SEC RACE HOTTER THAN EVER

It is still early and a lot can happen, but the SEC race looks like it has slimmed down to 4 teams.

The SEC’s divisional races are ratings gold. In the latest edition of the South’s edition of "Must See TV", the SEC West race between Alabama and LSU is barreling down the tracks to November 5th in Tuscaloosa. This game will be out of hand, and no doubt be one of the best games of the year. Both have had their downs, but South Carolina and Georgia are both improving and appear to be on the upswing.


Over in the West...
LSU has been sensational. This team is playing with so much confidence, even their punter is talking trash. Les Miles has to be one of the most entertaining coaches in the history of the game. His players love him, and it is easy to see why. Tyrann Mathieu is making a claim for the Heisman and he's a cornerback, so that gives you a good indication of the talent in Baton Rouge. The QB situation has largely been a non-issue, and LSU's ground game has been solid behind Spencer Ware and Michael Floyd. Both LSU and Bama are body slamming opponents with clinical grade nasty-jaw dropping defense. Looking ahead, LSU heads to Rocky Top, then to Auburn, then has a bye week, and then Tuscaloosa.

Bama has been trotting out, quite possibly, Nick Saban’s best defense ever. They have pitched 2 shutouts they have a legit shot a pitching a couple more. Gameballs to Hightower and the entire defensive secondary at this point. The offense is clicking behind AJ McCarron, Trent Richardson, and Marquis Maze. Trent Richardson is another Heisman hopeful. He's been having a solid year. There are still some games left to play, but The Crimson Tide have to head to Oxford, then to Rocky Top, off week, then host LSU. The Crimson Tide could have a legitimate shot at another undefeated season.

Back in the East...
With South Carolina losing to Auburn back in Week 5, the door is still cracked open for Georgia to hang around. The Gamecocks, behind Conner Shaw (for the moment), look to continue the momentum they harnessed in this past weekend’s game against one the SEC’s most futile teams, Kentucky. They have to hit the road, head over to Starkville and face a damaged Mississippi State team, then an off week, then the Gamecocks go to Rocky Top, to Arkansas, and then host Florida. This could be a rocky 34 days for Carolina fans. With the offense appearing to be on the rebound this Carolina team could be tough to stop. The defense has been stellar this year. Melvin Ingram, Jadaveon Clowney and Marcus Lattimore get the Carolina mid-season game balls.

As for Georgia, they have seen the ship righted on the defensive side of the ball. A few Dawgs get some mid-season game balls: Jarvis Jones, Brandon Boykin, Bacarri Rambo on the Defensive side and Isaiah Crowell and Malcolm Mitchell on the offensive side. Showing tremendous upside, Todd Grantham’s defense is getting that foamy-at-the-mouth look that Georgia fans have been praying for in Athens. The offense for Georgia is showing signs of running smoothly, just not for long. As Georgia came of the second half gates and put up 14 points, they quickly popped the clutch in the second half and kept Tennessee in the game. Let’s give Tennessee credit. Injured, they have one of the best passing attacks around that is on the verge of full tilt. Isaiah Crowell and the return to a legitimate running threat at Georgia, have been the other driving forces in Georgia’s leveling off of the program. Malcolm Mitchell has stepped up in the wake of AJ Green.

Georgia heads to Vandy, then have an off week (which comes in at a big time with Crowell and Mitchell both needing to heal up), then head to The Cocktail Party, host New Mexico State, host Auburn, host Kentucky, and finish the season in Atlanata against GA Tech. The regular season finale has nothing to do with the SEC race, but watching GA Tech's ground game, against Georgia's increasingly stingy defense will be a fun one indeed.

Odds are muddy on Coach Richt bringing home the "W" from Jacksonville and running the table AND The Gamecocks dropping another SEC game, maybe Arkansas on the road. Who knows?

Both SEC matchups are equally interesting to keep an eye one. One matchup, The West, is a race between 2 thoroughbreds. The Dysfunctional SEC East is going to really show us what the 2 teams trying to find their way really have in them. Who wants it?

Look for Garcia to get thrown back into the fire before this one is done and on a big stage.

This is surely going to be fun watch pan out.

WEEK 5 PREVIEW

As we head into October and the second month of the 2011 college football season, there are a handful of games that you really just can’t miss this weekend. Conference standings are starting to shape up, and the pretenders are being exposed. Who had Clemson undefeated midday on October 1st? They travel to a very tough Blacksburg, VA, and many are tuning in for the Tajh Boyd – Sammie Watkins show. And there’s one thing for sure The Swamp will be off the charts Saturday night with Alabama in town as two undefeated SEC teams face off.

