South Carolina
This season has been nothing short of an epic failure for Gamecock nation. The preseason pick by the media to represent the SEC Eastern division in Atlanta for the SEC Championship game has limped out of the gates to a 4-4 start to the 2014 season. The tone for the season was set in week one when Texas A&M came into Columbia for the season opener and left with a 52-28 win in which the Gamecocks never really challenged the Aggies.
The win against Georgia is certainly one to hang their hat on, but inclement weather, a questionable first down call by the officials and a horrid game by Georgia’s kicker may have been the deciding factors in a game that seemed to be favoring the Bulldogs down the stretch. Since that win, the Gamecocks have struggled to beat Vanderbilt in Nashville (48-34) and in their last four games have lost to Missouri, Kentucky and Auburn – the lone win in that stretch coming in an uninspiring performance against a 2-5 FCS-level Furman team.
South Carolina’s offense has been respectable and is ranked 31st in the country in total offense nationwide, but the Gamecock defense has not lived up to expectations this year. Defensive Coordinator Lorenzo Ward decided to switch from a 4-3 scheme to a 3-4 in the offseason and the results have been less than stellar. Carolina currently ranks 89th in the country in total defense and has allowed 21 points or more to every opponent except Furman. Tennessee’s offense under Josh Dobbs should provide the Carolina defense – which gave up 395 yards rushing to Auburn last week – with some trouble.
If Tennessee’s defense can regain their pre-Alabama form, then there is no reason to believe that the Vols couldn’t earn their first road/SEC win of the season against the same program that gave Butch Jones and the 2013 Vols their signature win a year ago.
