South Carolina Gamecocks (1-1) vs. East Carolina Pirates (2-0)
Saturday, September 17, 4:00pm EST
Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, SC
TV: SEC Network | Internet: WatchESPN
Announcers: Dave Neal (pxp); Matt Stinchcomb (analyst); Olivia Harlan (reporter)
Radio: 107.5 The Game | Live Stream: Gamecock IMG Sports Network
Announcers: Todd Ellis (pxp); Tommy Suggs (analyst); Langston Moore (reporter)
Odds: The Gamecocks hold a three-point edge.
South Carolina is looking to shake off a rough loss to Mississippi State last week that saw Bulldogs starting QB Nick Fitzgerald rush for 195 yards, a school record for a quarterback. They’ll get that chance at home as they step onto the Williams-Brice field for the first time this season. The Gamecocks have had a relatively easy time with the Pirates: they are 13-5 all-time against ECU and have won the series’ last three meetings.
ECU enters on the strength of a 52-7 drubbing of FCS opponent Western Carolina (who will visit the Gamecocks on November 19) and a 33-30 victory over North Carolina State. Head coach Scottie Montgomery, who served on David Cutcliffe’s staff at Duke with current Gamecocks OC Kurt Roper from 2008-09 and again in 2013, enters his first season at the helm in place of Ruffin McNeill. Senior quarterback Philip Nelson, who transferred from Minnesota before the 2015 season and walked onto the football program at ECU, has thrown for 695 yards, six touchdowns, and just one pick in his first two games.