Week 2 – East Carolina at South Carolina

Week 2 CFN Fearless Prediction – East Carolina at South Carolina

- CFN Fearless Predictions

East Carolina (1-0) at South Carolina (1-0) Sept. 8, 12:20

Here’s The Deal: South Carolina gets a second chance to impress after failing to do so in a lackluster 17-13 escape of Vanderbilt last Thursday night. The Gamecocks didn’t play as if they were ranked or a threat in the SEC East, and now might not have banged-up QB Connor Shaw for the home opener. This is an important week for head coach Steve Spurrier, who has just two more games before league play starts. East Carolina started sluggishly, yet finished fast to avoid the upset bid of Appalachian State, 35-13. It’s a crossroads year for Pirates head coach Ruffin McNeill, and a trip to Columbia provides a no-lose opportunity to bolster his job security.

Why East Carolina Might Win: Yeah, the Pirates employ a high-flying Air Raid offense, but the 2012 edition will lean on the defense a little more than normal. It’s a scrappy, veteran unit that’s been together for two years, and is especially stout at the second level. South Carolina will either use Shaw with a shoulder problem or Dylan Thompson, who appeared overwhelmed in Nashville. Either way, East Carolina will be able to point linebackers Jeremy Grove, Kyle Tudor and Derrell Johnson in the direction of No. 21, making sure that RB Marcus Lattimore never leaves their field of vision.

Why South Carolina Might Win: The defense knows it’ll have to pull a little more weight this season, and it’s up to the challenge. The Gamecocks didn’t play like a unit using a bunch of new starters in the opener, holding Vandy to 62 rushing yards and 3-of-15 on third downs. The trio of linemen Jadeveon Clowney, Kelcy Quarles and Devin Taylor will control the line of scrimmage versus a porous East Carolina front wall. Whatever gets past the first level will be cleaned up by hard-hitting LB Shaq Wilson. Inexperienced Pirates QB Rio Johnson is ill-equipped to overcome the pressure and speed he’ll see at Williams-Brice Stadium.

What To Watch Out For: Lattimore played with a bit of rust in the opener, but South Carolina was just thrilled to have him back in the lineup. He finished with 23 carries for 110 yards and two scores, but might be asked to do even more this Saturday. Not is the Gamecocks quarterback situation tenuous, but the receivers are clearly not the same without big Alshon Jeffery running routes. Spurrier might consider increasing Lattimore workload to 30-plus carries, especially if the Pirates remain close.

What Will Happen: South Carolina would be wise to not take lightly East Carolina, a seasoned team eager to make a national splash. In the end, though, it’ll be too much Lattimore and too much defense for the Pirates to close the deal in a game that’ll be tight for the first 30 minutes. While the Gamecocks defense will again sputter, it’ll be bailed out by 150 yards and a couple more scores on the ground from Lattimore. The ‘Cocks D will pounce on an unsure ECU attack, allowing just one touchdown and rattling Johnson in the pocket.

CFN Prediction: South Carolina 29 … East Carolina 13
ATS Consultants Line (Click for more lines and picks) South Carolina -22 O/U:
Must Watch Rating (5 – Phineas & Ferb, 1 – Steve Harvey): 2