OFFENSE: B-

It took South Carolina time to get in gear, the running game wasn’t all that effective and the Gamecocks could’ve put the game away earlier by making a few more plays on offense. But Dylan Thompson and company took great care of the football. Pharoh Cooper should enter next season pegged as one of the most exciting players in the SEC after one of the best performances of his career. Damiere Byrd did well as a bit performer in the bowl and K.J. Brent threw a block that took out two Miami defenders on Cooper’s 78-yard touchdown.

DEFENSE: B+

The Gamecocks installed a commendable game plan that forced Miami to play to its weaknesses. Freshman QB Brad Kaaya struggled with his reads and decision-making, and SC often stacked eight players near the line of scrimmage to make Duke Johnson earn his yards. The Hurricanes did generate 422 total yards, 183 of those by Johnson, and South Carolina missed a few tackles. But the defense did well to hold Miami to two field goals early in the game. Even without J.T. Surratt, one of the unit’s better players, the defensive line got pressure on Kaaya and even a few sacks. The Gamecocks also forced two turnovers and held a competent Miami offense to 14 points until late in the fourth quarter.

SPECIAL TEAMS: B-

Elliott Fry missed a 40-yard field goal in the first half and also missed a 58-yard try right before halftime, the latter of which you can’t fault him or South Carolina for attempting. Neither team was great shakes in the return game, though South Carolina punter Tyler Hull had a much better game than Miami punter Justin Vogel. Miami also missed a long field goal try.

There weren’t many significant special teams plays.

COACHING: A-

South Carolina’s defensive game plan, especially, seemed sharp. The unit played more aggressively, and the decision to move Jonathan Walton to outside linebacker earlier in 2014 paid big dividends in the bowl game. The secondary played an outstanding game despite a numbers disadvantage with the team trying to shade toward Johnson and the running game. The team seemed motivated despite playing in Shreveport, La., often considered the least-desirable SEC bowl game, just two days after Christmas with not much on the line.

OVERALL: B+

The Gamecocks avoided a losing season and won a bowl game as an underdog. In what seemed like a pretty even matchup, South Carolina looked more prepared and executed better. With so much negative surrounding this program in the last two months, it seemed important that the team generate some positive headlines. Still, 7-6 is a far cry from what this team envisioned at the start of the season, and there’s a ton of work to do this offseason to get back to prominence.