2006 South Carolina Gamecocks

2006 South Carolina Gamecocks Season, Game Recaps, Scores and Reviews

Dec. 28
Liberty Bowl
South Carolina 44 ... Houston 36
The two teams combined for 1,039 yards of total offense and 715 yards of passing as South Carolina scored 17 straight points with two fourth quarter 43-yard touchdown catches from Kenny McKinley to finally pull away. Houston got a late touchdown and two point conversion, and had the ball with one final drive after the Gamecocks were stuffed on a fourth down conversion, but came up just short on a fourth down pass. The opening thirty minutes were wild from start to finish with Houston's Vincent Marshall catching a 32-yard touchdown pass in the opening two minutes, and took a crossing pass 77 yards for a score with 11 seconds to play. In between, South Carolina got two of Blake Mitchell's four touchdown passes and two short scoring runs from Cory Boyd, while the Cougars got a four-yard touchdown catch from Mark Hafner and a 42-yard up-the-gut touchdown run from Jackie Battle.
Player of the game ... South Carolina QB Blake Mitchell completed 19 of 29 passes for 323 yards and four touchdowns with an interception. He also ran for 22 yards.
Stat Leaders: Houston - Passing: Kevin Kolb, 26-39, 386 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Jackie Battle, 11-85, 2 TD  Receiving: Vincent Marshall, 9-201, 2 TD
South Carolina - Passing: Blake Mitchell, 19-29, 323 yds, 4 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Cory Boyd, 18-94, 2 TD. Receiving: Sidney Rice, 8-139, 1 TD
Notes & Thoughts ... Houston got its licks in early on, and then South Carolina started generating some consistent pressure and the secondary started to make more tackles while getting in better overall position to make plays. The Cougars had the athletes to stay with the Gamecocks, but they didn't have the lines. ... Blake Mitchell kept his composure throughout the game and didn't make the key mistakes to let Houston back in it in the second half. He doesn't have to be spectacular for USC to win; he just has to be consistent. ... Can Kevin Kolb play at the next level? Absolutely. He proved against a good defense that he can be creative on his throws and reads and can put the ball in positions where his receivers can make plays. It's one thing to do that against Conference USA teams, but it's another to do that against someone from the SEC. ... Jasper Brinkley's numbers 11 tackles and a sack, might not stack up against some of the other linebackers this bowl season, but he was all over the place and was a difference maker.

2006 Schedule CFN Prediction: 6-6 2006 Record: 8-5 Preview 2006 predicted wins
8/31	at Miss State W 15-0
9/9	Georgia L 18-0
9/16	Wofford W 27-20
9/23	Florida Atlantic W 45-6
9/28	Auburn L 24-17
10/7	at Kentucky W 24-17
10/21	at Vanderbilt W 31-13
10/28	Tennessee L 31-24
11/4	Arkansas L 26-20
11/11	at Florida L 17-16
11/18	MTSU W 52-7
11/25	at Clemson W 31-28
12/28	Liberty Bowl Houston W 44-36

2005 Schedule CFN Prediction: 5-6 2005 Record: 7-5 Preview 2005 predicted wins
9/3	UCF W 24-15
9/10	at Georgia L 17-15
9/17	Alabama  L 37-14
9/24	Troy W 40-25
10/1	at Auburn L 48-7
10/8	Kentucky  W 44-16
10/22	Vanderbilt W 35-28
10/29	at Tennessee W 16-15
11/5	at Arkansas W 14-10
11/12	Florida W 30-22
11/19	Clemson L 13-9
12/30	Independence Bowl Missouri L 38-31

