As always, Gamecock Man gets the Game Thread up first. That is where you should go to discuss the game. Here is where you go to laugh at what dumb-looking prediction I made.

1. Tim Tebow. Yeah, yeah, he's not scoring eight touchdowns a game like he was last year, but Tebow has still been surprisingly effective, especially in that stat we actually keep track of: Wins.

This is really incredibly, awe-strikingly efficient. That's an 8.5:1 TD-to-INT ratio, for those of you keeping score at home. Oh, and he's rushed for 10 TDs, so you can almost call that a 13.5:1 TD-to INT ratio. And while a 65 percent completion rate for 193.3 ypg is not Colt McCoy-esque, it's what something like 90 percent of the quarterbacks in the country would call a good day. There are three priorities for any defense facing Florida:

(1) Stop Tim Tebow
(2) Stop Tim Tebow
(3) Stop Tim Tebow

Do that, and South Carolina has a chance.

2. The other guys. A chance will only take you so far, though. Even if Ellis Johnson and Co. manage to slow down Tebow, they have to figure out a way to deal with Percy Harvin, Jeffrey Demps and Chris Rainey. When Urban Meyer talked about building the fastest team in America, he wasn't just trying to keep the fans happy. I remarked a couple of weeks ago during the LSU-Florida game that it was the first time I'd ever seen anyone make the Bayou Bengals look slow. But that's exactly what the Gators did, particularly on offense. Trying to stop Florida is like playing whack-a-mole. There's some skill involved, but you have to be lucky enough to have your mallet in the right place at the right time.

Continue reading this post »

It didn't used to be all that easy for me to apologize. Then, I got into this whole blogging thing, with it's "record" and "accountability" and such nonsense. And it got a bit easier to apologize -- about some things, anyway -- as I found myself doing a bit more of it.

But I've never been happier to say "I'm sorry" than I am right now:

Ellis Johnson, I'm sorry for what I wrote when you were first being considered for the defensive coordinator job.

Sure, the things I said weren't all that critical or mean-spirited, but they were still much more in the "can this guy coach?" category than the "let's give him a chance" side of the spectrum.

Yes, apparently, Spurrier's list looked something like this:

Bud Foster
Ellis Johnson
Dave Odom

...

I'm just wondering how we went from one of the best DCs in college football to the DC at the one SEC school that has managed to make South Carolina look like a competent team for the last five or so years. ...

the highlights -- such as they are -- from Coach Johnson's resume ...

And on and on it went.

And I was wrong. Dead wrong.

Sure, there's nothing saying that Bud Foster, or DC-for-five-minutes Brian VanGorder, wouldn't have done as well or even better. But "as well," by itself, is pretty dang good.

This includes, by the way, a game against Georgia, one of the best offenses in the conference, and other teams that are at least marginally competent. (That's about as good as it gets in the SEC this year, folks.) Only four of the Gamecocks' 10 opponents have managed more than 17 points.

I bring this up now because we're going to need that defense this weekend more than any other game on the schedule. Tim Tebow, the guy who annihilated South Carolina's already crumbling defense last year, is waiting in the Swamp. Chris Rainey, Jeffrey Demps, Percy Harvin -- they should be there as well.

But I trust you. I trust you to have a plan that will at least slow the Gators down, at least keep the score respectable and preserve our hopes of being ranked at the end of the year.

It won't be easy. But there's no one I'd rather have leading this defense into the Swamp than you.

--cocknfire

Those of you who have been reading this site for a while are probably familiar with Gatorpilot, who is a regular commenter on Garnet and Black Attack and runs the Florida blog Orange and Blue Hue. Some of you may remember that I wrote a strongly worded reply to some negative things Gatorpilot had to say about our coach and program after we lost to Vanderbilt. However, despite our differences, Gatorpilot and I are actually pretty cool with each other. I'll have to admit that he runs a cool blog, and I guess he has a right to hate the guy who built Florida's program, even though it is kind of strange. Plus, I think we have proved Gatorpilot wrong in his estimation of our Gamecocks: Spurrier is not dead, and our future looks bright with a possible New Years Day bowl this year and a promising 2009 on the horizon.