Cowboys Stadium in Arlington Texas will be the site for the Texas A&M (#14) – Arkansas (#18) matchup. The Aggies will have to put last week’s devastating loss to Oklahoma State out of their mind. Last week Oklahoma State just had more in the tank down the stretch. Great coaching shows and it rose to the top just before halftime and out of the second half gates. And Oklahoma State showed in the 3rd quater how to get it done. A&M went into the half up 20-3 only to see the most unbelievable 3rd quarter imaginable where they gave up 21 points and scored none themselves, the Aggies will have to learn the lessons and just flush the bad from memory. Arkansas is in the same boat coming off a tough loss to Alabama. This should be a good early October test determining who can bounce back and who continues to fall from grace. A&M’s ground game has the edge here, but don’t ever count out Bobby Petrino’s passing attack. I’m positive The Razorbacks came away from Tuscaloosa with a number of things to work on during this week's practices.


Mississippi State at Georgia will be another noon kickoff where we’ll find out who this Georgia team really is. Georgia is currently favored by a touchdown. Last week’s win on the road in Oxford was a largely unimpressive win. The kicking game specialized in missing and the offense should have blown out the Rebels. In a game where the backups should have played almost the entire 4th quarter and received some solid reps (working toward the future), the starters were in late trying to hang on to the lead. Sure the Georgia Defense is showing some great progress and picking it up big time, gravitating towards the upper half of the SEC’s Defensive elite. But it is hard to miss - UGA's red zone offense is pathetic. For a team with tons of tight end talent you would think Mike Bobo would bring out the big boys down in the red zone and punch in for a couple TDs with Crowell or play action to some wide open sure handed tagets. So for Georgia: expect the unexpected. In a season where many were pumped for Miss. State it’s hard for State fans to come to grips with an 0-2 SEC start. Question: Can Georgia plug the middle and keep State off the edge? Question: Can Coach Bobo stop popping the clutch and let this offense just turn it loose? If not, it’s going to be another tough pill to swallow in A-town.



It’s a big day for football in the state of South Carolina. The Gamecocks (#10) host Auburn, and this will be a great barometer as Clemson took care of business beating Auburn at home back in week 3. South Carolina is currently favored by 10, but things are not all good in Columbia. The dysfunction is rising up and boiling over. Spurrier’s headset is taking a beating and his visor is in tatters. Thank goodness he has Lattimore and one of the most exciting defenses around to carry the load. That combination is tough to beat despite Garcia’s bumbling. Look for the Gamecocks to expose Auburn this year. Both teams have yet to lose an SEC match, but something has got to give. Queue up Sandstorm and look for Lattimore on the national stage to really make his mark for the Heisman.


Clemson (#13) at Virginia Tech is a big time cross divisional ACC clash. These two teams could easily be seeing each other again, squaring off in Charlotte for the December 3rd ACC Championship game. Bud Foster has no doubt been watching countless hours of new on the scene Chad Morris and Clemson’s revved up offense. Coach Morris is the right fit for Clemson at Offensive Coordinator, and his offensive scheming is the breath of fresh air that this team needed. Virginia Tech is favored by 7, but I’m just not seeing it. VA Tech has struggled this year – just pop in the tape of the East Carolina game, and I like Clemson’s run defense. Look for Dabo and company to keep the Boyd-Watkins-Ellington-Hopkins show rolling. Bottom line, there are too many Clemson weapons for Virginia Tech to stop them all. Plus I see Logan Thomas having trouble on 3rd and long situations, but Blacksburg...at night. Look for a really close one.


Alabama #3 travels to The Swamp to square off against #12 Florida. This is far and away the marquee game of the day. Coach Will Muschamp has this Florida squad back on track and he’s playing to his team's strengths. The run game is on point again, and the defense is playing really, really good. The Florida defense only gave up 36 points for the entire month of September. On the other side, you’ve got Alabama, who has been playing great defense with a solid run game, and a fairly unproven passing game. The Crimson Tide only surrendered 32 points in December. The matchups to watch in this one are Florida’s run game against The Tide D, and Florida’s QB play from John Brantley against The Tide secondary. And finally how will AJ MacCarron perform on 3rd and long situations? Because, to me, it is clear that Alabama’s Offense has not seen a defense all year with this kind of prowess.


Another primetime game of the night is the Nebraska (#8) at Wisconsin (#7) game. Good luck getting a ticket to this one. Two of the best rushing programs in the country square off in this new found Big 1G rivalry. Both teams have laid waste to their competition. A cross divisional game, all chips will be on the table come Saturday night. Look for Taylor Martinez to take a beating against the Wisconsin defense. Wisconsin has only given up 34 points in the month of September, and that’s nothing to shake a stick at regardless of who you’re playing. These guys are BCS grade. I expect Wisconsin to get into the red zone behind the Russell Wilson - Montee Ball – James White ground game, and punch in TDs in the redzone via the tight ends. Look for a close one early, but Wisonsin to pull away late.

SOUTH CAROLINA: CAN GARCIA STAY ON TARGET THIS FALL

Congratulations to the South Carolina baseball team as they bring home a second straight College World Series trophy in historic fashion!

