South Carolina football fans won't have the chance to watch their favorite team this weekend, but as the Gamecocks are off on Saturday, the Bye week couldn't have come at a better time for Shane Beamer's team.
The hardest stretch of the season is upcoming for USC as Ole Miss comes to Columbia before back-to-back road trips to face off with the Alabama Crimson Tide and Oklahoma Sooners. The October slate includes two games against top-6 opponents (Ole Miss and Alabama) and two road games against ranked opponents (Alabama and Oklahoma).
The Gamecocks will get another Bye following the trip to Norman, and then they will play three more ranked contests (Texas A&M Aggies, Missouri Tigers, @ Clemson Tigers), a road game against the better-than-expected Vanderbilt Commodores, and FCS-ranked Wofford Terriers.
There are plenty of storylines to watch around the Gamecocks, even though there won't be a football game on Saturday.