Auburn vs South Carolina: 5 Halftime Adjustments the Gamecocks Must Make

It hasn't been pretty in Columbia so far. Turnovers, botched trick plays, failed PATs and plenty of mistakes have marred this huge showdown between Auburn and South Carolina. Neither team has developed any offensive rhythm to speak of, and the game is up for grabs for the first team to get its act together.

Here are 5 adjustments the Gamecocks need to make in order to pull away in the second half.

5. Establish the Running Game: Auburn's run defense is bad. At least it has been so far this season. After a few early miscues, the Gamecocks really got away from their bread and butter in the running game. By running it on first and second down, the Gamecocks can wear down this Auburn defense and avoid so many third-and-long situations.

4. Watch for Misdirection Plays: The Tigers have had substantial success with misdirection plays so far, especially with tailback and bubble screens. This aggressive Gamecocks defense shouldn't lose its edge, but it needs to be mindful of a very intelligent Malzahn offense trying to exploit it at every turn. 

3. Get Garcia in His Comfort Zone: Steve Spurrier has coached some great quarterbacks. Stephen Garcia won't wind up being one of the best. That said, after a four-interception performance last week and a very unimpressive first half, Garcia's confidence has to be particularly low. Spurrier needs to calm his quarterback down with some easier, short-range passes.

2. Give the Ball to Your Playmakers: Marcus Lattimore has had surprisingly little action today. Alshon Jeffery proved he's a walking mismatch against the Auburn defense, but hasn't seen the ball nearly enough. Get the ball into these two guys' hands, and the Gamecocks will see results against an underwhelming Auburn D.

1. No More Dumb Mistakes: Late hits, fumbles, and blocked PATs? These are mistakes a top-10 team should not be making. Spurrier should (and will) make this very clear in his halftime speech. Little mental errors can ruin a game, and even a season.