Furman Paladins at South Carolina Gamecocks Recap: Gamecocks lackluster in win over Furman

The South Carolina Gamecocks had no trouble defeating an overmatched Furman Paladins squad, taking a 28-7 lead to the half and polishing off their opponent by a score of 41-10. However, it was hardly a flawless performance by Carolina.

The biggest problem was that Carolina's defense continued to struggle, giving up 211 yards and 5.4 yards per carry on the ground. The Gamecocks defensive front was frequently blown off the ball by a smaller offensive line. The final score could have looked much different if Furman had been more effective in converting red-zone opportunities. With the Gamecocks taking on one of the nation's best power run games at Auburn next week, the continued defensive ineptitude is a major cause for concern.

On offense, the performance was a mixed bag. The Carolina run game was impressive, with Mike Davis and David Williams both going over 100 yards and Shon Carson adding 85 yards of his own. However, the offensive line struggled to protect the quarterbacks, allowing several sacks. The line was confused on several plays and seemed unfocused. Again, the performance was concerning going into Auburn, which has some dynamic playmakers on the defensive front.

Carolina fans finally got to see the backup quarterbacks in this game, and their performance was very shaky. It should now be clear why Spurrier has given Dylan Thompson all the snaps; neither Perry Orth nor Connor Mitch are ready to lead the offense. The good news regarding backups who saw the field was that tailback David Williams finally saw extended time and looked as good as advertised on several dynamic runs.