The Feed Pail: November 20, 2016

Gamecocksonline: Elite Eight for Women’s Soccer! Gamecocks top BYU To Reach Elite Eight For Second Time In Three Years. Captain and senior midfielder Chelsea Drennan bamboozled BYU’s keeper on a textbook penalty kick (69’) which was the margin of victory to defeat the Cougars 1-0. That’s the second late PK in as many tournament games. Carolina (21-1-1) now faces either Clemson or UNC next Friday - home at Stone Stadium - for the right to go to the Final Four. Plus - our men’s side Heads To Third-Seeded Clemson For NCAA Second Round - tonight at 6:00 p.m.

The Big Spur: Gamecocks, Tigers kickoff time announced. I’ve got two words for you: Big [Bleeping] Saturday. Buckle the chin-straps, men; go up to Tiger Town and ring their bells on ESPN.

Spurs & Feathers: View from the Western Carolina locker room. Tip your hats to the Catamounts - they played intense, inspired, intelligent football, and I loved their play-calling. I know USC.v.2016 isn’t great, and that any team that shares “Carolina” in their name will come out and give their all against us, but how is that Western team 2-9 or last place in the SoCon? I will definitely keep my eye on them in 2017.

Gamecock Central: Gamecocks celebrate hard-fought bowl eligibility. Great line by Scott Hood - “If I had a nickel for every coach who said, ‘Bowl practice is like having an additional spring practice,’ I’d be a rich man.” Amen. Plus - Rico Dowdle finds place in record books with Saturday's performance.

David Caraviello - Champ shows some sideline emotion. Gamecocks stagger past Western Carolina to clinch bowl eligibility. “The whiteboard summed up Will Muschamp’s frustration. South Carolina’s head coach scribbled on it as members of the Gamecocks defense huddled around him, and then flung it and his marker to the ground before stalking back over to the sideline.” Maybe the best thing to come out of this game is that our coaches will ride our young team all week and get them fired up to do better.

The Daily Gamecock: Gamecocks' defeat Western Carolina, become bowl eligible. Plus - will Darius Rucker keep his promise to play a free concert on the Horseshoe for the bowl-eligible Gamecocks? The answer is “yes!” but in the Spring.

Gene Sapakoff: The feel-good story of the week - Joe Thomas Sr., S.C. State's 55-year-old player, feels 'like a hero'. This is making national news. Congrats to Joe, Sr. and Buddy Pough’s Bulldogs.