This weekend’s matchup at The Swamp features two teams fighting for an optimistic end to the SEC season after disappointing efforts throughout the season.

South Carolina was ranked No. 9 in preseason polls, but couldn’t ever recover from a blowout season-opening loss to Texas A&M. The Gamecocks are now just 4-5, lost four out of their last five games and are in danger of not making a bowl game.

The Florida Gators have turned a corner in recent weeks after making a switch at quarterback. Winning their last two SEC games, the Gators still have an outside shot of winning the division, but are still a ways off from where they were expected to be this season.

In preparation for these two teams’ SEC season-finale, here are five things to watch for in Saturday’s game.

1. Can Dylan Thompson pass on the UF DBs? — If this game was earlier in the season, the answer would have been a clear “yes.” However, in recent weeks the turnaround of the Gators hasn’t just been limited to the offense, but to the secondary as well. The Gators haven’t allowed more than one passing touchdown in a game in their last five games. The growth of guys like Jalen Tabor, Quincy Wilson and Duke Dawson have helped as well. USC’s passing offense is among the best in the conference and Thompson is on pace for a record-breaking season. Something will have to give come Saturday.

2. Will things finally click for the USC pass rush? — So far this season, the pass rush for the Gamecocks has been non-existent — they’ve recorded just eight sacks in nine games. Against a dual-threat quarterback like Treon Harris, the lack of a pass rush could be detrimental to South Carolina’s defense. To beat a young quarterback, you need to get pressure on him and hope he makes some dumb decisions. If Harris gets too much time in the backfield, his ability to either run or pass effectively will probably doom South Carolina’s chances of coming out with a victory.

3. Can Treon Harris take another step forward?— The Gators’ true freshman quarterback was limited in his first start, throwing just six times. It was a different story the following week as Harris threw for 215 yards and recorded two rushing touchdowns. He threw it deep downfield and proved to everyone that he’s got the arm to make those long throws. Now in his third week as a starter and making his first home start, Harris must continue to make strides within the offense. He’s a great athlete, but if defense don’t respect his arm, then his effectiveness will suffer. As long as Harris keeps progressing, the UF offense should be in good hands moving forward.

4. UF’s rushing attack primed for another big outing? — The addition of Treon Harris in the backfield has provided a huge lift to the Gators’ ground game. Not only has the threat of Harris running the ball opened up running lanes for UF’s running backs, but the commitment to the run game has helped wear down opposing defenses. South Carolina’s run defense is the worst in the league (233.4 ypg) and has allowed more than 340 rushing yards in its last two games. At the same time, Kelvin Taylor and Matt Jones have hit a groove as Florida’s 1-2 punch in the ground game. The Gators will lean heavily on the run tomorrow and based off how things have looked in recent weeks, the Gators should have a lot of success.

5. The crowd at The Swamp — The last time Florida played a home game, Missouri flat out embarrassed the Gators. Florida fans responded with a chorus of boos reigning down on the players and coaches, along with a “Fire Muschamp!” chant that could be heard over the television. Should things get rocky at any point in this weekend’s games, it’ll be interesting to see just how much patience the fans have with Muschamp and company this time around. The team is moving in a better direction under Treon Harris, but Muschamp is far from winning back the fan base as he is still teetering on the edge of a successful or disastrous season.