South Carolina is fresh off back to back championships, and they are the only team that will ever be able to say they won the last championship at Rosenblatt and the first championship in TD Ameritrade Park.



As fall rapidly approaches, the talk and the expectations will soon center solely on the football team. The hopes for a return trip and a better outing in Atlanta and a possible run at the National Championship rest on one man's shoulders, a 23 year old named Stephen Garcia.



Like a lot of college kids, Stephen Garcia, has had his share of trouble. Earlier this year he ran into another incident involving alcohol, and Coach Spurrier and the Athletic Director laid down the law. Basically one more incident and Garcia is gone.



Conner Shaw is not ready for Atlanta. If Carolina is going to make a run and find themselves playing big boy football on the first Saturday in December, then it is going to be with Garcia at the helm. Garcia could do a big service to his team and school by sitting down with the baseball team and picking up some of the eye of the tiger tips to focus in on the season ahead.

(Photo courtesy http://gamecocksonline.cstv.com/)

With big potential out there for this year's Gamecock football team, it is no wonder some are a bit worried and concerned. Carolina is the unquestionable frontrunner in the SEC East. If Garcia plays his cards right they might be ordering rings later this year, and possibly erecting a statue. Let's not get ahead of ourselves, but you get the picture. If he finds himself in another bonehead situation, the wheels could come off very quickly in Columbia.

A lot is riding on this year for USC, and with a stacked offensive team including Alshon Jeffrey (SEC's #1 receiver and the nation's #4 receiver), Marcus Lattimore (SEC's #3 rusher and the nation's 28th ranked rusher), a solid offensive line and strong defense boosted by the addition of Jadaveon Clowney.



Garcia does not hold the top QB stats you would like to see. As far as QB Ratings go, Garcia is #5 in the SEC and #22 Nationally. He finished last season with 3059 passing yards, 20 TDs and 14 interceptions. The interceptions have to come down this year if USC wants to make a run at it. Lattimore will have to hold up for the long haul and have a repeat stellar performance. That is not small order as the number of returning freshman usually do not have incredible numbers on the ground in their sophomore season.



Garcia will need to put down the bottle and determine what is most important: drinking or grabbing the chance of a lifetime. He is currently in the SEC staring down his last year with a loaded team and an SEC East division that is still trying to find itself with Florida still cleaning house and switching gears post-Urban Meyer, UGA trying to determine if Mark Richt is the answer, and Kentucky and Vanderbilt still being years away but showing signs of improvement.



So which Stephen Garcia will we see this fall?



Will Carolina fans get, the Garcai who played the game of his life at home against Alabama back on October 9th where he went 17 for 20 with 201 yards, 3 TDs and 1 pick (which was not really his fault in my opinion)?



Or will we get the Stephen Garcia that lost 20-41 on the road against Arkansas back on November 6th where he went 14 for 29 with 161 yards, 1 TD and 2 picks?



We have about two months to see. Carolina opens up at home against East Carolina (September 3rd). Garcia then leads the Gamecocks back into hostile territory as they travel to Athens to play Georgia (September 10th).
 

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HERE COME THE GOOD BOWLS: Part II

Alright this is another great day of games. The New Year's Eve slate of college football games is on point. We have 4 really good looking match ups on the board. Now mind you, these are not all traditional match ups, but pretty good looking match ups none the less.

Friday December 31st:

#1 South Florida vs Clemson in the Car Care Bowl
(12/31) Noon ESPN
Clemson has had a tough year. Seems like ever since Kyle Parker took a shot in the back against Auburn earlier in the year, that something has not been right. Clemson is sitting on 6-6 and Dabo does not want to finish with a loosing record. Both teams roll into Charlotte having lost their last game. South Florida had a big time win over Miami in the Overtime thriller back on Thanksgiving weekend. Look for some turnovers and some otherwise sloppy play, but a thrilling game as there on athletes for both teams on both sides of the ball. Look for Clemson's Defensive front to be the difference.


#2 Notre Dame vs Miami in the Sun Bowl
(12/31) 2:00 PM CBS
Catholics vs Convicts renewed. The 2010 edition of this rivalry will propel Notre Dame into the national spotlight and keep them there for the next decade. Look for Brian Kelly to seize this golden opportunity. With Miami burning in the background the Golden Domers will step back up on stage. Since she took office, I've been very critical of the University President, Donna Shalala, and exactly who was behind the "Let's resign, then fire Coach Randy Shannon" decision is beyond me. Talk about a costly decision. But from the looks of the U from the outside, things to do not look they are being handled properly. Harris throws too many picks. Irish win.


