Here’s everything you need to know about Saturday’s SEC East showdown between the Tigers and Gamecocks.

When: Today
Where: Columbia, S.C.
Game Time: 7 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Current Line: South Carolina (-5.5)

Game Buzz: As sorry as Steve Spurrier portrays his team to be, a win gives the Gamecocks a 3-1 mark in the SEC with winnable games against Tennessee, Kentucky and Florida left in the East and a head-to-head advantage against Georgia (both teams also play Auburn in a crossover game). Missouri could fall from darkhorse SEC contender to struggling to become bowl eligible with a loss here and UGA on deck. Last year’s Connor Shaw-led comeback from down 17-0, completed when Andrew Baggett missed a field goal in double overtime, was one of the best games of the year in the East.

SATURDAY DOWN SOUTH PREVIEWS

MISSOURI TIGERS

Players To Watch:

  • QB Maty Mauk
  • WR Bud Sasser
  • TE Sean Culkin
  • DE Shane Ray
  • DE Markus Golden
  • LB Michael Scherer

Keys For Missouri:

  • Play better on the interior of the offensive line. Not the sexiest key to the game, but it’s imperative nonetheless. Mizzou has new starters in three positions along the offensive line, including both guard spots, and C Evan Boehm has to prove he’s fixed his bizarre snapping issues. South Carolina’s defensive line isn’t intimidating, but neither was Indiana’s.
  • Take the ball away. Missouri’s defense thrives on chaos, and it didn’t produce enough against IU. The Tigers aren’t good enough to win against a ranked team on the road by giving the favorite more possessions, but a takeaway or two at the right spot on the field would do wonders.
  • Contain the edges. Mizzou has allowed a 100-yard rusher in four of the last five games (and gave up some nice gainers in the fifth) because the defense has failed to set the edge on speed rushes, jet sweeps and screen passes to the boundaries. The defensive personnel is athletic and fast more than strong and physical, so this can’t keep happening.

Glaring weakness to watch: Run blocking — Marcus Murphy is one of the most dangerous open-field runners in the SEC. He carried 11 times for 11 yards against Indiana because the Hoosiers hit him in the backfield often. Russell Hansbrough managed to hit big runs twice in 10 carries, but the other eight didn’t fare much better than Murphy’s due to the lack of push up front.

Most interesting part of the game: Speaking of Murphy, he’s had several big returns this year already. South Carolina gave up two kickoff returns for touchdowns last week at Vanderbilt. Can No. 6 work his magic on special teams?

Team buzz: The defending SEC East champs were 14-1 in the regular season dating back to the start of the 2013 schedule before losing as a two-touchdown home favorite to one of the Big Ten schools not in the Top 5 in the conference pecking order. The loss unmasked the flaws this team covered up during the first three games of the year — just in time for conference play. Talk about timing: Mizzou plays its three biggest East rivals in its first three SEC matchups.

NO. 13 SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS

Players To Watch:

  • QB Dylan Thompson
  • WR Pharoh Cooper
  • RB Mike Davis
  • RB Brandon Wilds
  • LB Skai Moore
  • DB Brison Williams

Keys For South Carolina:

  • Avoid catastrophe on special teams. South Carolina’s the SEC’s worst in kickoff coverage thanks to last week’s struggles at Vanderbilt. Mizzou’s Marcus Murphy is one of college football’s best players on special teams and kicking it away from him could be the Gamecocks’ best option.
  • Let Dylan Thompson lead. The fifth-year senior leads the SEC in pass attempts and is on pace to set single-season yardage and touchdown program records. Thompson’s made good decisions with the football and has carried this team through the season’s first month while the defense has struggled.
  • Regain the swagger. The preseason Eastern Division favorites have bounced back from a chaotic opening loss to Texas A&M with two SEC wins and a victory over East Carolina — arguably the most-talented non-Power 5 in the country right now. South Carolina handed Mizzou its only conference loss last season prior to the SEC Championship Game and dominated the Tigers last time they came to Columbia, S.C. in 2012.

Glaring weakness to watch: Defensive front — South Carolina managed one sack at Vanderbilt last week and that came by linebacker Kaiwan Lewis. The Gamecocks are last in the SEC with four total sacks this season and if there’s no pressure tonight on Maty Mauk, he could carve up an inexperienced and underwhelming secondary.

Most interesting part of the game: The Gamecocks’ shot at returning to the Eastern Division driver’s seat. With a win over the Tigers, South Carolina would be 3-1 in the SEC with four games remaining — at Kentucky, Tennessee, at Auburn and at Florida. Steve Spurrier’s team still controls their own destiny in hopes of securing their second trip to Atlanta in program history.

Team buzz: After last week’s ’embarrassing’ win at Vanderbilt, the Gamecocks will try and pass the eye test at home against a quality team, a group coming off a division championship that feels disrespected by the lack of praise this season. A loss to Indiana last week by the Tigers softened the lead up to this game, but most are expecting a SEC battle that comes down to the wire tonight at Williams-Brice Stadium.