Using ESPN’s FPI (Football Power Index) as a guide, 13th-ranked South Carolina (3-1, 2-1) has a 69.8 percent chance to beat Mizzou (3-1) on Saturday.

GAMECOCKS’ EAST CHAMPIONSHIP HOPES HINGE ON SATURDAY SHOWDOWN

The scene is set for South Carolina on Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium.

College GameDay’s in town, the Gamecocks are back at home and Lorenzo Ward’s defense has another opportunity to silence the critics against the SEC’s defending Eastern Division champion.

What could go wrong?

The league’s worst secondary has to fend off Maty Mauk, a dual-threat sophomore who is two touchdown passes off the FBS lead (16).

Mauk’s been proficient on the move behind a make-shift offense line that has switched several players around this week to make up for the loss senior Anthony Gatti who tore his ACL in last week’s loss to Indiana.

The Gamecocks, ranked at the bottom of the SEC in sacks, will try and make their way into the backfield to alleviate some of the pressure off inexperienced players at the back end.

During Thursday’s ‘Carolina Calls’ radio show, coach Steve Spurrier said he expected his team to play well against the Tigers and return to respectability after what he deemed an embarrassing performance last weekend at Vanderbilt.

South Carolina’s a touchdown favorite in its fourth SEC game of the season with matchups against Kentucky, Auburn, Tennessee and Florida remaining. A loss to the Tigers would drop the Gamecocks behind Georgia and Florida with two losses in conference play.

South Carolina’s the only team Mizzou hasn’t beaten in the Eastern Division since the Tigers joined the SEC prior to the 2012 season.