South Carolina snags bid to Gasparilla Bowl

Hey, did you want more South Carolina football for Christmas? Because you’re getting it regardless!

For reasons owing largely to a surplus of SEC bowl spots, as well as other teams deciding to bow out for the year, the 2-8 Gamecocks have found themselves with a ticket to the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl held in Tampa, Fla., where they will meet UAB at noon on Dec. 26.

By all metrics, the Blazers had a good season, going 6-3 overall en route to winning the Conference USA championship over Marshall. The Gamecocks have already opened as 5.5-point underdogs, in case you were wondering.

If you’re looking for a silver lining, here are a couple I can offer: a) We get to see Kevin Harris in action again, and b) perhaps this will give incoming coach Shane Beamer a good opportunity to evaluate this team, now that his obligations to Oklahoma have ended — though he wouldn’t be coaching in the bowl itself.

South Carolina won its last meeting with UAB, 49-6, which was in 2012. This will be the fourth all-time matchup between the programs, with the Gamecocks holding a 3-0 edge.