September 8, 2012; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; A SEC linesman stands with a yard marker during a game between the LSU Tigers and the Washington Huskies at Tiger Stadium. LSU defeated Washington 41-3. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE
The SEC released its 2013 schedule just minutes ago, and South Carolina Gamecocks fans have to be pleased with what they’re about to see.
Aside from a possibly tough three game road trip, there isn’t much to complain about.
The Gamecocks get to open their SEC slate against Georgia like usual, they don’t play LSU or Alabama and they finish the SEC schedule off with two straight home games.
Here are the specifics:
Sept 7 @UGA
Sept 14 Vanderbilt
Oct 5 Kentucky
Oct 12 @Arkansas
Oct 19 @Tennessee
Oct 26 @Missouri
Nov 2 Mississippi State
Nov 16 Florida
As for some of SC’s in-division opponents and their two games vs western teams, Georgia gets LSU at home and Auburn on the road, Florida plays at LSU and gets Arkansas at home, and Tennessee faces Alabama on the road and gets Auburn at home.
Obviously the toughest part of SC’s schedule comes in October again. The Gamecocks are the only team that will play three straight SEC opponents on the road in three straight weeks next year. Auburn plays three straight road SEC games, but there is a break between games one and two of that stretch. Ole Miss starts the SEC schedule off with three straight road games, but the second and third of those games are broken up by either a bye or a game with an out of conference foe.
Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky are the only teams next year that have to face four of the five SEC teams that have broken into this season’s top 10. Arkansas plays LSU, Alabama, Florida and South Carolina, while Tennessee plays Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. Kentucky plays Florida, South Carolina, and Alabama (to open up their SEC season) and Georgia.
What do you think about SC’s conference schedule next year? Leave your thoughts in our comment section.