The South Carolina football team (2-3, 1-2 SEC) will be looking to get back into the win column when it takes on the Florida Gators (4-2, 2-1 SEC) this Saturday.
The Gamecocks spent the past week on bye but suffered a 41-20 road loss to then-No. 21 Tennessee in its most recent game on Sept. 30. Florida, which upset the Volunteers earlier this 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒, earned a comfortable 38-14 win over Vanderbilt in Gainesville last weekend.
Last year, South Carolina suffered one of its biggest defeats of the 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒 on the road in Gainesville, falling 38-6 in a game the Gators dominated on both sides of the ball. While head coach Shane Beamer said that he did not bring up last year鈥檚 game to the team ahead of this weekend, he said there are a number of areas the Gamecocks will need to improve on to ensure a different result this time around.
鈥淲e have to protect the ball better than we did that night,鈥� Beamer said. 鈥�Three turnovers to start the second half is not a recipe for success. Giving up explosive runs like we gave up defensively is not a recipe for success.鈥�
This year, Florida鈥檚 offense is led by redshirt junior quarterback Graham Mertz, who transferred from Wisconsin during the off麻豆小蝌蚪传媒. Across six games, Mertz has completed 140 of 175 passes for 1,474 yards and thrown nine touchdowns to two interceptions.
Beamer said Mertz and the Gators鈥� two leading running backs, junior Montrell Johnson Jr. and sophomore Trevor Etienne, make up one of the conference's stronger offenses.
鈥淚f you look at just the SEC games that he鈥檚 played in against some pretty good defenses, he鈥檚 completing over 80% (of his passes),鈥� Beamer said of Mertz. 鈥�(Florida has a) really talented group of running backs. Great vision, can run with power, can make you miss.鈥�
South Carolina鈥檚 offense is more balanced than it was at the start of the 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒, in part due to the emergence of redshirt senior Mario Anderson as the team鈥檚 leading running back. In his past two games, Anderson has totaled 189 rushing yards on 36 carries, scoring twice.
The Gamecocks鈥� air attack, however, has consistently ranked among the SEC鈥檚 best throughout the 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒 and currently sits at fourth in the conference with 312.2 passing yards per game. Fifth-year wide receiver Xavier Legette, who ranks third in the SEC and seventh nationally with 606 receiving yards, has been a key contributor to South Carolina in the passing game.
Fifth-year wide receiver Ahmarean Brown said it鈥檚 up to other receivers on the roster, including himself, to give redshirt senior quarterback Spencer Rattler more passing options as opposing defenses have zeroed in on Legette. Legette had his least productive performance of the 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒 against Tennessee before the bye week, totaling just five receptions for 50 yards.
鈥淗e鈥檒l continue to be him. You can鈥檛 take him away from the game,鈥� Brown said. 鈥�But I鈥檓 excited for me 鈥� not only me, but other guys 鈥� to step up. We have a lot of guys who can make plays, not only me. So I think that it鈥檚 important for all of us to step up and be an option for Spencer and all the guys that he can depend on.鈥�
Redshirt junior linebacker Debo Williams has already amassed 36 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss through five games this 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒. Williams said the team鈥檚 bye week has not only given him time to recover from an increased workload, but it has also created opportunities for younger players to prepare for the rest of the year.
鈥淏测别 weeks are definitely great because we鈥檝e been going at it since summertime, and then you鈥檝e got camp, and then you come right into the 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒,鈥� Williams said. 鈥�Somebody like (freshman linebacker Grayson) "Pup" Howard or a freshman that鈥檚 already here, playing and getting meaningful snaps, it definitely helps because now they get another week to get the playbook under their belt and to gain that experience.鈥�
The bye week has also allowed coaching staff to evaluate the team鈥檚 overall performance, according to Beamer. While Beamer said he is not satisfied with a 2-3 record, he is encouraged by the team fighting to the end.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not far off. It鈥檚 not like we鈥檙e going into games and just getting our butts kicked in our three losses,鈥� Beamer said. 鈥�We鈥檝e gone into the second half of all those games. It鈥檚 not like we鈥檝e been out of it at halftime by any stretch of the imagination. So for one, we鈥檝e got to do a better job of finishing.鈥�
Brown said that staying composed and disciplined will be another key to South Carolina's success this weekend.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a different game. You don鈥檛 want to play off emotion. Emotion gets you beat," Brown said. "We鈥檙e not worrying about last year because we can鈥檛 change last year. Last year's gone. That's in the rearview mirror. We鈥檙e just looking ahead, and we鈥檙e ready to attack. We're going to let that go, and we鈥檙e going to play hard and try to come out with a dub.鈥�
The Gamecocks will face off against the Gators this Saturday in Williams-Brice Stadium at 3:30 p.m. as part of 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒鈥檚 Homecoming Week. The game was announced as a sell-out and will be available to watch on the SEC Network.