B&S SEC Game of the Week: Time is right for a Gamecocks win to cool Muschamp’s seat
Auburn is #15 in the country, but they’ve struggled to get to 2-1. South Carolina is 1-2, but they’re no slouch. Can the Gamecocks get a statement win?
By: Bossman Slim
Photo: South Carolina Athletics
Auburn is the luckiest team in the SEC. It’s well documented the games that Gus Malzahn has pulled out of a hat since arriving back on the Plains. Kick-six, the Prayer at Jordan-Hare, and now, last week’s Arkansas Escape.
The Hogs had Auburn on the ropes. It’s been covered ad nauseam this week about the technicality of the rules and was it or wasn’t it the right call. We said it on Saturday and we’ll say it again: it was the wrong call, the Hogs got screwed, and the rules should be clarified in the case that this rare play happens again.
Gus Malzahn in last week’s Arkansas postgame press conference.
Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. The outcome doesn’t change because the refs got it wrong. Auburn is 2-1 and #15 in the country, and they have shown flashes of being a solid SEC West team (just erase the Georgia game from memory). But they face another stiff test this week in South Carolina.
The Gamecocks have shown they aren’t going to roll over this year. In fact, since after the season opener when Will Muschamp showed that South Carolina isn’t afraid to say the F word, the Gamecocks are 1-1. Talk about grit. These guys just don’t f*$&^ quit.
In seriousness, USC played Tennessee to the wire, and if it weren’t for a muffed punt, would have had the chance for a game-winning drive. Against #3 Florida, the Gamecocks were outmatched but showed some promise, jumping out to a 7-0 lead before going down big, but clawed their way back before succumbing 38-24. Last week, they handily beat helpless Vanderbilt.
Besides the obvious matchup of the day in Alabama-Georgia, this game is a sneaky good noon game. South Carolina matches up very well with Auburn, and we think they have a legitimate shot to pull the upset.
Here are a few reasons we believe the Gamecocks can win this game: pass defense and third down. South Carolina has the third-best passing defense in the SEC, behind Georgia and Mississippi State. Auburn is 12th out of 14 in the SEC in passing offense, as Bo Nix has seriously struggled to get the Tigers going through the air (completing just 56% of his passes). South Carolina boasts one of the best 3rd down defenses in the country (3rd), only allowing opponents six conversions in 31 attempts - or just 19%. Auburn? They have real trouble moving the chains on 3rd down, converting on just 40% of attempts, good for just 47th in the nation.
Photo: SEC Media Portal/Auburn Athletics
Bo Nix has struggled through three games, completing just 56% of his passes.
So, South Carolina’s defense is playing well, and Auburn’s offense is struggling. But what puts that over the top for us? Former Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp. We just watched last week as Lane Kiffin went toe to toe with his former boss because he knew Alabama better than anyone, and had been within the program recently. Muschamp was Auburn’s DC in 2015 - so it’s been a while, but he knows Malzahn’s tendencies well, and Malzahn is no Saban. With this wounded-duck Auburn offense, we expect the aggressive Muschamp to play the hunter and go in for the kill.
For the Gamecocks, Collin Hill has been solid under center, but he needs help from his receivers. Dropped balls have been a big issue and have held the offense back. But this is the week they can get on track, and we expect star wideout Shi Smith to have a big day. Auburn’s pass defense is middling - they are 7th in the conference right now. But digging deeper, they have played the 8th, 9th, and 13th ranked passing offenses in the SEC. So they are a middling pass defense...playing against mediocre to terrible (Kentucky) passing offenses. And they gave up 4 TDs to Feleipe Franks.
Photo: David Stephenson, AP Photo
“You hear me? I said I can’t f*#$^% wait to play these f&%@! guys!”
South Carolina’s passing offense hasn’t put it together yet, but they have the pieces to do it. The Gamecocks also have a weapon in RB Kevin Harris, who has 5 TDs on the year and has gone over 100-yards rushing in two straight games. Know what I’m gonna say? Auburn’s rush defense is not that good, ranked 10th in the SEC. They got gashed for 202 by Georgia, and Kentucky put up 145 on them in a losing effort. Harris is a solid back who can exploit these deficiencies.
This one is ripe for an upset. It lines up well for Auburn’s 2020 luck to run out. With the Tigers struggling offense and South Carolina’s stout pass defense, plus a mediocre Auburn defense, we’re going with the underdogs.
We’ve been saying it for weeks: the Gamecocks can sneak up on someone. This is the week.
South Carolina 31
#15 Auburn 26