You’ll have to forgive fans of the South Carolina Gamecocks if they were a little overzealous over last year’s 8-5 record. You see, winning eight games or more in season isn’t a regular occurrence. Prior to 2022 it happened just once in eight years. There is reason to be excited about the 2023 edition following massive wins over Tennessee and Clemson in back to back weeks to close the campaign. The season ended on a downer with a loss to Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl, but under Shane Beamer the program is trending in a positive direction.
College Football Season Wins Odds
Regular Season Wins for the South Carolina Gamecocks
Over 6.5 ( +157 )
Under 6.5 ( -186 )
It’s not the Steve Spurrier-led Gamecocks from several years ago when they strung together three straight 11-win seasons. But there is a vibe in Columbia that the team isn’t far off. Beamer has done a fantastic job putting together two consecutive winning campaigns and Spencer Rattler has found a home after losing the starting gig at Oklahoma. The projected win total of 6.5 might seem low after what transpired, but considering the amount of turnover on defense and the degree of difficulty with the schedule, the Cocks will have to work to cash the OVER.
Roster
Nothing beats having an NFL-caliber prospect at quarterback. Rattler didn’t match up with the likes of Baker Mayfield, Jalen Hurts, Kyler Murray and Caleb Williams at OU electing to transfer after he was replaced. Many viewed Rattler as a can’t-miss prospect starting his collegiate career, and while there’s still work to be done, he showed why people thought that with his play last year.
Without much of a running game Rattler had to command the offense. He completed 66.2 percent of his passes for 3,026 yards with 18 touchdowns. However, his 12 interceptions were a major concern. Last year’s leading receiver Antwane Wells elected to return along with Rattler giving the Cocks one up in the air. Wells’ 68 receptions were more than twice as many as the next leading pass catcher. He amassed 928 yards and six touchdowns on those grabs and displayed chemistry with his QB.
The Cocks had a hard time running the ball last season and saw leading rusher MarShawn Lloyd transfer. That leaves Juju McDowell as top returning back after totaling 219 yards on 62 carries. Beamer hit the portal for help along the line following a season where opponents spent far too much time in USC’s backfield. The group allowed 31 sacks and 99 TFLs finishing among the bottom three in the SEC.
There is work that needs be done on defense, especially against the run. The Cocks allowed nearly 200 yards per game on the ground and were routinely gouged by bigger more athletic offensive lines. When playing in the SEC you’re going to see a lot of NFL-caliber linemen. So maybe losing most of the defensive front won’t be such a bad thing. As a whole the group is bigger, but it remains to be seen if they’re better.
Stats can be misleading with a classic example being pass defense. The Cocks allowed an average of just 206.7 yards through the air in 2023 to rank tied for 14th nationally, but because they were so bad stopping the run teams didn’t throw as much. Still, the group made plays when needed with their 15 interceptions one of the highest totals in the country. The secondary again appears to be a strength, but help up front will slow opponents down.
Schedule
If they can somehow survive the opening stretch of games there’s a chance seven wins are out there. It won’t be easy, though. Taking on North Carolina in the opener, Georgia to open SEC play and Tennessee all in the first five games is tough. The closing stretch is more forgiving with all four November contests at home, but they do have Kentucky and Clemson to close the season. In between there’s Florida and Texas AM.
Prediction
Inconsistent and unpredictable defined the Cocks last year, but they did get big wins over three ranked opponents. So much this year depends on if the line play on both sides of the ball improves. Rattler and the offense will be good enough to erupt and they’ll have to with the defense a work in progress. Seven wins is the absolute ceiling and the team has enough concerns to mess up along the way and fall short. I just don’t trust a rebuilding team in the SEC which is why I have to go UNDER.
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