Spurrier optimistic about Tide

By Pete Iacobelli - The Associated Press

COLUMBIA -- Steve Spurrier knows No. 22 South Carolina hasn't played any team nearly as good as No. 2 Alabama this season. The way the Gamecocks have played, though, gives coach Steve Spurrier some optimism anyway.

�We're not any super duper team, as you can tell,� Spurrier said. �We'll find out next week if we can play with the big dogs.�

Spurrier was accustomed to barking loudly as the Southeastern Conference's biggest, baddest dog for most of his 12 seasons at Florida. He came to USC five seasons ago with the same vision, only his players were not ready to follow their national championship coach.

Two years ago, the Gamecocks followed a 6-1 start with five straight losses. Last fall they were 7-3 and poised for more when they thudded home with three consecutive defeats.

Things might be different this time, Spurrier said.

�We're certainly not going to be favored at Alabama,� the coach said Sunday. �But we'll have a plan in place.�

So far, that has meant lots of defense and special teams, with just enough offense to keep in front.

That was certainly the case on Saturday in the Gamecocks' 28-26 victory over Kentucky that made Spurrier 17-0 against the Wildcats.

All three of Stephen Garcia's touchdown passes to freshman Alshon Jeffery put the Gamecocks (5-1, 2-1 SEC) back in front after trailing. The first two scores were set up by 61- and 49-yard kickoff returns by safety Chris Culliver.

USC allowed only one touchdown in the second half after Kentucky moved the ball easily the first 30 minutes.

If the Gamecocks hope to knock off a second top-five opponent this year, it will probably take another down-to-the-wire effort.

�We're a team that hopes we get it in a close game,� Spurrier said. �It seems like every one of our games has been very close, at halftime anyway. And then we've played pretty decently the second half of most of them. So we'll hope that game follows that script.�

Against Kentucky, Jeffery, a 6-foot-3 freshman, showed off the skills that had Southern Cal's Pete Carroll after him last winter. Not that Spurrier expects Alabama and its second-ranked defense to change its plans for anyone.

�I think they're just going to come play their defense and come have a go at us and see what we can do,� Spurrier said.

Alabama, though, will have much more at stake than the Gamecocks, who come in loose and without pressure.

�We'll see if we can do some upsetting next week,� Spurrier said.