Published October 31, 2011 - 9:50am
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Ninth in the BCS standings with two more games against Top 12 teams.
The South Carolina Gamecocks are still very much alive in the race for an at-large BCS berth to the surprise of the national media who picked Steve Spurrier’s team to flounder after Marcus Lattimore’s knee injury.
Do I think the Gamecocks make a BCS bowl? That’s the bigger question.
After Saturday’s 14-3 win in Knoxville – only the second victory ever at Neyland Stadium – the 10th-ranked Gamecocks have now won a school-record six consecutive true road games dating back to last season. South Carolina’s pass defense is still the Gamecocks’ premier strongpoint and true freshman Brandon Wilds showed doubters that the offense can still run the football without Lattimore.
But like I said in the preseason, South Carolina’s BCS hopes fall on the quarterback. This time, it’s not Stephen Garcia. Connor Shaw improved to 4-0 as a starter this weekend but didn’t have the gaudy numbers he enjoyed in his first SEC start against Kentucky. In fact, over the last two games, Shaw hasn’t had the “ooh-ahh” completions down field and the coaching staff doesn’t seem to have lasting confidence in passing situations in the sophomore from Flowery Branch, Ga.
With that being said, Shaw made enough plays at Tennessee to be effective including a nifty touchdown pass on 4th-and-1 inside Tennessee’s 30-yard line that put the Gamecocks on the scoreboard in the second quarter.
The “Win Anyway” mentality is continuing as the heartbeat of this football team, a leadership-driven squad talented enough to win out. But with a road game at Arkansas looming and a home bout with high-powered Clemson, it’s tough to predict the Gamecocks can finish 11-1.
Saturday’s game at Arkansas, in my opinion, is for the SEC East title for South Carolina. A win in Fayetteville gives the Gamecocks a leg up on Georgia even though most experts think the Bulldogs have the East on lock. South Carolina would then have to beat Florida in Columbia to stamp a return trip to Atlanta. With the way the Gators are playing on offense, the Gamecocks would likely be 8.5 to 9, perhaps double-digit favorites.
Bruce Ellington should be back to full strength this week after seeing limited action against Tennessee and South Carolina’s offense needs him. The big plays have been lacking this season and Ellington gives the Gamecocks a chance to go the distance on each touch. We’ll have a better idea of just how good this South Carolina team has become around 11 p.m. Saturday night.
Before kickoff, we’re all rooting for Auburn to knockoff Georgia.
Could you hate on Georgia anymore?
Jeeze Matt ,the writer said IF USC beats ARK THEN USC will have a leg up on the east. You should take it and be VERY HAPPY! USC of course is playing w/o Lattimore and UGA has as cush of a schedule as Clem’s son!! USC has the #4 ranked defense nationally. If defensive turnovers,sacks defensive scores ,ETC were figured into the formula USC would easily be ranked #1 in the nation! It’s USC’s ‘D’ that has kept them and carried them to #9 in the new BCS POLL!! It’s UGA’s schedule that is holding them back in the polls ,yet they can still slip in the SEC EAST TITLE through the back door!! These are just cold hard facts,so if I were you I would just hope ARK vrs USC turns in your favor as well as UK vrs UGA! Hey It’s the SEC!! Enjoy it!! Take care Matt, GO SEC!!
Considering it IS a post about South Carolina, he probably could. Auburn will be very capable of knocking off UGA in 2 weeks. Don’t act as if UGA has played stellar football since the lost to Boise and then South Carolina the following week (i’m not saying South Carolina has either) but our defense has certainly made it possible to beat arkansas if we find even a slight passing game on the road.
It’s not hating on Georgia when a Georgia loss helps his team. We all pick our favorites every week based mostly on the effect it’ll have on our own team. An Auburn win over Georgia moves South Carolina one step closer to Atlanta.
Oh yea,Johnny you KNOW i’ll be pullin for Auburn though I wager this game will be played in Athens!! And if #9 USC(BCS) beats #7 ARK(BCS) I feel USC deserves to win the SEC east!! We still have to play our 100+ year rivalry game aginst Clem’s son who is looking darn good even though they lost to thier conference rival GA.TECH. Not as bitter as our rivalry with CU though! The USC/CLEM’S SON game used to be played on THURSDAY! It was even called “BIG THURSDAY” and the entire state closed down!!! this went on for DECADES!! Long before I was born and was sadly ended in the ?(60′s)? In ?2003-2004 We had the bench clearing brawl then fans joined,it wad ugly! Im sure it’s online ! Just a history lesson to someone who knows about rival games!!
