Game-by-game predictions for South Carolina’s 2020 football season
To a degree, it’s a silly exercise.
A college football season is filled with wonder and surprise. It’s not even clear what level of squad the South Carolina football team has, let alone the 10 games on the schedule. Just getting to those 10 full games might be a challenge.
But it’s the preseason (for a few more days) and the schedule is right there, so let’s get down to one of the finest traditions and venture guesses at how this season looks.
Sept. 26 Tennessee
This one is all sorts of tricky. South Carolina hasn’t played that well the past two openers. Tennessee is replacing a pair of high-end play-makers. The Vols hype train is rolling, maybe too much. It should be a tossup in South Carolina’s building, and let’s notch the locale as making a bit of a difference.
Result: A win, but not by much
Oct. 3 at Florida
The Gamecocks have only won twice in The Swamp since joining the SEC in 1992, though their last trip could’ve been a win without a blown 17-point lead. The Gators project to be strong this year with a good passing game and the potential to improve on the ground. That trip is going to be tough for most anyone this year.
Result: Loss
Oct. 10 at Vanderbilt
The Commodores have the potential to be profoundly bad. South Carolina hasn’t lost to them in a decade-plus. The stadium will be empty (meaning no robust Gamecocks cheering section balancing out a mega crowd) and USC should have the talent to hold its own. Getting this on the road is a bonus because the Gamecocks project as solid favorites against Vandy anywhere.
Result: Win, probably comfortably.
Oct. 17 Auburn
The Tigers are mercurial to say the least, often playing against expectations. Their expectations are high, at No. 11 in the preseason, with a highly ranked sophomore quarterback and a bushel of blue chippers. That it’s in Columbia offers a measure of hope, especially if things get weird as they often do for Auburn, but it’ll be an uphill climb.
Result: Loss, most likely
Oct. 24 at LSU
This is the hardest team to get a read on. The Tigers were a war machine last season, but they lost a massive number of seniors and juniors to the NFL, plus a smattering of players who went pro after the pandemic set in. They still have plenty of talent and should be again among the better teams in the conference, and that combined with Death Valley make it unlikely to work out well for the Gamecocks. That is, unless the Tigers have more trouble reloading.
Result: Loss
Nov. 7 Texas A&M
Another decent home upset chance, probably the best chance among the teams on the top half of the schedule. The Aggies are building up more talent and heading into Year 3 with Jimbo Fisher and his staff. South Carolina hasn’t pulled off a win yet in this series, but if things break right and the Gamecocks end solid, this could be a pretty good chance.
Result: Loss, but not by much
Nov. 14 at Ole Miss
This is the trickiest game of the bunch. The Rebels have talent and now they have Lane Kiffin, who quickly breathed life into an FAU program at his last stop. There’s no great sense for how this should go, sufficed to say, the Rebels weren’t great last year and this was a tough one to draw on the road vs. at home.
Result: Win, but it will be stressful
Nov. 21 Missouri
Another new coach situation, but with a roster that’s not in as good of a place as Ole Miss — and it’s in Columbia. Tigers coach Eli Drinkwitz rolled into Williams-Brice with Appalachian State last year and came away with a tight win. Things will have to be going well in the other Columbia for this to go Missouri’s way.
Result: Solid win
Nov. 28 Georgia
Last year was the big upset, and Georgia should be in a worse spot with questions at quarterback and a good bit of turnover. But the ‘Dogs still have gobs and gobs of talent and that carries a lot of weight. If Will Muschamp and Co. can knock off his former teammate, Kirby Smart, again, it would foster a lot of concern among the Bulldog faithful, but it looks like a long shot at this juncture.
Result: Loss, probably a low-scoring one
Dec. 5 at Kentucky
This is just a weird way to end the season. It’s going to be cold in Lexington, and a lot could be riding on this final game. The Wildcats are replacing Lynn Bowden, and him not being at QB in Columbia last season might’ve changed the course of South Carolina’s year and program. Kentucky is always feisty and at home. The Gamecocks will likely have to dig down for a lot to pull it off.
Result: Loss, low-scoring on a cold day
Final record: 4-6
This story was originally published September 23, 2020 at 10:44 AM with the headline "Game-by-game predictions for South Carolina’s 2020 football season."