#3 Georgia vs Central Florida in the Liberty Bowl
(12/31) 3:30 PM ESPN
What a difference selling a bowl jersey makes. Georgia really has to look in the mirror after this year and dig deep. The recruiting needs to step up. The defense needs to step up. The offense needs to learn to not fumble in the red zone. And the toughness (strength and conditioning) needs to return and reach new heights. Just a few things and this team is playing their bowl game on New Year's Day again. Mark Richt has "The Year" coming up next year with a kick off classic looming against Boise State, and Florida game with a new coach. Yeah Coach Richt is going to really want to go into the off season on a high note. A resounding win over Central Florida accomplishes that. There are still some really good recruits out there for the Dawgs to land, and this game is a big component of decisions to come. Plain and simple this is a trap game. Georgia has a ton to loose, and very little on the National Stage to gain outside of rebuilding respect. But Richt will have things in order. Look for Liberty Bowl records to be broken by Murray and Green. Dawgs win this one. Because Lord knows if they lose it, The Guns of Navarone will be pointing towards Athens.


#4 South Carolina vs Florida State in the Chick-fil-A Bowl
(12/31) 7:30 PM ESPN
This is the main event of the day. What a great match up. Which Garcia will show up? Will Spurrier find ways to get the ball to Lattimore throughout the game? Remember last year's bowl game where UCONN blew the doors of USC? Ouch! Yeah I love this match up. Jimbo Fisher has some really good mojo going on in Tallahassee, and Spurrier has the Gamecocks believing. Hope is something that has not been in Columbia's football discussion for an entire football season in some time. But its back now and the the SEC Championship game aside, these Gamecocks are really good. I know they wish they could have that 2nd Quarter back in Atlanta. They finally got Auburn to punt, and they did nothing with it. They finally got Cam to fumble and did nothing with it. If they convert those in 14, then maybe that game rolled out differently. Nah probably not, but it needs to be said. Look for the Gamecocks in this win. Spurrier loves beating the Seminoles and this year's no different.

Come back tomorrow, where we will have Part III in HERE COME THE GOOD BOWLS.

Please be safe out there and Happy New Years!!!!!

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GAMES OF THE WEEK: SEC EDITION

Week 7 is upon us, and we've got some really good games this weekend. With BCS getting ready to release its initial numbers Week 7 is no time to take your eye off the prize. There are some teams that really have to keep it together. A key clash on The Plains, UGA VIII joins the team, and Alabama returns to the field after being shown the door last week in Gamecock country. Let's take a closer look at the SEC games this week.





VANDERBILT (2-3) AT GEORGIA (2-4)
NOON - SEC NETWORK/ESPN
Georgia introduces a new UGA today, UGA VIII.The collar will be passed, and a new chapter beings in Athens. Watching Georgia last weekend, I was overwhelmed with how fast Aaron Murray actually is. He really does not the get the "running-spotlight", as Georgia runs more of pro set, but I think Richt & Bobo will find more and more ways to get him out in space with roll outs and moving the pocket. The Georgia tailback tandem is up to their usual tricks, and Caleb King will not be playing this one due to a failure to show up in court. Calling all college interns - I have a job for you. Drive the Georgia football players around and keep them out of trouble. I guarantee it will be a full time job. Way to stay focused, Dawgs. Regardless, this Georgia team should have a good day at home. Murray has been getting better and better each week, and that will continue today. I see A.J. Green lighting up Vandy, just as he did last year on the road in Nashville. Keep an eye out for Freshman Ken Malcome, especially if Ealey puts the ball on the turf. There has been discussion about red shirting him, but he might get in today as the Dawgs are really thin at tailback these days. UGA VII gets his first W. Look for UGA by 17.


ARKANSAS (4-1) AT AUBURN (6-0)
3:30 PM - CBS
Looks like this will be an instant classic on The Plains as two highly ranked teams square off in this SEC West showdown. When you look at it we're talking about two Heisman hopefuls leading their teams as Cam Newton leads the 8th ranked rushing offense in the land against Ryan Mallett's 3rd ranked passing offense. Should be some fireworks in this one for sure. The two key match ups for me are (#1) How Auburn's secondary holds up against Ryan Mallett's attack, and (#2) How does Arkansas' defense even begin to stop Cam Newton. Auburn has been rolling this year. They are unbeaten, and they put down Ark State, Miss State, Clemson, South Carolina, Louisiana-Monroe, and Kentucky. They are tried and tested in my book. Arkansas on the other hand has beaten Tenn Tech, Louisiana-Monroe, Georgia, and Texas A&M, but they most noticeably let a big one get away, as the lost to Bama at home. If they can't beat Bama at home, I don't think they'll be able to beat Auburn in Jordan-Hare. Look for the Tigers in this one by 7.


