Florida vs. South Carolina Football: 10 Things To Know About the Gamecocks

Florida got back to its winning ways with a much-needed victory over Vanderbilt last weekend and they will get no break as they travel to South Carolina and take on the Gamecocks. These teams are in very similar situations as they both have FCS opponents awaiting them next week followed by rival games to finish out the regular season. 

South Carolina is in a must-win situation after they lost last week to an impressive Arkansas team that still has to play No. 1 LSU. They are more than capable of pulling the upset and their win over Steve Spurrier’s squad provided some great game footage for Florida. They scored 44 points, gained 435 total yards on offense and held South Carolina to 207 yards (only 79 rushing). 

They are a team plagued with injuries, off-the-field issues and are currently playing backups. This is not the same Gamecock team that opened up the season and I’m here to tell you what you need to know.

They Are Better off Without Stephen Garcia

Stephen Garcia has brought more bad than good to this team and his dismissal in early October was a blessing. Eric Hyman, the South Carolina athletic director, claimed Garcia was relieved of his duties after failing to meet agreed-upon guidelines after his fifth career suspension this spring. How he got five different second chances is beyond me and I’m surprised a man like Steve Spurrier didn’t cut the cord a long time ago.

During his tenure as a Gamecock, Garcia started 34 games, accrued 7,597 pass yards and threw for 47 touchdowns. He guided his team to their first SEC Championship game last season, but has gone winless in three bowl games. His fortunate departure has paved the way for backup Connor Shaw to steal the spotlight.

Connor Shaw

Since Connor Shaw took over for Stephen Garcia, he’s gone 4-1 with his lone loss coming last week to Arkansas. He became just the third Gamecock quarterback of all time to win his first four starts. He’s had one 300-yard performance, thrown six touchdowns and four interceptions. He suffered a concussion in the Arkansas loss but has been cleared to play this weekend against Florida.

The young Shaw is only a sophomore and has a lot of upside for Steve Spurrier to mold in the coming years. As for this weekend, he’s a huge difference-maker. With the loss of Marcus Lattimore, he’s one of the few remaining playmakers on the roster so if the Gators can get to him early and often, South Carolina will be in trouble.

The New Guy in Town

Let’s meet freshman starting running back Brandon Wilds:

• From Blythewood, South Carolina.
• Finished his high school career with over 2,700 yards and 29 touchdowns.
• Became the first player in his high school to ever rush for 1,000 yards in a season.
• Began fall camp as the fifth-string running back on the depth chart and is currently the starter.

Injuries to Marcus Lattimore, Shon Carson, Kenny Miles and Eric Baker have propelled the 3-star recruit into the first-string spotlight. He burst onto the scene against Tennessee with a 137-yard, one-touchdown performance and has 233 yards on the season. He’s quick, agile and arguably the best fifth-string running back in the country.

Alshon Jeffery

Alshon Jeffery is not something you should know about South Carolina, it is something you should already know. He took 2010 by storm by catching 88 passes for 1,517 yards and nine touchdowns. His encore has not been as successful, largely in part of poor quarterback play, but the skills are there nonetheless.

He leads the team in receptions this season with 36 and has 487 yards. He has caught five of the 11 touchdown passes South Carolina quarterbacks have thrown. He’s caught a pass in an impressive 32 straight games and is on pace to set numerous school records including receiving yards and 100-yard games. He’s the lone superstar remaining on this team and defenses will key on him.

A double-team is necessary on all plays because without one, he is very dangerous.

The X Factor

This guy is better than Simon Cowell’s show. Redshirt freshman Bruce Ellington can hurt you in so many ways. So far this season he’s returned 11 kickoffs, averaging over 22 yards per attempt. He’s rushed the ball 13 times for 102 yards including one burst for 61 yards and six points. He’s caught two passes and caught 14 for 140 yards.

I’m not sure there’s anything else Ellington hasn’t done, not to mention he’s the starting point guard for the basketball team. Whenever he’s on the field the Gators have to be ready for anything. 

Ingram, Melvin Ingram

Just as we lost Alabama’s Mark Ingram to the NFL, another Ingram burst onto the scene and his name is Melvin. The defensive lineman has been turning heads since Week 1 when he recorded his first career interception in a shootout game against East Carolina. The very next week he ran a fake punt and a fumble recovery for touchdowns, earning numerous Player of the Week Awards for his performance and became just the third Division I player to score an offensive and defensive touchdown in the same game since 2006

He’s a semifinalist for both the Lombardi and Bednarik Awards, two of the highest honors for a defensive player; he has five-and-a-half sacks and nine-and-a-half tackles for a loss. He’s earned SEC Defensive Player of the Week twice and requires constant surveillance.

The Next Melvin Ingram

Jadeveon Clowney was one of the top recruits in the nation last year and South Carolina did a great job roping him in.

Since arriving on campus, he’s become the first true freshman to start on the defensive line in four years. He’s tied for sixth in the SEC with five sacks and is the only freshman in the top 20. He has seven tackles for a loss and has forced four fumbles, including the one Melvin Ingram scooped up against Georgia and ran in for a score. He’ll hurry you, knock you down and jar the ball loose.

If you forget about him for one second he’ll make you remember the hard way and is an excellent complement to Melvin Ingram.

Big Implications on the Line

South Carolina currently sits in second place behind Georgia in the race for the SEC East. They can clinch their division and a second consecutive trip to the conference championship with a win over Florida and a Georgia loss to either Auburn this week or Kentucky next week.

They defeated Georgia in the second week of the season and have gone undefeated against their fellow East opponents. A win over Florida would mark the first time in its history they have gone undefeated within their division. Their two conference losses came on a terrible Stephen Garcia performance against Auburn and last week against Arkansas. A loss here would end any title hopes for South Carolina.

They Start Slow

Here’s a trend: In the Gamecocks' last 12 games, they have allowed their opponents to get on the scoreboard first. In those 12 games, they managed to come back and win eight of them.

What should Florida’s game plan be? Bury them early deep enough so they can’t come back.

Some supporting details: The first game of the 2011 season against East Carolina was their largest deficit at 17 points. They were able to turn the tide and win 56-37 over the Pirates. The last time South Carolina was able to score first was last season against Troy.

Conclusion: Score early and often. 

A Little History

The Florida-South Carolina series history dates back to 1911 when the teams first played to a 6-6 tie. Since the inaugural meeting, the two have met 30 more times and the Gators have dominated the series 25-5-3. I use the word dominated lightly; a more proper word would be owned.

Since 1939 (20 meetings), the Gamecocks have only won twice—once in 2005 and the other last season—but if there was ever a win to build off of, it was last year's. Not only was it a convincing 36-14 victory but it clinched the first-ever SEC East for SC and to sweeten the prize, it came against Spurrier’s old employer.  

During that pivotal game that set the Gamecocks up for a nationally televised slaughtering to eventual-champion Auburn, Marcus Lattimore ran for a then-career-high 212 yards and Stephen Garcia remarkably did not turn the ball over. Neither of those players will take the field this Saturday, so the ball seems to be in Florida’s court.