Unfortunately, our next obstacle is a powerful Gators team that is winning against good teams by huge margins. Gatorpilot graciously agreed to answer some of my questions about this juggernaut they call the Florida Gators. My questions are in bold with his answers below. My answers to Gatorpilot's questions are here.

1. First of all, let's get the obligatory Spurrier question out of the way. You've outspokenly criticized Spurrier's choice to coach a division opponent. For his part, SOS claims that the novelty of playing his old team has worn off and that now this is just another game between two teams that need a win, Florida to preserve their national title aspirations and South Carolina to improve their chances at a premier New Years Day bowl. Urban Meyer is now calling the game a rivalry game, although some FloridaFlorida can consider a team a rival when that team has only beaten the Gators once in the past 20 years. How do you feel about Spurrier coming home for the second time? Is this still a unique, emotional game for you or did the Gators exorcise the demons by beating Spurrier the past two years, especially in last year's blowout victory? Do you think your feelings about this reflect those of the average Gators fan?

One thing I would like to make clear is that I have a great deal of respect for Steve Spurrier and his coaching accomplishments.  And my voice doesn't speak for Gator Nation when I say I'm still unhappy that he chose to coach at a school which plays the Gators yearly, but I know there are still plenty of people out there who feel that way.

The novelty may have worn off, but when Spurrier says "it's just another game" he's obviously glossing over reality.  This is not just another game, and won't be for as long as Spurrier is coaching in Columbia.  It's a big deal.  The Gators are vying for a national championship for the second time in three years.  Any success Spurrier enjoys over Florida destroys those hopes, and he knows that.  Personally, I think he enjoys it.  But that's just his nature.  He's a competitor, and a self-described "Old Testament" (eye for an eye) coach.  There is no doubt in my mind that he has Florida's administration and boosters in his thoughts every year when he plays the Gators.  After all, he never forgot a late field goal made by Georgia 30-something years ago, using it as a burning fire to start a dominating streak over the Bulldogs.  So why would he forget being "jilted" by Jeremy Foley and UF president Bernie Machen?

He also elevated the play of South Carolina, which -- no offense intended -- was once a team Florida didn't have to worry about too much.  The Gamecocks are now a more than competent SEC team.  Florida doesn't need any more difficult games.  The Gators have to play Tennessee, Georgia, LSU and FSU every year, and now we have to lump South Carolina in that group.
 
Urban Meyer and Tim Tebow did a lot to assuage Gator fears last year when they hung 51 points on the Gamecocks in South Carolina.  That seemed to be an emphatic statement that Florida football is still Florida football, with or without Steve Spurrier, and that was important for our collective psyche.

2. While Florida has always been good under Urban Meyer, the Gators are blowing out opponents by record margins since the stunning loss to Ole Miss. They've even done it to two former top-10 teams, LSU and Georgia. Honestly, Florida looks every bit as good as some of the best teams I've seen play, such as the mid-90s Nebraska team that blew out Spurrier's Gators in a national title game. Why is Florida peaking right now? Are they really this good, or have they feasted on opponents' mistakes? Can they maintain this level of play?

I'd be the first to tell you if I thought Florida was anything less than the real deal.  It seems fervent fans of their teams tend to focus on all their team warts.  I'm here to tell you, there aren't many warts.  Florida is playing as well as I have ever seen any Gators squad play, at any time in history, and right now are in the running to go down as possibly the greatest ever to play in Gainesville.  The defense is close to that magical 2006 season's level.  Special teams is off the charts with their blocked punts and return game.  And the offense is obviously ringing up pinball scores.  Florida could easily have scored 60-70 points on Georgia and LSU if Meyer hadn't called off the dogs.

