes across – actually helps South Carolina’s chances in this tough road game. The Razorbacks’ den has been a house of horrors for the Gamecocks in recent years and no one will forget Darren McFadden running hog wild on the defense in 2007. No Ryan Mallett and more focused Gamecocks this time around should be the difference.
The Bad Feeling
Oct. 15, at Mississippi State
Before each season when I’m projecting my bowl itinerary for the holidays, there’s always a game that gets crossed out with a loss in my notebook. You know the game, usually a long road trip where fans think, “Man, that’s going to be difficult no matter where we’re ranked. I’m not driving that far for that.” This one’s it. A match-up of two ranked teams in Starkville, presumably under the lights on ESPN, has “’Dogs rattle Garcia” written all over it. South Carolina’s first loss of 2011, maybe its only regular season defeat, comes at the hands of Dan Mullen’s gang.
The Bottom Line
The Gamecocks are going 8-0 at home this season, all guaranteed wins. Don’t give those seats up yet ticket holders, with a few road wins, South Carolina could be staring at a BCS at-large bid. An injury to Lattimore, Alshon Jeffery and/or Garcia means mediocrity most likely prevails.
You should’ve titled this, ‘Mark it 8 Dude’.
Gold!
Did you forget what happened during South Carolina’s ‘”guaranteed win” against Kentucky last season?
Last year’s Kentucky game was a trap game seeing as USC was coming off a huge win off then No. 1 Alabama then going on the road. I certainly didn’t consider it a guaranteed win.
Nevertheless, it was a fluke. The Cats won’t be so lucky this year, I promise.
Such arrogance
Kentucky sucks always. Marcus went out and had some 300+all purpose yards and 2TDs in the first half pre injury. When he went out the team shat the bed in trying to protect a million point lead, I was there, I almost left the stadium at half time. I expect a similar scenario at the half this year… only problem is UK doesnt have Randall Cobb to bail them out this year.
Forget about it! It’s GUARANTEED! If one thing is GUARANTEED in life, its NOT TO TRUST THE EXPERT PREDICTIONS!!
remember what latimoore did against auburn’s defense last yr? we dont need cam to beat SC.
Oh what a big gamecrock of SH*T!!!!!
It’s a fare assessment but I would through UT in there as a guarantee as well and move AR-Kansas to the “bad feeling” list. Florida might find it’s stride by the time they play us in Columbia but I still see it as a win. Auburn, KY, Clemsux are Definite wins this year. Auburn and Kentucky are completely different teams. Auburn doesn’t have a chance this year playing in Billy-Brice. Nice read.
Gamecock fans suffer from something known as the “Dunning-Kruger Effect” concerning college football.
Go to the following wikipedia article and read. Think about how this applies to any Gamecock fan you know.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
It is quite amusing, really.
yeah, because lattimore is garbage and jeffery can’t catch anything, and our defensive line is garbage. give me a break.
Hahaha Dunning-Kruger Effect… Spoken like a true freshman in some psych 101. Just learned a new term huh? now you are anxious to use it? Nice try newbie. I’m so pumped for this season it will all play out and by season’s end I’m sure we will all be a little off. It’s still the SEC. Two more weeks!
Thank you for participating in the demonstration, gamecocknballs. I couldn’t have asked for a better example.
Florida is more of a What-If game to me for South Carolina. Florida’s D is going to be stout, and I think Brantley will have something to say about everyone doubting him this year. The Florida-South Carolina matchup will decide the winner of the East, much like last year.
MadGators, I could definitely see that.
Arkansas has SC’s number almost every year. I don’t see how you think SC has a chance this year, in Fayetteville, with what is supposed to be one of the best defenses in Petrino’s coaching career.
Haha…did you really just refer to Petrinos coaching career?…is that saying much? Especially when youre talkin defense
To have his best defense yet is saying something, yes. Not saying it’s the best defense in history, but he has taken a couple of teams to a BCS bowl recently. Is that saying anything?
He took louisville who played in the “big” east and had an all american qb….and arkansas who had mallett and as much offensive talent as anyone last year…but gave up 65 points in a game…neither team got there by playing defense. Petrino is a good offensive strategist but his teams arent known to be devensively sound.
