South Carolina Gamecocks vs Missouri Tigers: Gameday

September 8, 2012; Columbia, MO, USA; An SEC cover on a yard marker during the second half at Faurot Field. The Georgia Bulldogs defeated the Missouri Tigers 41-20. Mandatory Credit: Dak Dillon-US PRESSWIRE

It’s “parent’s weekend” at the University of South Carolina, and that’s pretty fitting, considering the football matchup those Moms and Dads who made the trek to SC’s capital city will watch today.

This is, after all, a parent, son (or daughter) game.

It’s the (more or less) second generation of SEC talent vs South Eastern football’s Generation Y.

The Gamecocks were introduced to the harsh world of SEC football 21 years ago. Georgia, a member of the old guard, spanked Mizzou in the fourth quarter of their introduction to this conference, and now their extended welcome party is finally about to begin.

They’ll find out quickly that when two SEC teams meet on the field, the game is treated like the fiercest of rivalries. But when either team ventures out of conference to face an unfamiliar foe, the entire league has their backs (except for a few extreme cases).

At 3:30 today, Mizzou will get it’s first taste what life on the road is like in the SEC.

It isn’t pretty.

It won’t be pretty for the Tigers.

That’s not to say Carolina will blow them out. In fact, the game should play out much like the game Mizzou had in week two against the Dawgs.

But there will be mistakes. There will be confusion. There will be moments when James Franklin and Co. look over to their sideline clutching their ears, hoping they won’t suffer permanent hearing loss.

And then, when the roar turns to silence, when the Garnet and Black raise their right hands for a toast to the health of Carolina, the Tigers pick themselves up, trudge onto their bus, and head into the rest of their schedule without looking back.

Good luck Missouri, and welcome to the best conference in college football. .