What impresses me most is Florida's focus these past five games.  It's still a worry that they'll forget to show up for a game, like they did against Ole Miss, but they are on a different planet right now with regards to their discipline, preparation, and focus.  They seem to understand that if they win out, they will likely be playing for a crystal football, and are treating each and every game with total attention to detail.  Can they maintain this level?  I sure hope so.

See the rest after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

While the defense looked very, very good last night, there is one concern I have. Frankly, I think we looked a little slow on the edges as we pursued State's running backs, especially in the first half (although, granted, at one point the defense was spending way too much time on the field due to all the turnovers). Teams are aware that running up the middle against our massive defensive front won't work, so I expect that they, as State did a little bit last night, will try to hit the corners to take advantage of the fact that our linebackers are big and a tad on the slow side.

This could be a major problem against some teams. It wasn't a huge problem against State, as we were able to play to the run given State's almost non-existent passing game. However, a team with a quick back and a more balanced attack (i. e., Georgia if their receivers step up) could do some damage to us.

Hopefully, Ellis Johnson and Co. see this and will plan accordingly. I think that there are ways we can play around this problem, such as using our safeties more to back up our linebackers in run support. This is part of the idea behind the 4-2-5 package, to have a large, speedy defensive backfield that can contain teams that like to spread the field and run to the outside (as Florida does with Percy Harvin). We just need to be ready, because teams will try to take advantage of this. First up: Expect Chris Nickson of Vanderbilt to try to gauge us on the outside.

Well, given the way Florida is talked about this year, and the lack of time I have, I could do this to preview Florida.

Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Urban Meyer Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Percy Harvin Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow.

But, no, I refuse to take the easy way out. So here we go.

OFFENSE (TIM TEBOW)

Offensive line. Perhaps the one position Tim Tebow could not play. Three starters return to a unit that allowed just one sack a game in 2007 and, of course, made all those holes for Tim Tebow to run through. There might be weaknesses in this offense; this ain't one of them. ADVANTAGE: FLORIDA

Quarterback.

ADVANTAGE: FLORIDA

Running backs. This one is trickier. We haven't seen Emmanuel Moody since 2006, when he had 79 carries for 459 yards and two scores for the other USC. Kestahn Moore returns -- for whatever that's worth -- after rushing for 580 yards and 6 TDs. It's hard to tell how good either South Carolina or Florida is. Tim Tebow will also run a bit. ADVANTAGE: PUSH

Wide receivers. Percy Harvin. You could leave it at that; he's Reggie Bush Lite. Harvin had 83 rushes for 764 yards and 6 TDs and 59 receptions for 858 yards and four more scores last year. Assuming he's healthy for the South Carolina game -- and at this point you almost have to -- he does more than cancel out Kenny McKinley. McKinley doesn't bring that second dimension to the game. That said, not having tight end Cornelius Ingram will hurt. Oh, and the receivers will be catching passes thrown by Tim Tebow. ADVANTAGE: FLORIDA

DEFENSE

Defensive line. The most impressive player here is Jermaine Cunningham, who had 12 TFL, including 6.5 sacks. There are two returning starters and three sophomores here. Don't expect Florida to rank 10th in rush defense again, but don't expect the bottom to drop out, either. After all, they don't have to face Tim Tebow. ADVANTAGE: PUSH

Linebackers. Brandon Spikes was a monster, with 131 tackles, 16 for loss, and seven pass break-ups last year -- the Tim Tebow of the defense, if you will. He's got injury issues right now, too, but should be healed up for South Carolina. Dustin Doe is also pretty good. ADVANTAGE: PUSH

Secondary. Um, this unit wasn't very good. And Dennis Kucinich is sligthly left of center. Pass efficiency defense? 71st in the FBS, 128.72. Oh, and they're hurt. This is where you can hurt the Gators -- and the only chance most teams will have at keeping up with Tebow and Co. ADVANTAGE: SOUTH CAROLINA

