Predicting South Carolina football’s final record
Florida Gators, Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, SC
The Gamecocks get a much needed week off prior to its matchup with the Gators, who will be fresh off their annual Cocktail Party with Georgia. That will likely be a loss, with Florida limping into Columbia void of any SEC title aspirations.
If there’s a chance for South Carolina to sneak up on an opponent, it’s now.
Florida lost a ton of talent from last year’s offense with Kyle Pitts, Kyle Trask, and Kadarius Toney now off to the NFL. While Emory Jones could provide a viable replacement under center, the unit won’t be nearly as productive as it was last season when the Gators nearly knocked off Alabama in the championship game.
South Carolina will show up big for this one, looking to make its first major statement of the Beamer era. We think the Gamecocks escape Williams-Brice with a win and make it to bowl eligibility.
W (6-3)
Missouri Tigers, Faurot Field, Columbia, MO
This series has been pretty even, with South Carolina holding a slight 5-4 advantage since Missouri’s having joined the SEC in 2012. The Tigers have taken the last two meetings, though last year Luke Doty nearly led the Gamecocks back from 17 points down to pull the comeback.
That effort ultimately fell short in a 17-10 defeat, but it showed Doty’s potential under center as a true freshman. Travelling to COMO will be tough, and the Tigers return a sophomore quarterback of their own in Connor Bazelak. He should have a few weapons out wide, and the offense may be too much for the Gamecocks to handle.
We’re not buying the hype that Missouri will jump to being the second best team in the SEC this year, but we do think they’ll get the best of the Gamecocks for a third straight season.
L (6-4)