SOUTH CAROLINA O:7 D:5

To think the Gamecocks were one win short of winning the SEC East a year ago is quite remarkable if you really think about it. HC Steve Spurrier took over a team that was suspended from bowl contention because of a brawl in their final game of the 2004 season, and needed to switch the offensive mindset as well from ground oriented to a passing attack. The Gamecocks took to his coaching quickly, and rattled off five straight SEC victories for the first time in the program’s history. With success come expectations, so the folks in Columbia are expecting Spurrier and company to take another step forward this season. The offense could possibly be one of the most potent in the entire country. QB Blake Mitchell is back for his junior campaign with a year’s worth of Spurrier’s playbook under his belt. His go to guy is also back in WR Sidney Rice who hauled in 70 receptions, and his 13 TDs was one short of the all time frosh record. The Gamecocks should exceed last year’s 23.7 PPG rather easily. The defense has some experience and talent in all three facets of the unit, but some big time contributors were lost across the board. The Gamecocks will look to its offense to win games early on until the defense has time to gel and find its identity.