SOUTH CAROLINA (4-1) AT KENTUCKY (3-3)
6:00 PM - ESPN2
In what looks like a trap game for Carolina, Coach Spurrier is going to have his hands full up in Lexington. Kentucky in some circles has The Gamecocks right where they want them. The Gamecocks are coming off such a big game in Columbia against Bama, and Carolina will have to quickly refocus and stay on target here if they want to continue their trek to Atlanta. If Derrick Locke is out, then I really like Carolina's chances, but Kentucky is tough. From a statistical standpoint Kentucky has a lot of the edges: (Passing Yards, Rushing Yards, Points Scored), but Carolina has the edge in two key stats Points Against and overall record. The stats don't amount to whole lot if you have 3 losses. Look for Lattimore to continue having a great season. He'll have a 100+ yards and a couple TDs, and Carolina wins this one by 10.


MISSISSIPPI STATE (4-2) AT FLORIDA (4-2)
7:00 PM - ESPNU
Who would have predicted back in the summer that these two teams would be squaring off, both at 4-2. The loser of this one, goes home with their 3rd SEC loss on the year. Dan Mullen has things revving up, and Florida's fans are piling on Offensive Coordinator, Steve Addazio. By my take, if Addazio looses this one and loses ugly, then he might be looking for another job. Welcome to life after Tebow. Statistically Miss State is a better team in a lot of areas. Florida is in the middle of an identity crisis and really beginning to feel the departure of its intellectual property (Charlie Strong, former D Coordinator, and former O Coordinator, Dan Mullen). On that note, look for Dan Mullen's squad to play tough, but their lack of a big time set of receivers really hurts them in a game like this. Florida by 7.



OLE MISS (3-2) AT ALABAMA (5-1)
9:00 PM - ESPNU
Talk about walking into a bad situation. Ole Miss has the unlucky fortune of going up against Bama this week in their house. Bama got roughed up a bit after they got it handed to them in Columbia, SC. Massoli could be running for his life today. Bama is going to throw the kitchen sink at Ole Miss this weekend and control the running game. With Julio Jones not playing this looks like a cloud of dust game. Look for Ingram and Richardson to carry the load today. Bama by 17.

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GAMECOCKS SEND THE TIDE PACKING WITH A 35-21 THRILLER IN COLUMBIA

Friends,

I want to start off by saying how blessed I was to be at this game. It was a historic win for the Gamecocks. Quite simply, it was the biggest win in the program's history. College Football always delivers, and yesterday with the ESPN GameDay and CBS Sports in town, Coach Spurrier's Gamecocks delivered by taking down the undefeated, defending National Champs.

It was clear leaving Charleston at 7 AM that something was in the air. A heavy fog covered I-26 for the majority of the drive to Columbia. While attending ESPN College GameDay, I noticed the pulse of Gamecock Nation was off the charts. Optimism and hope was abound, as a focused fan base knew what was at stake.

The game kicked off, and it was clear from the first drive that Bama was going to have their hands full, as the Gamecocks were prepared and well versed on what The Tide were trying to do. South Carolina held Alabama to an early field goal. Carolina got the ball and marched straight down the field and capped it off with a Lattimore score. Carolina never looked back from there, as they controlled the lead the rest of the afternoon. Carolina got the ball back and put up another 7 with a nasty play by Alshon Jeffery as he reeled in a 26 yard pass for a TD.

(Photo courtesy Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

At the end of the first quarter it was USC 14 - Bama 3, and we were on our way. Out of the gate it was apparent Carolina had a little more pep in their step.

The second quarter started off with another Alshon Jeffrey touchdown, and it was quickly 21-3. Both teams battled for the remainder of the quarter, but it was not until the closing seconds until Bama officially got on the board with a TD. McElroy hit Julio Jones on a beauty. However Bama missed the PAT confirming that things were not clicking for the Tide, and there we were 21-9 at the half.

Carolina kicked first, so they got the ball to start of the second half. The opening kick was bobbled. The crowd started to get that "here we go again" feeling. Things got worse for Carolina as the opening snap resulted in Garcia chucking the ball out of the end zone to "avoid" the Tide, but it was a preemptive move that resulted in a safety. Carolina kicked off to Bama who was setup with great field position. The Gamecock D held the Tide to a field goal, and Coach Spurrier saw another opportunity missed. The Gamecocks basically spotted Alabama 5 points out of the gate, but they still had the lead. Midway through the 3rd it was 21-14.

Carolina put together another nice drive, which was capped off by another Marcus Lattimore TD. This was a close range TD that showcased an option right, that for all account and purposes looks unstoppable. My take away from this option play was anytime Carolina needs to get some yardage, then they need to look no further than an option play to Lattimore. If it is Lattimore versus any cornerback in the country 1 on 1, my money is on Lattimore. So there we had it at the close of the 3rd Quarter, with Carolina up 28-14.

The 4th started off with a quick Alabama score as McElroy hooked up with Darius Hanks for 51 yard TD strike. But that was it for Bama as they teetered on the comeback, but could not break through Carolina's stout play. The Gamecocks put up another Lattimore TD to bring the final to 35-21, just as the sunset on Columbia. It was a picturesque close to an amazing day in Columbia.