How is SC going to win when their star WR, Alshon Jeffery is FAT???
goto this link and check him out
http://www.razorbackattack.com/forum/index.php?topic=8161.0
well hogster alshon actually got rear ended by an other car and was taking it easy until his bruised back healed, don’t worry, spurrier will have him in shape by the arkansas game u can be sure of that
jealous…
I guess we should all pack up our bags and head to the house, SC hasn’t played a game and already beaten half their SEC opponents. Another gamecrock full of crap here, lol! I am glad we don’t listen to the experts!
Yea we lost bunch player we are young but don’t count Auburn out! Noone can say what a team will do or won’t do in the SEC (AKA BAMMER’S). One thing Auburn knows the weakness of SC minus one MR. beasty Clowney that is only guy could save ya’ll if Jefferies or Latimore don’t produce better. Our defence is better and 3-4 running backs will be swapping out and confussion will happen it come down to who can score last trust me nothing saids Auburn will be weak!
Auburn wont be any good this year. Completely different team.
Were you drunk or are you just naturally stupid when you wrote that?? I realize you must be a South Carolina graduate bu,t oh wait, that explains it…………………..
Halfastrucker, actually no, my bachelor’s in journalism was obtained from a university in the Tar Heel state.
Can I really say the Gamecocks will be 8-0 in these games? No. But on talent alone, these “guarantees” were expertly chosen. I don’t see SC losing a home game this season.
Barring injury, at least.
Interesting take on the UT game. Glad to see Neyland still gets the respect it deserves. Awesome article btw but I’m going to have to disagree with you on two of your MARK EM DOWN games. ECU’s defense was horrible last year but they are better this year. Will they stop USC? Well truth is they only have to stop them about 3 times the whole game and the Pirates will come out on top. They come in to the game sporting a VERY impressive offense. Quarterback Dominique Davis could quite possibly be a dark horse for the Heisman this year. He is a very talented QB with some really good receivers to throw to. I think it being South Carolina’s first game of the season against such a high powered offense, the Gamecocks fall in Charlotte. The other game I disagree with is the Auburn game, not because they are defending national champs but everyone is writing them off this year and I think that’s a mistake. Will they win the west or the SEC? No, but they can beat any team on any given day. Just the thoughts of a Vol fan. Nice article and GO VOLS!
LOL What this writer is saying is that SC has a really weak SEC Schedule this year with a few exceptions. The exceptions are all the SEC schools. They do have 3 cupcakes on their out of conference Lineup. I see 6 cup cakes on the schedule so I guess even a lucky win or two in the SEC would get them to 7or 8 wins. Thats a stretch to guarantee wins over Florida, Auburn, and Clemson. The writers bad feeling is the 4th ranked team in the West. and the Hogs are a ” what if “. One Player does not make a Team re: Kniles davis. Shut down Latimore and Garcia will be picked apart by decent Defensive Secondary Play and pass rush. SC has a good shot at the East but my prediction will be GA and FL as the teams to watch in the East. If they lose 2 of the 3 “what ifs” and the “bad feeling” they are out of the SEC picture. There is always the Gator Bowl with 7 wins. I’m thinking SC expectations are a bit delusional this year.
SC will win a SEC championship before R-Kansas does. Good luck no Mallet no Davis, I understand you have a very good receiving corps, but that is a lot of offensive production to make up for. Good luck battling with Miss St, and Auburn for 3rd, 4th, and 5th in the west. Have fun watching us in Atlanta again. Were hoping for a chance to play Alabama again. R-Kansas finished 4th in the west for Petrinos first two years and you finished 2nd last year, The best you can hope for this year is 3rd in the west. Hog fans can keep their mouths shut in 2011. Good luck getting to ATL.
Like I said, Arkansas is the highest pre-season ranked team (14) on your schedule this Year. The only reason you are favored in the East slightly is not because of your strength but because of the weakness in the SEC East this year. You have a weak Defensive Secondary which I’m sure A. Murray and T. Wilson will exploit quite easily this year. I suspect Florida and Georgia will more than give you a run for the title. Good Luck at the Gator Bowl.
While I do admire your confidence and loyalty to your team. I must admit Navy, Florida,Auburn, and even Vanderbilt being a “sure” win is quite bold. But after reading this I am going to say that here at UGA, we are going to run the table and play san diego state for the national championship. We will win that game but it wont be good enough for Mark Richt to keep his job. So we will hire Lane Kiffin away from USC. Not one of our players will get in trouble anymore and we will become the darlings of the NCAA……..lolol.