SEC Preview: Can South Carolina win the SEC East?
South Carolina has some buzz about the possibility of causing an upset or two in the SEC East, and finishing second in a division. This has been helped by the return of star Deebo Samuel, as well as 15 other returning starters on offense and nine more on defense.
Last season the Gamecocks finished 9-4, with a 5-3 record in the SEC. This also included beating Michigan 26-19 in the Outback Bowl.
OFFENSE
As we mentioned, Deebo Samuel returns as a redshirt senior after breaking his leg in the loss against Kentucky in the early season. The Gamecocks were leading that game until Samuel’s injury. He had 15 receptions, 250 yards and 3 touchdowns against NC State and UK before that fateful game at Commonwealth Stadium. He has 1,194 yards and 5 TDs in three years in Columbia — and you can only imagine how big those stats would be if he hadn’t missed substantial time in 2016 and 2017. Also, Samuel is partnered by Bryan Edwards (793 yards, 5 TDs, 12.4 yards/reception) and Shi Smith (409 yards, 3 TDs, 14.1 yards/reception), making up a potentially scary receiving corps for secondaries and giving QB Jake Bentley some good options.
As for Bentley, he had 2,794 yards passing and 18 TDs last season, and brings back a strong wide receiving corps. However, one of his biggest receivers and pass blockers is in Hayden Hurst – who had 559 yards receiving and 2 TDs (20% of Bentley’s output) is now the NFL, so it will be interesting. Jacob August will pick up Hurst’s slack.
Running-wise, Rico Dowdle and AJ Turner, who hopefully improve a rushing offense which was a terrible 111th in the country (ironically only 3rd-last in the SEC in front of Tennessee and Vanderbilt)
DEFENSE
Carolina’s loss of LB Skai Moore is going to be immense for Tavaris Robinson’s defense – the Gamecocks are going to be missing 93 tackles, two sacks and three interceptions, as well as the production of Chris Lammons, who has also left. Luckily, Robinson has TJ Munson (88 tackles) and sack machine DJ Woonum (6) will return. They will be praying the secondary improves from the medicore 69th that it was last year.
THE SCHEDULE
Coastal Carolina (H), Georgia (H), Marshall (H), Vanderbilt (A), Kentucky (A), Missouri (H), Texas A&M (H), Tennessee (H), Ole Miss (A), Florida (A), UT-Chattanooga (H), Clemson (A)
The best thing for Carolina is that the schedule – on paper – doesn’t look that difficult. While a lot of the SEC East is in a funk, Columbia is very settled indeed. We think Carolina’s probably going to 8-1 in its nine games, with the loss coming to Georgia at home in a tightly-contested one. They may well falter at Florida before beating Chattanooga and losing on the road to an unbeaten Clemson for the fifth straight time.
In short:
While we expect Deebo Samuel to be the Heisman conversation – if he stays fit, South Carolina will produce a perfectly acceptable 9-3 season. Sure, some of the fanbase will be grunting about losing to Georgia and Clemson, but South Carolina has to step a hell of a long way to get up there – especially with a 2017 class that ranked 21 nationally but 8th in the SEC.