SPECIAL TEAMS

Tim Tebow does not make or return kicks. So why do we care? But if you do, Joey Ijjas is gone after a year in which he was a solid, if not great, kicking option. Punter Chas Henry averaged 39.3 yards a kick. Brandon James was great on punt returns (18.1 per) and good on kickoff returns (28.0 per). ADVANTAGE: PUSH

COACHING

We have a small sample set to work with here, but we can guess that Urban Meyer is pretty good. Yes, undefeated season at Utah, national title at Florida, etc. But: What has he done with his recruits? Is the potential there to change that this year? Absolutely. But let's see it first. ADVANTAGE: PUSH

RESULT

Don't let those "pushes" on defense fool you: This is the superior team. The Gamecocks' offense won't be able to keep up, even though the defense should keep the game from getting too far out of hand. LIKELY LOSS

THE REST OF THEIR SEASON

I am not one of those who believes that Florida will win the national title. They cannot navigate a schedule that includes at Tennessee, vs. LSU, Georgia and South Carolina without one loss, and probably not without two. The defense will get scorched badly in a couple of games, and it will cost the Gators. But it should still be a great season. 10-2

Going the opposite way this time to add to the countdown effect. Beginning with...

5. OKLAHOMA
I can summarize my biggest reasons for optimism and pessimism with Oklahoma in two words: Sam Bradford. His statistics as a freshman are almost unfathomable: 69.5 percent completion rate, 3,121 yards, 36 TDs, 8 INTs. This in a high-pressure environment where every move you make on the field is subject to some of the most intense scrutiny in college football.

There's also the matter of a sophomore slump. Yes, some of that is made up. But it is also real. Defenses now have a season full of video to look at with Bradford. They will be better prepared this year.

At the other skill positions, RB Allen Patrick is gone. But these are the Soooners, and you know they have a replacement, in this case RB DeMarco Murray, who averaged 6.0 ypc last year and actually had more TDs (13) than Patrick (8). The top receivers in terms of yardage (Juaquin Iglesias, 907) and TDs (Jermaine Gresham, 11) both return.

The lines are deep on both sides of the ball, though the linebackers and secondary could be weaknesses.

Meanwhile, the schedule is tough, but not murderously so. Kansas and Texas Tech come to Norman, as do the toughest nonconference games -- Cincinnati and TCU. Texas is in "neutral" Dallas. The Sooners' road slate? Try at Washington, at Baylor, at Kansas State, at Texas A&M and at Oklahoma State. But there's a trip-up in there somewhere, most likely against the Red Raiders or the Longhorns. And if they get to the Big XII Championship Game undefeated, I believe they will lose. More on that in a moment.

4. SOUTHERN CAL
I tried a thought exercise a couple of weeks ago with a knowledgeable college football friend of mine. "I present to you a team that lost its starting quarterback, leading rusher, leading receiver and four of its five starting offensive linemen. Would you rank them in the Top 5?"

"No," this friend responded.

Of course, once I told him that the team in question was Southern Cal, he backed off almost immediately, saying, "Well, that would be the one exception." But why? What makes any team invulnerable to the laws of football? Isn't this the same idea -- talent and solid coaching uber alles -- that got us into so much trouble with Miami a few years ago?

But what if you can't?

Now, with Mark Sanchez injured, it's easy to see things going south for the Trojans -- at least by their standards. Sure, Sanchez could be back by the game at Virginia; but how much will missing a couple weeks of practice cost him? Some? None?

And the receiving corps is still a question. One of the returning WRs had 50 catches. The top receiver, TE Fred Dvais, is gone. He also had the higest yardage per catch among anyone on the team with 20 or more receptions last year. The Trojans have a lot of talent there, but do they have the high-caliber threats that power a passing game?

Don't get crazy. Of course I'm putting Southern Cal in my Top 5. But there are way too many questions to put them in the title game, or anywhere near it. They can answer those questions and win their way into the Top 3. They need to earn it, though.

