USC wins vs Ole Miss

What a great game...glad I spent the money to watch in on PPV. The gamecocks looked very balanced with both sides of the ball playing great. SC wins 31-24!

Smelley...you totally redeemed yourself!

Smelley had a huge game, throwing for a career-high 327 yards, and tying a career-high with three touchdowns. One dumb pass that was a INT but he played great. He had control of the offense for the 1st time since the 4th Q vs NC State.

Barnes looked like the other number 4 today. Brinkley finally looked like the Jasper we all knew.
Great running and a great game by the SC offense line (a few errors but we will look past that for now)!

This was the win USC needed! More later.....

Final Stats

carlos thomas is the man

Carlos seals the win!

USC v Ole Miss - 5 keys to a win

The Gamecocks will travel to Oxford to take on the Ole Miss Rebels today, who are 3-2 and 1-1 SEC play. The rebels are coming off a big win vs the gators so you know they are pumped up.If the Gamecocks (3-2, 0-2) are to snap a seven-game SEC losing streak, the defense, which leads the nation in average yards allowed per game, will play a big role.

This is the 14th meeting b/w the two schools. The rebels have won the last 5 games to take an 8-5 lead in the series. Last time USC won was in 1979 by the score of 21-14. I think that will change today...

What will it take? Well it has always been close with 3 of the last 4 being decided by 3 pts or less and I see that today also. I am not even going to mention the USC Defense this time around b/c they are playing great and I feel they will show up today!

But their are 5 keys to a gamecock win, which are:

1. USC O Line Play --- The rebels, with coach Nix, are going to blitz. So the O line has to pick up the blitz and give time for whomever the QB is to make a play. The O line must play their assignments today and play as a unit. With this I must mention that the RB/FB must also step up big today to protect the QB b/c the rebels are going to pin their ears back and come after Smelley/Garcia today.

2. USC QB Play --- I voted for Garcia but Smelley got the nod. I think whomever is in the pocket must recognize what the D is showing, make a audible and make good decisions. Today we may see some more running from Garcia as the blitz package of Ole Miss may (I hope not) disrupt the SC O line. The QB has to keep the chains moving today and keep the USC offense on the field. The Gamecocks lead the SEC in 1st downs this season (glad we cheer for that), totaling 112 which is 22.4 a game. We need that kind of game today...moving the sticks and playing like a USC Offense should. Also who ever is in the pocket, please spread the ball around to the WR/TE. McKinley (if plays) and Cook do not need to meet their quota...we just need to win!

3. No Penalties --- Simple .... no dumb mistakes and in SEC play you can not beat yourself so think boys and play football. No false starts especially!

4. USC must Win the TO game --- USC Offense, you have thrown enough INTs this year so please no more and no more fumbles. I need to see zero TO's from the offense today. USC Defense has to create today as it will help the field position game also which SC has to win. They need to cause a fumble or get a timely INT. Again this is a SEC game so man up!

5. USC must play with "fire in their belly" --- I have stated this for a couple of weeks now, since the Vandy game. We have a defense that is hungry and playing hard...We need the Offense to play with a sense of urgency...play hard and be hungry for the win. USC can not simply go through the motions on offense...time to play SEC ball, time to show why you play Div 1 ball, time to make gamecock nation proud again, time to make Hyman and Spurrier look smart again. Barnes, Brown and others need to step up on Offense and Defense needs just to keep playing strong as a unit. Boys it is time to see the drive in the eyes!

So with that I think it is going to be close and USC will get down but come back. I hope Succop has come to play as he will be looked on to be the factor that makes a difference today...
I predict a 30 - 27 USC win.

New Blog - Team Speed Kills

Make sure to check out our pal's new blog which will be covering the entire SEC.

Team Speed Kills

Captain update / Mckinley could play

Reported HERE

Points of Discussion within the article---

• "Cornerback Captain Munnerlyn will be held out at least the first play at Ole Miss for missing a weightlifting session and special teams meeting recently. But coaches say Munnerlyn’s play also has been spotty." LOHD has stated the same thing about Captain needs to man up and play like he can b.c the 1st part of the season has not been up to his potential.
• McKinley could play vs Ole Miss ........ I see him only play a total of 20 mins on Saturday.
• Spurrier said both Chris Smelley and Stephen Garcia would play against the Rebels....duh!

Thursday trivia

1.) In what year was the last time Tennessee, Florida and UGA all lost on the same day prior to last Saturday?

2.) When was the last time South Carolina played a football game where the offense did not have a turnover?

Which way to go at Carolina and Clemson?

Thoughts on this article from the Charleston Post & Courier -

The question they ask is...Who's in more trouble, Clemson or USC?