This weekend marks the climax of the season in the sec. It’s should ultimately determine who’s making the trip to Atlanta from both divisions. Two top 10 showdowns! If Carolina makes it out of Fayetteville alive (which I honestly think we will do with our defense and running game) I see us finishing the season with a full head of steam plowing through Florida and Clemson. Who we would face in Atlanta though is a scary thought. LSU is that nitty gritty team that nobody wants to play, and Alabama has a brick wall defense that definitely wants payback for last year.
BCS hopes live, BCS hopes die. Don’t get your hopes up too much, reality soon comes crashing back home. South Carolina’s schedule so far has been soft. The best team USC has beat: Georgia. The best team SC has played: Auburn, a home loss. The same Auburn that was destroyed by Arkansas the next week. The Razorbacks, who destroyed USC at home last year, now hosts the Gamecocks as their homecoming team. I’m not all bad Tidings, though, USC didn’t have to play Alabama or LSU, which the Razorbacks must. When you’re watching Georgia being destroyed in the SEC Championship Game by either Bama or LSU, breathe that sigh of relief, it could’ve been USC.
Didn’t the hogs barely scrape by Vandy and Ole piss? Good Job, have fun with USC secondary, not the same as last year.
cool story bro. but sc is better at every position except qb. think about it.
War Eagle saturday.
we dont have to pull for auburn this weekend because im fully confident that our defense is better than the arkansas offense, and despite the rumors, the numbers say our offense is near the top in the sec. so enjoy that early fumble recovery and field goal hogs fans, cause its all youre gonna get :)
Um guys, the Auburn-Georgia game is on the 12th. Georgia plays that powerhouse New Mexico State this weekend. 11 days is a long time to yell “War Eagle!”
Ok… yeah, you can be intellectually lazy and say that Arkansas is a better team because they beat Carolina last year… or point to the loss this year to Auburn, and the subsequent Arkansas win against the Tigers. However, there are tons of differences that make those premises not applicable. First, Arky doesn’t have the all-world Ryan Mallett this time. Also, no Knile Davis. And you can make the argument, after seeing what Carolina did to Florida a couple of weeks later that the Gamecocks focused on the game that would put them in the SECCG, i.e. the Florida game and not on the Arkansas game. Secondly, the game against Auburn this year was lost by one person, whether anyone wants to admit it or not. Garcia continued to turn the ball over again and again. He’s no longer on the squad. Our defense is nasty against the pass, which happens to be the strength of Arky’s offense. We can still run the ball effectively. And I hate to break it to the Arkansas fans (but you know its true anyway) that Arkansas’ defense is as porous as a sieve. And frankly, if you want to analogize games already played this year, how about the common opponent Vanderbilt? Vandy damn near beat Arkansas. Yet Vandy got beat down by this same SC team. As much as I hate to say it though, on November 12, all Gamecocks better be pulling for Auburn. Better not leave anything to chance.
Facts. True or false? Cocks got beat down on Cock field by the Hogs last year? Answer: True. Doesn’t mean anything for this year, though.
Common opponents. True or false? Hogs and Cocks both beat Vanderbilt? Answer: True. Hogs and Cocks both beat Auburn? Answer: False. Cocks lost at Cock field, AGAIN, to Auburn, and Hogs beat down Auburn. Doesn’t mean anything for this year, though.
Head to head. True or false? Hogs lost many of their players, while Cocks remain virtually intact from last years beat down on Cock field? Answer: False. Both teams return many of the same players, and both teams have key losses at their RB position. Hogs have failed to replace Ryan Mallett? Answer: False. The Hogs have a new starter in Tyler Wilson, who is arguably the best QB in the SEC.
Gametime. True or false? Arkansas is the best team Cocks have faced thus far? Answer: True. The Cocks have been spared the LSU/Bama thumpfest this year, and Florida looms for Cocks to be looking ahead to again, or whatever excuse gets you up in the mornings, but one doesn’t need be intellectually lazy to see that the Cocks walk into this one as the sheep amongst the wolves.
I still think that loss to Auburn was should of never happened. If the offense played anywhere close as good as the defense that game the SEC would have the top 3 teams in the nation.
Talk is cheap SC fans. Lame rationalizations aside, see you in Fayetteville and you better bring your A game your going to need it. Not much Offfense and zero passing game. You better hope your Defense can contain our run game not to mention our Passing Game. Load the box and force you to try and beat us in the Air. Good luck with that.
Correction “your” {SIC} you’re as in going to lose.