3. FLORIDA
Consider this: Florida got 1,659 rushing yards last year from two players whose official positions were not RB (QB TTIIMM TTEEBBOOWW and WR Percy Harvin). So it was understandable that, when coach Urban Meyer told the assembled crowd at SEC Media Days that he was actually pleased with his running backs, you could almost hear a pin drop. Even a crowd in love with TTIIMM TTEEBBOOWW had to listen to this pronouncement: The one missing offensive cog for Florida had been filled.

But the biggest hole in the defense last year remains its biggest hole this year: The secondary isn't just a unit that was bad last year, it's a unit that is practically nonexistent this season after injuries and off-the-field issues. Granted, there are a lot of things to like about the rest of the defense, but watching a secondary get scorched against Michigan to end last year and then banged up before this season even begins leaves one slightly uncomfortable about the Gators' chances.

Still, they have one Heisman winner (Tebow) and another candidate (Harvin, if he heels). The question is not whether the defense will be good enough for Florida to be a good team, but whether the defense will be good enough for Florida to be a great team.

Florida might have an easier path than Georgia, but not by much. They still play Miami, at Tennessee, LSU, Georgia (in Jacksonville) and at Florida State. The only gimme wins are Hawaii, at Vanderbilt and The Citadel.

Almost everyone agrees that the winner of the Florida-Georgia game will play for it all in January. I happen to think the winner will not be the Gators.

2. MISSOURI
There's no need to pretend that Missouri is the perfect contender: the Tigers are not. But QB Chase Daniel and WR Jeremy Maclin are great places to start. Daniel threw for 4,306 yards and a 68.2 percent completion rate last year, tossing 33 TDs against 11 INTs. And he threw in 253 yards and four scores on the ground. (His rushing net was 471, but remember that sacks come off rushing numbers in college.)

Mizzou had the 5th-ranked offense in Division I-A last year, ringing up 490.3 ypg, and the only truly crushing loss is RB Tony Temple, who rushed for 1,039 yards and 12 TDs. If he can be replaced, the Tigers' offense will roll.

A defense that yielded 378.9 ypg returns 10 starters, but that could be as much a recipe for improvement as a cause for concern. They return all three of their top tacklers. Consider this: With last year's defense, Missouri beat every team it faced except Oklahoma. Trim that ypg down by 25-50 (not a proposition beyond the realm of possibility), and the Tigers become one of the most difficult teams to beat in the country.

Missouri has an opening month that's just easy enough to go 4-0 and just tough enough to generate some buzz: match-ups with Illinois, SE Missouri, Nevada and Buffalo. The toughest stretch begins Oct. 4, with consecutive games at Nebraska, against Oklahoma State, at Texas and against Colorado. Get through that, and it should be smooth sailing to Kansas and the Big XII Championship Game (if they make it there).

The Tigers might be a bold pick, but there are dumber choices you could make.

1. GEORGIA
So there it is. It hasn't changed. The winner of the prestigious C&F Preseason No. 1 Ranking is Georgia. It's truly an honor. Previous winners include last year's Texas team, who rode the ranking all the way to the Holiday Bowl, and 2006 Notre Dame, who ended up getting blasted 41-14 in the Sugar Bowl.

Gee, thanks.

So, now that I've given you all the reason you need to pay rapt attention to my No. 1 selection, the case for the spelling-challenged Dawgs:

Sure, sure, there are questions about whether Matt Stafford can have "the season." But if he can raise that completion percentage from 55.7 percent to, say, 58 to 60 percent, and if Knowshon Moreno can come anywhere close to duplicating last year's 1,334 yard, 14 TD campaign, it will be difficult to stop Georgia. Dannell Ellerbe and Asher Allen anchor a tough defense that surrendered 323.2 ypg last year.