Carolina broke out of the post game prayer, and the entire team made a bee-line to the student section which was producing enough energy to power a nuclear reactor. The pandemonium continued into the street, as Gamecock Nation poured into the streets hooting and hollering and high-fiving everyone. It was all the police could do to keep joyful mayhem from ensuing. To describe the scene as anything less than memorable would be an understatement.

It was said earlier in the week on Bill King's Rivals Radio that Bama would have to play their worst game, and Carolina would have to play their best. Carolina certainly played their best, and they officially did not make anything easy for the Crimson Tide who ultimately never found their groove all day in Columbia.

A lot of credit has to go to Coach Spurrier. He called a great game. He withheld no punches and came out gunning for touchdowns from the outset. He knew field goals would not cut it and he called one heck of a gutsy game.

(Photo courtesy Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

Garcia/Lattimore/Jeffrey also get game balls. They came out and put together one heck of an offensive showcase. The O line came together and gave Garcia time to do his job. Garcia finished 17-20 (18-20 in my book as the interception hit is receiver right in the hands, but he could not haul in the catch which resulted in an INT) with 3 TDs. Lattimore was stud. He racked up 93 hard fought yards and 2 TDs. Alshon Jeffery was unreal. He hauled in 7 catches for 127 yards and 2 TDs. All on a stout but young Alabama defense.

In addition, you have to give a ton of credit to the Carolina Defense. They had McElroy running for his life most of the day, as they got key sacks throughout the game. They also held the Ingram/Richardson duo to just 64 yards and 0 TDs. Alabama finished with a sub par 5-13 on 3rd Down conversions.

The College Football season is like a hurricane, and yesterday Columbia, SC was the eye of that hurricane.


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GAMECOCKS DEFEAT THE DAWGS IN CONVINCING FASHION

With all eyes on Columbia yesterday at high noon, it was apparent early on that this this year's team is one of Spurrier's best at USC.

 

Carolina got the ball first and drove straight down the field putting up a TD off a 16 play drive. They set the tone early with the capabilities of this Carolina squad. They let everyone know they can grind it out -- something Carolina fans have wanted for years. With Lattimore in, it is very apparent that these Gamecocks have balance, prowess, and innate ability to get a first down. Lattimore changes everything in Columbia, and it is an exciting time for the Gamecock Nation.

 

(Photo courtesy of Mike Zarrilli of Getty Images)

 

 

A lot of credit has to go to Shawn Elliott. He had the Offensive Line looking amazing. He comes from Appalachian State, where he helped guide steer the Mountaineers to 3 straight National Championships (2005, 2006, & 2007). While there he coached up 3 consecutive SoCon Jacobs Blocking Trophy recipients. In his first year at USC Coach Elliott has Lattimore is running behind one well coached line.

 

Combine that with a senior QB in Garcia and you have one excellent foundation for an Offensive explosion.

 

The Defense was no joke either. USC controlled both lines of scrimmage all day, and while Washaun Ealey got the ball for 19 carries for UGA, he never broke one big, never saw paydirt and found the ball stripped from him by #21 DeVonte Holloman inside the 5 yard line late in the game. It was a huge blow to UGA, and an amazing lift for the Gamecocks. It was the play of the day as the score at the time was 14-6 (Gamecocks).

 

Garcia finished the day 12-17, 165 yards and no TDs in the air. It was all Lattimore. He got the ball 37 times, racked up a whopping 187 yards and 2 TDs. He will always be considered the crown jewel of the most recent recruiting class for USC, and yesterday's performance was ample evidence why he was so highly regarded. He makes everyone look better.

 

In a losing effort, Justin Houston made is presence felt on the Georgia Defense. He was one of the bright spots on the Georgia defense, as he brought in 3 sacks on the day. He will continue to terrorize opponents all year. Grantham's defense is still a work in progress, and they had a tall order yesterday trying to slow down the Carolina offense. Georgia seemed to be a bit timid and seriously lacking in fundamental tackling -- very reminiscent of last year's squad. Arm tackles were prevalent, but things should get better for UGA if they can focus on wrapping up and swarming to the ball.

 

Game Stats:

 

3rd Down Efficiency

• UGA: 3-11
• USC: 9-14

 

Rushing Yards:

• UGA: 61
• USC: 189

 

Passing Yards:

• UGA: 192
• USC: 165

 

Carolina has Furman then a big test with a road trip to Auburn, then a week off, then Alabama.

 

Georgia has a huge home test with Arkansas coming to town, then they travel to Miss. State.

 

Expectations in Columbia could not be higher, and for good reason. If they Gamecocks can stay humble and hungry and focus on 1 week at a time, then they could be booking tickets to ATL. But that's another story for another day.

