Preseason Top 15 Countdown #6

Preseason Top 15 Countdown

 

15. Notre Dame

14. Miami

13. LSU

12. Texas A&M

11. Florida State

10. Oklahoma

  9. Florida

  8. Louisville

  7. Clemson

  6. South Carolina

  5.

  4.

  3.

  2.

  1.
 

 

    South Carolina just misses the cut for my preseason top 5, landing at #6.

 

 

    What does the 'Ball Coach' have up his sleeve heading into this season? Well, we all know who Clowney is and what he is capable of...... Connor Shaw is primed and ready for a complete season.  But what about the loss of Marcus Latimore? Really? This team won't miss a beat.... While Latimore was a very solid back, and even a super-star (at times) at the position, he wasn't the heart of what this team is about. If you read about the Gamecocks this year, most have said that this team is primed for a run at the SEC title game.

    Take a look at the schedule:

 

North Carolina

At Georgia

Vanderbilt

At UCF

Kentucky

At Arkansas

At Tennessee

At Missouri

Mississippi State

Florida

Coast Carolina

Clemson

 

    SEC fans should take notice to that fact that South Carolina has only TWO games in conference that are what I would call tough games. (And believe me, this will come up again when I tackle Alabama) Please explain to me what is SO tough about the rest of their conference schedule?  I thought the SEC was the best conference in the country....... Florida and Georgia are the only threats on this schedule....And understand, yes, they are significant threats, but that doesn't make up for the rest of this conference schedule. Okay, okay, I will let it go for the rest of this segment..... After all, I am supposed to be telling you why this team is #6 in my rankings.

 

    The Gamecocks have a good opportunity to make a run at the SEC Title. The schedule, that I just ranted about, is favorable. They have the experience at QB. The defense has its leader in Clowney. I'd say this team should beat Florida with little trouble, but Georgia is still ahead. We will find out real early in the season just how South Carolina measures up against Georgia. Either way those two games go, I think it is pretty safe to say that Spurrier has another 10+ win season in the makings. So, outside Florida and Georgia, is there a team or two that could derail the Gamecocks' season? You certainly can't count out Clemson at the end of the season. What about being on the road for three straight games? Maybe Tennessee and Missouri are trap games. North Carolina to start the season looks interesting. If there is one thing that might have fans nervous, it has to be the way Spurrier's team plays in season openers. Think back to last season against Vanderbilt. So much will ride on the second game of the season against Georgia. We will know whether South Carolina is a contender or a pretender early in the season.

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