1 week Ago
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — They followed it up. Boy, did they follow it up.
Now ...
Can they have a follow-up to the follow-up to the follow-up? “I’m sure there are a lot of people that think, ‘Man, they played great against Texas A&M. There’s no way they can do it two weeks in a row against another good team,’” South Carolina coach Shane Beamer said after his Gamecocks crushed Oklahoma, took a week off and then crushed Texas A&M. “It’s a challenge for us to see if we can.
” What to watch as USC prepares for what’s normally an automatic win, but a game to be played in an abnormal year: Coming off best game, Gamecocks' offensive line wants to bring same mentality to Vanderbilt South Carolina has beaten Vanderbilt 15 straight times. It’s times like these — remember 10 straight against Kentucky and playing them the week after upsetting No. 1 Alabama? — that a sense of nervousness appears.
It would be typical South Carolina to win a huge game, and even win a huge game after it, and then lose to Vanderbilt, which in terms of SEC football success, is the subject of USC saying, “Well, at least we’re not THOSE guys.” The thing this year is, losing to Vanderbilt wouldn’t be shameful, or even unexpected. The Commodores have themselves a quarterback, folks.
Diego Pavia pulled a castaway program into the lifeboat and is turning it into a yacht. Vandy is bowl-eligible and was so in early November. This is a good football team, one that doesn’t make silly mistakes (Vandy is second in forcing turnovers, first in not turning it over and is the least-penalized team in the league).
Now, have the ’Dores beat anybody? Then-No. 1 Alabama certainly qualifies, especially as Alabama beat USC this year. Other than that, Vandy beat non-conference teams, the SEC’s weakest teams and somehow lost to Georgia State (the Panthers are 2-6).
It would be a trap game if Vanderbilt wasn’t 6-3. As it is, a loss would of course be disappointing although this year, “understandable” could be lumped in. The Gamecocks have spoken all week of how they know this isn’t your Daddy’s Vanderbilt team.
Now to show that Sonny Boy can put Pop in the rocker. The Gamecocks have to score every time they touch the ball. That’s the goal every week, but this week is especially paramount.
Vanderbilt loves the ball. The Commodores are conducting a clinic in how to grind away clock when the opponent can least afford it, as evident from the nearly nine-minute touchdown drive to give them a 10-point lead over Auburn with 4:18 to play. Vandy has had 10 scoring drives of at least six minutes this season, the highlight a 9:50 whopper of a journey against Alabama.
Throw in that Pavia can complete throws on the run, is an elite scrambler and that Vanderbilt is one of the best teams in the league at picking up third downs, even an elite defense (like South Carolina’s) could get worn out. “The ball is king to them, obviously,” defensive coordinator Clayton White said. “It’s that first or second down to get yourself in good position to get a third-and-long.
” Gamecocks' Ashlyn Watkins cleared to return to team activities USC came into last week’s game knowing it couldn’t over-pursue quarterback Marcel Reed. The Aggie QB could make a defense look foolish if it kept charging for him — a strategy that has worked very well this year for marauding USC bookends Dylan Stewart and Kyle Kennard. More of the same this week, although Pavia is a bit banged-up.
He’s still going to play and do what he does, and USC knows that staying patient is the key. The Gamecocks contained Reed enough last week to force him into hurry-up mode, and when he did, they began to collect the sacks and let the secondary get a turnover. This will be the fastest defense Vanderbilt has seen.
But playing a team unafraid of anything after beating Alabama, and at home, perhaps on a wet field, the Commodores have the advantage. At least, at the start of the game. USC stunned in season-opener against North Florida LaNorris Sellers played the best game of his burgeoning career last week.
He escaped sacks, ran for timely first downs and while he continues to have a problem with on-point passing, he found Rocket Sanders and Josh Simon enough for the completions he needed. He has to keep going. A player who draws praise from everyone around him as thirsting to win, to constantly improve, has to repeat his performance against Texas A&M, and one-up it.
Sellers has been turnover-free the last two games. He has picked up much better recognition with pressure coming to him. He has used the middle field more.
He already won on the road this season, helped by his defense. His defense will be there for him Saturday, but can it be as effective as it has been? If not, it’s up to him. South Carolina 17, Vanderbilt 14.