As for the schedule, it's difficult, but forgive me if I don't think it is prohibitively so. Georgia should cruise through games against Georgia Southern and Central Michigan. If the spelling-challenged Dawgs navigate the next two games -- at South Carolina (a team that always plays Georgia tough) and at Arizona State -- they shouldn't be challenged again until an Oct. 25 game at LSU. (Yes, I know the Tennessee game is Oct. 11; more on that tomorrow.) Yes, they play Florida (in Jacksonville), at Kentucky and at Auburn before ending the season at Georgia Tech, but how is this more difficult than, say, Florida's 2006 schedule? And if a defeat should come, it will be hard to argue that a one-loss Georgia team will be less deserving than any other one-loss team in the country.

Identify a loss: Florida, the team Georgia drilled last year? An Auburn team, with two new coordinators, that the Bulldogs blasted last year? What have either of those teams done that makes them that much better than UGA?\

South Carolina could pull a second upset, but that's unlikely. Tennessee will be down. Those are the only two losses from last season.

No, Georgia will win 11 or 12 games in the regular season, win the SEC and win the national championship.

Now, excuse me while I go order a few dozen cases of Pepto-Bismol.

After the jump: How the entire ballot would look if cast right now; feel free to criticize, mock or praise, if you feel so inclined.

Continue reading this post »

A complete wrap later, but a few highlights:

Kenny McKinley makes first team all-SEC at WR, as does J-Brink at LB. South Carolina's second-team players are LB Eric Norwood, DB Captain Munnerlyn and P Ryan Succop.

The closer players to unanimity are WR Percy Harvin (68 votes, of a possible 70) and RB Knowshon Moreno (68).

The rankings are not terribly surprising, but conference writers are not sharing in the Georgia love this year. The East goes Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, Kentucky, Vanderbilt. The West is Auburn, LSU, Alabama, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Arkansas.

Someone voted for Ole Miss to win the West. This tells you really all you need to know about these polls.

2:15 p.m. "We have a very good team coming back." But ... "7 wins comes from talent." Discipline is 8, 9. Leadership -- "that's when you start having great things happen on your program."

2:20 p.m. Coaching competition? Meyer said he recently walked into a room of coaches and counted nine programs that think they're going to win the conference championships. Huh?

Meyer gets asked about mission trip. "Tim's done a lot of things that's opened my eyes and that's one of them." Doesn't want spoiled kids.

2:21 p.m. Two tight ends in the spread? That's a twist Meyer says he wants to bring. And the first time it's mentioned: "We got some speed." SEC SPEEEED!!!!!!!

2:22 p.m. Keeping fans' expectations realistic: "That's not going to happen."

2:23 p.m. Meyer is asked about the team's situation at safety. He begins to weep. Actually, they're moving at least one player from offense to defense, but he won't tell us which one. Doesn't Tebow need a break at some point?

2:26 p.m. Underrated part of Florida? Offensive line. Three seniors, "not only very good players, but all on course to graduate." Well, that's good.

2:28 p.m. Utility man Percy Harvin is "close to 80, 90 percent" and ahead of schedule. Urban Meyer is finally happy with his running backs! If you include Harvin.

2:32 p.m. Plus-one talk. "I trust our commissioner and let's go, go team, beat Hawaii." In other words: "No comment."

2:34 p.m. Clock it: We're 19 minutes in, and C&F has lost track of the number of Tebow questions. One gets the impression that Meyer likes this Tebow guy.

2:36 p.m. "Is it better if Tim does less this year?" Maybe, Urban says, but doesn't sound like it. "You have to win that game."

2:41 p.m. Back to the mission trip. I see a feature story coming.

2:43 p.m. Meyer is done. We're getting Tebow at the podium, like the coaches, cuz he's special like that.

A brief romp through the 2008 schedule for the Gamecocks, with more complete previews, of course, coming as the season gets closer.

