Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday

South Carolina’s rivals are chipping away at a very good recruiting class, employing negative recruiting by leveraging the potential that coach Steve Spurrier may not be around by the end of their college careers.

For a team that started the season as a bona fide SEC championship contender, and by proxy a College Football Playoff hopeful, a 6-6 finish is unnerving. Blowing a five-year winning streak against Clemson is even worse.

But the defense collapsed with a youthful secondary and without the threat of Jadeveon Clowney and Kelcy Quarles along the line of scrimmage. And Dylan Thompson is a good quarterback, but he’s no Conner Shaw.

An Independence Bowl win would ease the sting of 2014 and calm a currently-ornery fan base. But the Gamecocks may have to outscore the Hurricanes unless the defense can transform almost overnight.

Both of these programs are limping into Shreveport, La. It may come down to which team’s players care more.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH

  1. Steve Spurrier kept defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward. Can Ward get this Gamecocks unit playing any better after weeks of extra work?
  2. Can WR Pharoh Cooper get a head start on a monster 2015 against the Hurricanes?
  3. Will Miami RB Duke Johnson torch the Gamecocks?
  4. This is the last hurrah at South Carolina for Dylan Thompson and most likely Mike Davis as well.
  5. This year’s SEC East was rotten most of the season. The future looks bright(er). But how will the division fare in bowls?

South Carolina

Motivation: Spurrier has a reputation for pouting during adversity. Will that translate to the players, or will they remain interested after three consecutive 11-win seasons turned into a barely-made-it bowl appearance just two days after Christmas?

If You’ve Never Seen Them: The team’s inflated hopes burst on the first Thursday of the season, as QB Kenny Hill and Texas A&M lashed South Carolina, 52-28, in Columbia, S.C. It foreshadowed a season in which the team’s defense failed to provide much help for a more-than-adequate offense. The team lost three games in which it scored at least 35 points. South Carolina faced a tough schedule and went 4-5 against bowl teams.

Weakness: The defensive line. The Gamecocks finished 13th in the SEC in rush defense, which is troubling considering the matchup against Miami. South Carolina also managed just 12 sacks, by far the lowest total in the SEC, and may have trouble pressuring freshman QB Brad Kaaya into mistakes.

Miami

Motivation: Al Golden’s job may or may not be in jeopardy. Former golden boy Butch Davis openly expressed interest in returning to Miami this week. The Hurricanes at one point looked to have a good chance to finish the season in the Top 25, but lost three consecutive games to close the season. A win against an SEC team with a name coach may alleviate some pressure on Golden and act as a coronation for Johnson’s career.

If You’ve Never Seen Them: The Hurricanes offense led the ACC in yards per play (6.8) ahead of Georgia Tech and Florida State. The previously-mentioned Johnson, one of the most complete backs in college football, has managed 1,890 total yards of offense and 13 touchdowns, but he’s hardly alone. Kaaya had a very strong freshman season. The U also was second in the ACC in passing yards per attempt (6.1), though the team isn’t equipped to put a ton of pressure on Thompson.

Weakness: The lack of a difference-maker on defense. Linebacker Denzel Perryman, the best candidate, leads the team in tackles for loss (8.5), and he’s tied for 29th in the ACC. The group plays well overall, but a solid offense like South Carolina’s should find some openings.

Westgate SuperBook Line: Miami -3.5