Spurrier's reputation, USC season on the line

It's Tampa or bust for Bowden's 3-2 Tigers

Shake up in the SC Depth Chart

H/T to Garnet and Black on this one -

Munnerlyn might not start due to missed classes; Wallace to second string; Garcia not necessarily starting

Thoughts from the gamecock faithful?

---I am not surprised by Captain and his issues. I have watched him in the last 5 games and he seems a 'little big headed.' I think that all SEC talk got to his head b/c he has not been the lock down corner we had hoped for this year. Lots of balls his way and luck on his side. Also with PR duties he has not been so great as that ball going over his head vs UGA still haunts me.
---Garcia should be named starter but the 2 qb thing is what we most likely will see vs. Ole Miss.
---Wallace as the back-up....I have to agree as he had heart vs. UAB. He came out hungry and ready to prove something.....we need more fire on offense so good for Wallace as he earned it. I am a big fan of earning your spot on the team and in the rotation.

Joke of the Day - BOWDEN TO RESIGN

President Bush has asked Tommy Bowden to resign today as coach of the Clemson football team to become Director of FEMA

The President said he was "impressed how fast Bowden evacuated 80,000 fans last Saturday in Death Valley."

May be good for Bowden as the heat has been turned up in the kitchen -

Bowden defends offense, Spence

The rumored firing of Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden

Plyer losses faith - HERE

What clemson needs to work on

Here is a quick questions, are fans not going to the Clemson games because of the football team or because of this?

What SC needs to work on before Ole Miss

Going to go with 5 things USC needs to work on before the Ole Miss game -

1. First off the Offensive Line needs to get their sh*t together. QUIT with the false start business! We are approaching the mid point of the season and we need to stop shooting ourselves in the foot especially during critical times. Dear J Cook - don't move on the line! Every time John Hunt's crew makes this error he has to give $100 dollars to the Gamecock Club out of his pay check.

2. Eliminate the turnovers on offense! Please god just make good throws and hold on to the ball. We need zero "shots in the foot" on Saturday. For every interception a USC QB throws for the remaining games of the season the USC Offensive coaching staff must make a 1k donation to the Gamecock Club. I will not count tipped balls but enough is enough.

3. I want Spurrier & Co to light a match under the team's ass going in the rest of the season...it is time for the team to play with "fire in their belly." I see it in the defense with the boys all over the place and playing as a unit but on offense it is sad. Going through the motions, no hungry can be seen in them. Garcia almost got it going but then it faded. Play with excitement and let's punish Ole Miss.

4. USC does not like a offense that relies on mis-direction so it is important for USC to stop the "Wild Rebel" scheme...Garnet and Black has a link to Photon Torpedo Tube on the Wild Rebel who has explained it. Boys on D just need to keep their eyes on the ball and play their assignment.

5. Spurrier Sr needs to be the primary offensive play caller for the remainder of the season. No more sharing or whatever is going on. Steve - take charge of the offense.

_____

LOHD will now begin to keep tabs on false starts and TOs on offense. The way we see it these stupid mistakes are hurting the team, hurting fan morale and we need some accountability. No better way than to tie it to the wallet. USC wants fans to pay to see the gamecocks play well us fans want the gamecock coaches to pay for stupidity. It is not rocket science to remain still during a play call or audbile nor is it calculus concerning when to throw it away or just maybe throwing to WR X is not good so I will throw to WR Y.

Succop - SEC Special Teams Player of the Week

Congrats to Gamecocks kicker Ryan Succop for being named the SEC's special teams player of the week.

Full story HERE

He kicked a career-high four field goals in a 26-13 win over UAB. Succop is also in a tie for second place on USC's all-time lists for field goals (39) and points (202).

Ole Miss game is PPV; UK on TV

Via USCsports.com - HERE and HERE

South Carolina's game vs. Ole Miss will be on PPV throughout the state of South Carolina. The game against the Rebels begins at 2 p.m. EST.

The Gamecocks' game at Kentucky on Oct. 11 will kick off at 12:30 p.m. and be televised regionally by Raycom

Help Grade Garcia

So how would you rate the performance of Garcia last night? On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being "stellar."

Garcia finished with 86 rushing yards on 18 carries. He completed 13 of 20 passes for 131 yards, 1 INT and a touchdown. Garcia was running or passing on 38 of USC’s 78 plays, producing 217 of the Gamecocks’ 353 yards and three of five scores.

Post your comments....

Gamecocks win vs UAB

By the score of 26-13 the Gamecocks made beating UAB look easy and rightfully so as the UAB team was overmatched from the start.

News Thread of the Game -
Search for offense looks like a scramble
Book of Garcia starts with a bang
Defense rules the day for USC
Notes: Wallace returns with gusto
VIDEO: USC vs. UAB highlights
Grading the keys; injury report