SOUTH CAROLINA ROLLS AT HOME 41-13

Stephen Garcia came out last night and put some of the critics to rest. With about 5:45 to go in the 1st Quarter, Garcia dropped back to pass, saw no one open, scrambled off to the right side, and ended up lowering the boom on a Southern Miss D-Back, spun into the end zone for a Touchdown. It was a 22 yard scamper that was definitive Garcia. He set the hard-nosed tone early.

(Photo courtesy of AP/Brett Flashnick)

Lattimore did not start, but he was in soon enough, and it seemed like he had a calming effect on the offense. He ended up having 2 touchdowns on the night, and he looked to be running downhill all night.

The offense for South Carolina got off to a shaky start with a 3 & Out, but they quickly got the jitters out. South Carolina did see Conner Shaw in as promised by Coach Spurrier. He started out in the slot, but by the 2nd half he was leading the team on the field as well. With about 11:22 to go in the 4th, he pitched a perfect pass to DL Moore on a crossing route for a 20 Yard TD pass, which extended the USC lead to 41-6. It was a really nice catch in traffic. Look for DL Moore to be another weapon to step up for Carolina this year.

Garcia finished 16-23 for 193 yards, and while he didn't throw a TD pass, he did have some really nice passes. He had 2 runs in particular that really defined the night, as they were hard nosed fierce plays - where he was delivering the hit on the play. Garcia has some grit, and he led the Gamecocks to victory Thursday night. Alshon Jeffrey had 7 receptions for 106 yards. And true freshman, Mr. Highly Recruited, Marcus Lattimore did not disappoint. Coach Spurrier gave the courtesy start to Sr. Brian Maddox, but Lattimore was in quickly enough on the second drive. Latt had 14 carries and 2 TD, and his presence was unmistakable. The mantle has been passed in Columbia. Marcus Lattimore is the nasty back that Spurrier has been looking for during his stay in South Carolina.

Ellis Johnson's Defense played stout and stellar tonight, really not giving up much of anything in the way of points to Southern Miss.

Georgia better watch out in week 2. These Gamecocks are balanced and they can play.

SO CLOSE YOU CAN ALMOST TASTE IT

With the opening kickoff of the College Football 2010 season just weeks away its time to start breaking down games.


Let's start with opening night, Thursday September 2nd.

(All times are listed in EST)

Southern Miss @ South Carolina
7:30 ESPN
Both teams finished last season with a loss to end the season, and both finished 7-6 in their respective campaigns. But considering the tone that needs to be set early for this season, especially considering the way USC finished last season (they were sloppy and man-handled by UCONN in the bowl game), South Carolina should roll. They will be getting tuned up for the always important early season showdown with Georgia (9/11). The most intriguing aspects for me in this game will be the Offensive Line for USC and how well they protect (Sr.) Stephen Garcia. I am also very interested in seeing the crown jewel of Coach Spurrier's most recent recruiting class, Marcus Lattimore. Is he the second coming? Will he be the starter? Is he THE player that ushers in the balance that Coach has lacked since arriving in Columbia? Look for Carolina to come out gunning for the end zone, and expect Carolina to win by 21.



Marshall @ Ohio State
7:30 Big Ten Network
Ohio state is coming off an 11-2 season last year capped off by an impressive Rose Bowl victory over a very good Oregon team. Marshall on the other hand is coming off a 7-6 season, which they posted just 2 conference wins. I will be keeping an eye on Terrelle Pryor's surgically repaired right knee. He could be wearing a knee brace, and it is going to be a long season. So he might be handing off and focusing on pocket passing for the opener with VERY little scrambling. But let's be honest, running is in his blood and if it's 3rd Down, and he sees daylight and no one open, then there is a really good chance he could bolt. I just hope the body holds up (reference Colt McCoy in the Bama game). Marshall's Defense will resemble swiss cheese and The Buckeyes will roll in front of the home crowd. The Defense will be stifling, and OSU should win by 28.



Pitt @ Utah
8:30 Versus
Huge road test for Pitt. This is without a doubt the best matchup of the night. Both teams finished the season with 10-3 records, but take note: Utah went undefeated in conference play while Pitt dropped 2 games in the conference last year. Of course this is a non-conference game, but those are interesting numbers regardless, especially considering teams without a doubt should be getting up for the conference matchups. Pitt will be working out the kinks with a new QB under center, but look for them to handoff all night and rely on the strong D they bring to the table in 2010. Utah should be tough, but ultimately not have the answers to stop Dion Lewis and Pitt's ground game. Look for Pitt by 10.



USC @ Hawaii
11:00 ESPN
Southern Cal is coming an unusually crazy ride of an off season, and in my opinion get used to it as you, USC, officially signed up for it with Lane Kiffin and the Merry Pranksters. And for USC the hits keep coming as star freshman tailback Dillon Baxter will not be playing in the season opener. Either way usher in the Kiffin Era with a win. USC finished last year 9-4 and Hawaii subpar 6-7 record. Monty is one of the best in the business and the Defense will be stout. USC by 21.

