USC v LSU night game on ESPN

ESPN will showcase the USC v LSU game next week will be on ESPN at 8pm.

The Gamecocks have won four straight games to improve to 5-2 overall, 2-2 in the SEC. LSU is 4-1 overall and 2-1 in the SEC after Saturday's loss at Florida.

USC wins 24-17

Spurrier still owns UK and now has 100 SEC wins. Two straight road games for South Carolina; makes them 5-2.

Succop needs to practice...never would I ever have thought that I would see Ryan miss so many...and miss bad! 1 for 5.

Stop the TOs on offense is the new motto....

SC needs to continue to wear white...

USC defense is good...

Garcia is the starter vs LSU....

Captain makes me nervous on PR....

Still need to work on the O line to create some holes but happy to escape UK with a win as this game was crazy...

more later...thoughts?

Chris Culliver is the man

thank you Chris for catching the ball to put a end to a crazy game!

5 Keys to a USC Win vs. UK

The gamecocks are 12-6-1 vs UK with the last meeting in Columbia being a 38-23 victory for USC. This will be the 20th time that Kentucky and South Carolina are to meet in the schools history ... The Gamecocks have a eight-game winning streak vs. UK. Four of the last six meetings with the Gamecocks have been determined by seven points or less. Spurrier, who has a 15-0 career record against Kentucky, has some work to do today.

UK owns a 4-1 record after dropping a 17-14 decision to No. 2 Alabama in its SEC opener. But this UK team will not go down easy....From the No. 1 defense in the nation in the most significant statistical category of them all -- fewest points allowed -- to the best kickoff return group in the country to a newfound depth and team speed, this is not the old Kentucky team college football fans have come to know.

The 5 keys that will have to be executed for a Gamecock win are ---

1. USC must control the line --- On both sides of the football, the gamecocks must win the battles in the trenches today. The offense has to create some holes to run through then give Smelley (or Garcia - who I think will play today) time to throw. On defense, the line must get the push and create havoc in the backfield. USC has to pressure the UK QB today and not give him time to pick the 'D' apart.

2. Win the TO game --- Just like vs Ole Miss, USC must have zero mistakes on offense and protect the ball. But on D the USC team has to create opportunities and capitalize on UK mistakes. In the Ole Miss game, it was the first time in six games that USC had won the turnover battle. In their seven-point losses to Vanderbilt and Georgia, the Gamecocks had a total of five turnovers and one takeaway. Overall, USC is 10th in the SEC and tied for 100th out of 119 teams nationally in turnover margin at minus-5. No more of this.....time for USC to not beat themselves and at the same time help themselves by getting the ball.

3. USC QB --- Smelley it is time to shine. It is simple. A Spurrier Offense is designed around strong QB play and this happens then it make him look like genius. If the USC QB has trouble then look out as the UK D is good and can make it a long day. I think Garcia may see some designed runs as I still feel there is some schemes that could work for him. Against a strong D, a running QB can do some good things.

4. Special Teams --- UK can hurt ya. Tackle on the PR and KR and don't let UK score easy. Succopp have better have a rested leg b/c I feel he will be needed today. This key also factors in to USC must win the field position game today. Need some magic on SP like a nice return or two or something b/c it will be a struggle so we need something easy to help out.

5. TE Cook --- I feel he has to step up and have a big game. UK runs a great man defense so having Cook will create a mis-match that we must exploit. Not to say we have to target him every time but look for Cook as he could be open.

My prediction is a USC 20 UK 17 WIN!

Enter Great White Hope for Klempson

Seems Tommy is working to keep his job and give into the public pressure....I think it is more of the need to fire Rob Spence then to turn the keys to the offense over to Willy. But the Clemson freshman Willy Korn to start at quarterback against Georgia Tech after a great loss to Wake Forest 12-7. Clemson is 3-3 after opening the season ranked No. 9 nationally.

Thoughts? Will Korn bring the spark on offense CU seeks?

so true

In the Wake of the storm

What happens when the bubble screens and trick plays don’t work anymore? That is the question Tiger fans are asking this morning as Clemson loses their 2nd straight ACC game. Clemson is having the same problem USC has had for the past 3 years. Offensive line trouble seem to bring the whole team down. You might have all the talent in the world at RB and WR but if the QB doesn’t have time to get the ball out to them, you are dead in the water.
Wake did a good job last night of playing to Clemson’s weaknesses. Wake didn’t do anything special, they just kept their defense off the field, while Clemson’s offense couldn’t figure out which direction to go. Wake had 100 rushing yards before Clemson was out of the negative rushing yards.

Willie P Quote of the Night: At 2 in the morning I get a phone call saying this: "What are we South Carolina, can't beat anybody. Fire tommy, Brad, and Rob. Fire them now, leave them in North Carolina."


Random Quote of the night: General " In South Bend, Notre Dame and or Yankee girls are rough as shit"

My response " don't make eye contact and keep your wallet in your front pocket"

Beecher out vs UK

According to the Greenville News -

University of South Carolina junior quarterback Tommy Beecher injured his back while working out in the weight room and is expected to miss Saturday's game at the University of Kentucky. Redshirt freshman Zac Brindise, a walk-on, becomes the No. 3 quarterback.

No big news here as Beecher would not factor into the UK game unless something really bad was to happen. We do hope he has a speedy recovery though....

Spurrier Quote of the Day

We all will agree that Spurrier has come up with a new way to help the offensive line improve its pass blocking and create running lanes.
When the media asked this of him on how to fix the situation, here is his answer -

"They need to pretend their momma is back there passing," he said. "Maybe then they wouldn't fall on the ground."

LL Cool J's "Momma said knock you out" has reportly been played in the locker room leading up to the game on Saturday.

SC headed to Cotton Bowl?

Well in the latest CBS Football News Bowl Projections it has the Univ of South Carolina matched-up against the Univ of Texas in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 2nd in Dallas.

ESPN has a different take - here - with SC slated to go either to the Liberty bowl or the Music City Bowl depending on who you believe.

Do you agree with the predictions above?
I personally hope it shakes out that S. Carolina goes to the Cotton bowl or the Peach bowl ... but first we must conquer Kentucky's Defense on Saturday.

Smelley good

University of South Carolina quarterback Chris Smelley has been selected as the Southeastern Conference Offense Player of the Week for his performance last Saturday in the Gamecocks' 31-24 win at Ole Miss, the conference office announced today.