South Carolina Football: Ranking each game on the Entertainment Scale
South Carolina Football’s No. 8 Most Entertaining Game of 2023:
Missouri Tigers
This is one series that the Gamecocks are desperate to turn around. Despite being, record-wise, an average football team over the past several years, the Missouri Tigers have been adept at beating South Carolina. It’s an objective fact. The South Carolina football team hasn’t beaten the Tigers of the other Columbia since 2018 when Michael Scarnecchia led the Gamecocks to victory in the rain and mud. Much like Kentucky was until this past season, Missouri is a thorn in the side of the Gamecocks.
However, unlike Kentucky, there doesn’t seem to be any bad blood or true rivalry between the schools. It’s a bit of a trip, geography-wise from one Columbia to another, and the two schools don’t seem to get into any notable recruiting battles. Regardless, this game should be circled on every Gamecock fan’s calendar. Win this game, and it sets the team up nice for November, as well as scratching that itch of finally beating Missouri.
It’s not as easy as it sounds, though. Missouri will continue to have a staunch defense. Kris Abrams-Draine returns, which is great for Tigers but not so much for the Gamecocks. I’m not an NFL scout, and for good reason, but Abrams-Draine has an ability to read and react to receivers that I’ve seen maybe once before in person, that being Malaki Starks in the Georgia game last season.
Ennis Rakestraw Jr., 2nd in command to Abrams-Draine, may be just as good. He returns too, as does Jaylon Carlies, interception leader last season. Daylan Carnell, who tied with Carlies with 3 interceptions, also returns. So good luck to Spencer Rattler throwing the ball this year against Mizzou. He’s going to need it.
The good news is that the Missouri defensive front has some holes to fill, with their top 3 sack leaders from last season, Isaiah McGuire, DJ Coleman, and Martez Manuel, departing the program. Carolina’s running game could really be useful in this matchup.
On the offensive side of the ball, the situation gets murkier for the Tigers. Brady Cook returns to man the helm at QB, but after an up-and-down sophomore year, he’s getting pushed by Sam Horn for the job. After Eliah Drinkwitz said both will play early in the year, it’s not certain which quarterback the Gamecocks will face. While their top running backs, Cody Schrader and Nathaniel Peat, return, the uncertainty of the QB situation is a cloud above a team that scored just 24.8 PPG last season.
Sure, Luther Burden is back. Force feed the ball to him if you’re Missouri. Do it consistently, because that’s the only way this offense is going to work. Ultimately, Mizzou’s defense is great. It’s not good or above average, it’s great. But this offense is a project, and it really hasn’t been good since Eliah Drinkwitz took over. This game between the Tigers and Gamecocks will be a rock fight again. The Gamecocks should have just enough talent on offense to prevail, but this won’t be a pretty game. It will be either the ugliest win of the season or the ugliest loss. Ugly either way, and the football gods wouldn’t have it any other way.