Has anyone else noticed that the Gamecocks are suddenly the darlings of the NCAA? ESPN can’t say enough good things about our team, and several bloggers are positively glowing.
Not that we’re complaining, it’s actually really cool. I’ve read my share of “maybe next year” articles about the Cocks. But now, many news sites are framing LSU as desperate and USC as rolling. Here is a selection of quotes:
South Carolina made it look easy last week as it began a brutal stretch in the unforgiving SEC. Next up is this trip to No. 8 LSU (8 p.m. ET, ESPN), where the desperate Tigers will either jump right back into the BCS title picture or be eliminated with a second loss. DE Jadeveon Clowney and the Gamecocks’ defensive line showed it is capable of taking over a game, bad news for an LSU offenisve front that is struggling to open holes – USA TODAY
Now that was sweet of them, but check out ESPN’s review:
The Gamecocks are for real, and to this point, they look like the closest thing to a legitimate contender to Alabama in this league…The pieces are in place for the Gamecocks to have a special season. – ESPN
And CBS Sports picks us to win over LSU:
Marcus Lattimore (21) looks up to the scoreboard against the UAB Blazers in the second half at Williams-Brice Stadium. Credit: Jeff Blake-US PRESSWIRE
South Carolina 14, LSU 10: Les Miles’ O-line is a mess. And that is a big problem, especially when you have Jadeveon Clowney and Co. coming to town. The Gamecocks are No. 4 in the country in sacks while LSU is No. 93 in sacks allowed while injuries keep mounting up front. – CBSSports
Not everybody is glowing
While the major news media is pretty much in love with South Carolina, Rant Sports wasn’t so positive…
A loss at LSU puts them back to where they’ve been for 50 years, an afterthought.
So Gamecocks, go win on the road, in one of the toughest venues in the nation, then talk to the college football world on Saturday night! – Rant Sports
And Bleacher Report doesn’t think we can do it:
South Carolina has been phenomenal so far this season and is every bit deserving of its No. 3 ranking. But when the Gamecocks travel to Baton Rouge this weekend to take on LSU, they are going to have their hands full with a few of the Tigers’ elite playmakers on both sides of the ball. – Bleacher Report
Finally, the Huffington Post is picking LSU:
the Bayou Bengals will be salty coming off of their loss to Florida, and playing in the hostile nighttime environment of Baton Rouge will be a tough test for Steve Spurrier’s team. I can’t see the Tigers suffering back-to-back losses…HuffPo
Our Prediction
There is no shortage of perspectives on what will happen in this game. Yesterday we predicted a 13-3 victory for the Gamecocks. As Randall said: “The college football world has been put on notice. These Gamecocks have come to play.”
But there is no doubt about one thing, this game is very important for both the Gamecocks and the Tigers.
