Oct 6, 2012; Columbia, SC, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Aaron Murray (11) runs for a first down as South Carolina Gamecocks linebacker Quin Smith (24) in the second half of the game at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-US PRESSWIRE
It was shakeup Saturday in the top 10 this weekend, and the Gamecocks’ next two opponents played a big roll in it.
What did SC learn about the rest of their opponents after week 6?
Even in defeat, LSU’s defense is not a joke.Sure, the Tigers lost to Florida 14-6, but LSU had a 6-0 in The Swamp at half time. Also, it’s not like the Gators’ offense is what won them the game. Jeff Driskel threw for just 67 yards on eight-of-12 passing. Florida didn’t really gash LSU on the ground either, rushing for a deceptive 176 yards on 58 attempts (just a 3.0 yards per carry average).
Florida’s defense is even better than LSU’s.The Tigers gained just 42 yards on the ground, and Zach Mettenberger threw for a measly 158 yards and an INT on 25 passes. No LSU rusher had more than 21 yards on the ground, and aside from a 78 yard performance from Odell Beckham, no pass-catcher from LSU had more than 22 yards receiving. The Gators offense wasn’t anything to write home about in their upset victory over the Tigers, though, and right now it looks like SC has the best offense of the three.
Even though they had a bye Tennessee could be completely out of it by the time they come to Columbia, because the week before their matchup with the Gamecocks, they get Alabama. Tennessee does a lot of things well, but they don’t play defense, and with nothing to play for except pride in Columbia, the Gamecocks should have that game in the bag.
Arkansas hasn’t given up yet, and they could rush into Columbia with a full head of steam. The Razorbacks aren’t going away. Their next three games are against Kentucky, Ole Miss and Tulsa. By the time they come to South Carolina, Hogzilla could have a 5-4 record. They’ve manhandled SC the past four years, and the Gamecocks will have to play a good game to beat them.
Wofford just got slowed down by Furman. The Paladins held Wofford to 20 points in a 20-17 defeat. If the Gamecocks can’t hold them to 20, they don’t deserve to win the game.
The ACC is so bad that Clemson beat Georgia Tech and dropped a spot in the rankings. As of right now, that game in the other Death Valley could determine whether or not SC plays for a national championship before they even get a shot at knocking off Alabama. This SC squad just became the first ever to beat Georgia for a third straight time. It would be amazing if they could become one of the few Gamecock teams to beat Clemson for a fourth straight time at the end of the year.