Nov. 25
South Carolina 31 ... Clemson 28
South Carolina scored the last 14 points of the game and held on as Clemson's Jad Dean missed a 39-yard field goal with 13 seconds to plays. Mike Davis ran for two third quarter scores and Ryan Succop nailed a 35-yard field goal after Clemson connected on several big scoring plays. Jacoby Ford started off the scoring with a 76-yard touchdown catch for the Tigers and C.J. Spiller ran for scores from 80 and 31 yards while the defense picked off Blake Mitchell three times early taking one for a score. But Mitchell settled down and was almost flawless in the second half.
Player of the game ... South Carolina LB Jasper Brinkley made ten tackles, 1.5 sacks, and a tackle for loss
Stat Leaders: Clemson - Passing: Will Proctor, 13-19, 191 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: C.J. Spiller, 10-155, 2 TD  Receiving: Chansi Stuckey, 4-47
South Carolina - Passing: Blake Mitchell, 23-36, 268 yds, 3 INT
Rushing: Mike Davis, 12-69, 2 TD. Receiving: Sidney Rice, 8-103
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean Basil? ... After the way the season had gone with so many close losses in tough games, South Carolina was due for one to go its way. Clemson had everything go its way early, and Blake Mitchell was giving away picks, and then things changed around as Mitchell regained his composure, started playing well, and the Gamecocks finally broke the Tiger hex. On defense, Jasper Brinkley was strong against everyone but Clemson RB C.J. Spiller. Even though the D wasn't fantastic, it did what it had to do in the second half. This was a big win not just for Steve Spurrier and the program, but for the SEC over the ACC.

Nov. 18
South Carolina 52 ... Middle Tennessee 7
Middle Tennessee scored first on a 73-yard Desmond Gee run on its first play of the game and managed 127 yards the rest of the way. South Carolina got four Blake Mitchell touchdown passes including two to Sidney Rice in the third quarter on the way to 52 unanswered points. Cory Boyd scored twice and Bobby Wallace ran for an 88-yard score helping the Gamecocks roll up 545 yards of total offense.
Player of the game ... South Carolina QB Blake Mitchell was 21-of-28 for 388 yards and four  touchdown passes.  
Stat Leaders: Middle Tennessee - Passing: Clint Marks, 5-13, 110 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Eugene Gross, 11-48  Receiving: Desmond Gee, 1-73, 1 TD
South Carolina - Passing: Blake Mitchell, 21-28, 388 yds, 4 TDs
Rushing: Bobby Wallace, 3-98, 1 TD  Receiving: Sidney Rice, 6-90, 2 TDs
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean Basil? ... Middle Tennessee might get bombed by anyone with a pulse, but going into the showdown against Clemson, USC needed to blow up someone. Did Blake Mitchell show he’s the quarterback to revolve the offense around? Now necessarily, but he did come up with one of his best performances yet. Now the challenge is for Sidney Rice to prove he can produce big numbers this season against a good team. While Mitchell has a lot to do with that, getting offensive production from other receivers certainly helps

Nov. 11
Florida 17 ... South Carolina 16
Florida's Jarvis Moss blocked a South Carolina extra point attempt after a 14-yard Mike Davis touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter, and blocked a 48-yard Ryan Succop game-winning field goal attempt as time ran out. Down 16-10, the Gators went on an 11-play, 80-yard drive, helped by a fourth down conversion deep in its own territory, and finished up with a 12-yard Tim Tebow touchdown run. South Carolina drove back and got well within field goal range with a 27-yard pass to Sidney Rice, but it was called back because of a false start penalty which ended up pushing the final attempt back. Succop hit a 47-yard field goal early in the fourth, but Florida's Chris Hetland tied it up on the ensuing drive with a  22-yard field goal. Davis ran for a four-yard touchdown late in the first quarter for a  7-0 USC lead, but Florida tied it in the final minutes of the half on a 21-yard scoring play from Dallas Baker.
Player of the game ... Florida DE Jarvis Moss made eight tackles, broke up a pass and blocked two kicks
Stat Leaders: South Carolina - Passing: Blake Mitchell, 24-33, 275 yds
Rushing: Mike Davis, 16-94, 2 TD. Receiving: Sidney Rice, 7-72
Florida - Passing: Chris Leak, 19-27, 254 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: DeShawn Wynn, 12-90  Receiving: Percy Harvin, 6-91
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean Basil? ... South Carolina killed itself against Florida. From the inability to block Jarvis Moss on an extra point and the game-winning field goal attempt, to key penalties to screw up field position on big drives, to a Syvelle Newton missed interception on the Gators' final scoring drive, the team wasn't nearly sharp enough to come away with the win. On a heartbreaking three game losing streak, there can't be a letdown against a Middle Tennessee team with a decent defense. Eventually, the team will get the right breaks. It might just be next year.