Let me know what you think. How do you see the opening Thursday night festivities panning out?

SEC EAST PREVIEW

SEC EAST Preview

Florida - With Urban Meyer's health still an issue, and a number of players heading to the NFL including Tim Tebow, Riley Cooper, Aaron Hernandez, and Brandon James this year is going to be a big test for the Gators. With such a huge chunk of the offensive production gone, the Gators will have to rely last year's supporting cast to step up. Look for Brantley and Moody to be those guys. How they will handle the spotlight will be key. Other key losses include Joe Haden (CB) and Bradon Spikes (LB). With a great recruiting class coming in, Florida looks to reload. The schedule tightens up in October as the Gators face Alabama (Away 10/2), LSU (Home 10/9), Miss State (Home 10/16) and Georgia (Jacksonville 10/30).

Georgia - The two biggest questions for Georgia this year center around (1) Who will the next UGA quarterback be? and (2) How will Todd Grantham's reconfiguration of the defense into the 3-4 turn out? The spring game was a big showcase for the depth and the talent, but a recent dismissal from the team leaves the UGA 2010 squad minus Zach Mettenberger. Look for Aaron Murray to shine this fall. The reports from Athens indicate the new Defensive coaching staff is making big strides and progress. The 3-4 will be ready. There will be some kinks worked out in the opener, but UGA will be ready for South Carolina. A couple things look promising for the Dawgs: the O-Line is largely in-tact and healthy, so the ground game should pick up right where it left off. Also AJ Green is back, so the passing game should look to get the ball to him early and often. Lastly the schedule is favorable for Georgia in 2010.

Kentucky - One of my biggest questions for the Wildcats going into the 2010 season centers around how the team will respond to the retirement of Rich Brooks and the stepping up of Joker Phillips. Coach Brooks was a class act, and he leaves the program in great shape. I feel confident tha Joker will continue on in Coach Brooks' tradition of hitting a bowl game. The Offensive side of the ball should not miss a beat. Will Hartline take the signal calling to the next level this year? One things for sure, Randall Cobb needs the ball. Key losses for Kentucky this year include: John Conner (FB), Michah Johnson (LB), Trevard Lindley (CB), Sam Maxwell (LB) and Corey Peters (DT). Randy Sanders is a heck of Coach so the continuation of getting the most out of the offense will continue. Also Kentucky added Rock Oliver (Strength & Conditioning) to the staff, and Coach Phillips has been impressed. An early key test for the Wildcats will be the October 2nd road test against Ole Miss, where Kentucky should be 3-1 going in. If they can pull out a road-win in Oxford, where Jevan Snead decided to go the NFL, they should be on there way to another good season.

South Carolina - It sounds like Coach Spurrier is going to get back to calling the plays again in Columbia. The loss of Norwood and Geathers will have a big impact on the Defense, but this year's team has a lot to build off of considering Garcia is back for his Senior season. If South Carolina can put the lackluster bowl loss to UConn behind them, they should be able to have a good fall. They'll be a new face in at Center as Johnson steps in, and take note USC's offensive line has struggled with run blocking and pass protection. Focusing on the positive, South Carolina has the following players returning Chris Culliver (FS), Cliff Matthews (DE), Weslye Saunders (TE), and keep an eye on rising star, Stephon Gilmore as the Gamecocks look to find ways to get him into the game more. The running game of Miles and Giles will have to step it up as Marcus Lattimore vies for a spot in the RB rotation. The slate of home games this year looks tough with Georgia (9/11), Alabama (10/9), Tennessee (10/30), and Arkansas (11/6) all coming to Williams Bryce stadium.

Tennessee - Out with the old (Kiffin) and in with the new, Derek Dooley. UT will have to adjust to some substance over style, and that might be tough because Coach Kiffin did have a way of attracting attention...no necessarily producing W's, but who knows what could have been if Kiffin had stayed. Oh well, the fact of the matter is Coach Dooley is the man at the helm, and knowing Vince Dooley, I'm certain that his son, Derek, is in it for the long haul, and UT should rejoice as there is a lot of rebuilding needed in Rocky Top. There have been some defections and players heading in another direction. Dooley and company have their work cut out for them. Look for UT to have a down year, but throw a wrench in a couple teams seasons.

Vanderbilt - Coming off a 2-10 season Vanderbilt has to pick it up. With linebackers coach, Warren Belin, now down in Athens, Vandy's D has to fill in the gaps quickly. The upcoming 2010 schedule looks tough, but Coach Johnson brought in one of the best recruiting classes to date. Sadly, Vanderbilt will have to push on despite losing 4-Star recruit, Rajaan Bennett. New JUCO transfer, Jordan Rodgers, who is the brother of Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers) could have an immediate impact at 6'2" 210 lbs.