A Gamecock's Guide to Strategic Rooting

Mississippi State << GAMECOCKS PREFER << at Kentucky, 12:30 p.m.</p>

This one, again, is the simple East vs. West rule. Mississippi State can't win the SEC East, seeing as how it isn't in the division. Kentucky can. Pull for the Bulldogs to upset the Wildcats.

Florida << GAMECOCKS PREFER << vs. Georgia, 3:30 p.m.</p>

Another loss would probably knock the spelling-challenged Dawgs out of the race in the SEC East -- or one would think. Nothing has gone according to plan this year. Even so, South Carolina would have a tiebreaker against Georgia as long as both teams have the same number of losses, so the more losses for the spelling-challenged Dawgs, the better.

But if Florida loses this game, beats South Carolina and all the other teams in the division have at least three losses, the Gators go to Atlanta. So a loss does the Gamecocks no good if they don't take care of business against Florida.

This game is pretty much a wash for South Carolina, but a Georgia loss would be a bit more beneficial. And a lot more satisfying from a rivalry standpoint.

This weekend, root for Mississippi State, Florida and, of course, South Carolina.