Game 1: vs. N.C. State (Thursday)
C&F is beginning to doubt more and more his wisdom in thinking that the Wolfpack might be a surprise team. N.C. State returns 10 starters to a team that finished 5-7 in 2007. They keep most of their running attack and quarterback, but lose a good chunk of the WR corps. The defense was hit hard by the end of last season; only four starters return. ADVANTAGE: GAMECOCKS

Game 2: at Vanderbilt (Thursday)
This could be a long year for Bobby Johnson. Again. QBs Mackenzi Adams and Chris Nickson returns, but RB Cassen Jackson-Garrison and WR Earl Bennett are gone. The Dores needed the upset in Columbia to fall one game short of a bowl (again) in 2007. South Carolina will be looking for revenge, though this is easily a trap game. ADVANTAGE: GAMECOCKS

Game 3: vs. Georgia
A team that went 11-2 last year returns 17 starters, among them a talented QB (Matthew Stafford), a Heisman-hyped RB (Knowshon Moreno) and the makings of a tough defense. The spelling-challenged Dawgs are legitimate national title contenders. ADVANTAGE: SPELLING-CHALLENGED DAWGS

Game 4: vs. Wofford
The Terriers scared the Gamecocks in 2006, and South Carolina has a habit of performing in underwhelming fashion against DIAAFCSETC teams. The hope, of course, is that Ellis Johnson can put a stop to that (or at least the defensive side). A scary game. ADVANTAGE: GAMECOCKS

Game 5: vs. UAB
Returning 16 starters is usually a good thing. But that can be an open quesiton when those starters were partially responsible for a 2-10 debacle. According to Phil Steele, the Blazers are 8-38 against BCS squads and are on a seven-game losing streak. ADVANTAGE: GAMECOCKS

Game 6: at Mississippi
Houston Nutt and Ole Miss have both been problems for South Carolina, even when they shouldn't be -- and they shouldn't be. But Ole Miss is struggling to overcome an abysmal period under the Orgeron. Nutt will start to turn the team around by the end of 2008, but largely with moral victories. ADVANTAGE: GAMECOCKS

Game 7: at Kentucky
The Wildcats lose QB Andre Woodson, RB Rafael Little, WR Steve Johnson and WR Keenan Burton. The bottom will probably not fall out this year, and a bowl game isn't out of the question by any means. But South Carolina has an eight-game winning streak against Kentucky, and there's little reason to think that the Cats depleted offense can snap the streak this year. ADVANTAGE: SOUTH CAROLINA

Game 8: vs. LSU
The season begins to turn. The Bayou Bengals do lose QB Matt Flynn -- and, it turns out, QB Ryan Perrilloux -- RB Jacob Hester and WR Early Doucet. But this is LSU. Losing more than four games would be stunning, and it's incredibly unlikely that one of those defeats will come in Columbia. ADVANTAGE: TIGERS

Game 9: vs. Tennessee
The near-consensus for placing the Vols among the top 3 in the SEC East confuses C&F. This team showed weaknesses last year and stumbled to a division championship that should also be credited to timely losses by Georgia and Florida. With the loss of QB Erik Ainge and OC David Cutcliffe, it could be tough for Tennessee to stave off South Carolina again, especially with the game in Columbia. ADVANTAGE: PUSH

Game 10: vs. Arkansas
The Gypsy Coach of the South brings his team to the WB -- assuming, of course, that he's still with the Hogs this laste in the season. GCOTS will likely have trouble successfully installing his offense with Houston Nutt's recruits, and a bowl game would be an incredibly good job for this team. Oh, yeah, and they lost some players named McFadden and Jones. ADVANTAGE: GAMECOCKS

Game 11: at Florida
Steve Spurrier returns once again to the Swamp were he juuuuuuuust barley missed beating the Gators the last time. The Gators are stacked, though; QB Tim Tebow and utility player Percy Harvin are among 16 returning starters and the defense should improve with age. This could be Urban Meyer's best team so far. Only a loss to the spelling-challenged Dawgs will keep them out of Atlanta and Miami after the regular season. ADVANTAGE: GATORS

Game 12: at the Team from the Upstate
Yeah, the Tiggers should be good this year. Good offense, quality defense, etc. Yeah, you know how C&F is going to lean on this one. ADVANTAGE: GAMECOCKS.