Nov. 4
Arkansas 26 ... South Carolina 20
Arkansas ran for 267 yards, but it was a big pass play and an interception that won the game for the Hogs. Following a missed Jeremy Davis field goal, South Carolina had life with over five minutes to play, but Blake Mitchell, who stepped in for an ineffective Syvelle Newton, threw an interception to Darius Vinnett on the Arkansas 27. The Hogs were able to run out the clock on two Casey Dick third down passes to Marcus Monk. The two hooked up at the end of the first half on a Hail Mary that was batted and bobbled by two Gamecock defenders before Monk grabbed it for a 50-yard touchdown and a 23-6 lead. USC came back as Mitchell threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Kenny McKinley and a 10-yard touchdown pass thanks to a brilliant catch by Sidney Rice to pull within six, but that was as close as it would get. Arkansas RB Darren McFadden ran for a career-high 219 yards with first half touchdown runs from 43 and 14 yards out.
Player of the game ... Arkansas RB Darren McFadden ran 25 times for 219 yards and two touchdowns.
Stat Leaders: South Carolina - Passing: Blake Mitchell, 15-21, 213 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Mike Davis, 7-28. Receiving: Sidney Rice, 7-126, 1 TD
Arkansas - Passing: Casey Dick, 11-19, 228 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Darren McFadden, 25-219, 2 TD  Receiving: Marcus Monk, 8-192, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean Basil? ... Steve Spurrier appears to be disappointed by his team's offensive performances on a weekly basis, but Blake Mitchell did a good job of keeping the team in the game against Arkansas and the team played relatively well. Even though he made one awful throw for an interception late, the defense had chances to come up with a stop, and didn't. USC got a horrible break on the Hail Mary for a score at the end of the first half and didn't get any running game, yet it was still in it until the end. With a little more talent and a little more luck, the team would be in the midst of a huge season. Wins in tight games are hard to get in the SEC, and Spurrier needs to remember that.

Oct. 28
Tennessee 31 ... South Carolina 24
Tennessee got out to a 14-0 with Marvin Mitchell taking a Syvelle Newton pass 17 yards for a touchdown and Bret Smith catching a five-yard touchdown pass that bounced off two USC defenders, but the Gamecocks fought back with 17 straight points on two Newton touchdown passes. Tennessee owned the fourth quarter with a 17-point run of its own highlighted by a 12-yard touchdown catch from Bret Smith, but the Vols had to hang on as Newton ran for a one-yard score with just over two minutes to play and got one last shot with the ball on the USC nine with just over a minute to play. The final drive went nowhere finishing off with Tennessee's third interception of the day.
Player of the game ... Tennessee QB Erik Ainge completed 21 of 29 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns
Stat Leaders: Tennessee - Passing: Erik Ainge, 21-29, 254 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Arian Foster, 12-28, 1 TD. Receiving: Robert Meachem, 5-106
South Carolina - Passing: Syvelle Newton, 16-29, 230 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Sycelle Newton, 14-85, 1 TD  Receiving: Kenny McKinley, 4-70
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean Basil? ... The Gamecocks are close to being a great team with close home losses to Auburn and Tennessee showing they can play against anyone. To beat the top teams, they have to be near perfect and have to win the turnover battle, which they didn't do against the Vols. The defense hung tough enough to keep the Vol offense from exploding, while the USC attack was balanced thanks to the running of Syvelle Newton. Sidney Rice might be the target of everyone's defensive gameplan, but it's time Steve Spurrier found more ways to get his main weapon the ball.

Oct. 21
South Carolina 31 ... Vanderbilt 13
South Carolina turned it over four times, but outgained Vandy 327 yards to 253 and forced three turnovers of its own. Syvelle Newton threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Sidney Rice and a 23-yard scoring pass to Kenny McKinley, and  ran for a seven-yard score in the third to help USC pull away. Mike Davis put it out of reach with a 15-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. The Commodores struggled all game long to generate any consistent offense, but was able to capitalize on mistakes to stay in the game with a 13-yard Chris Nickson scoring run and two Bryan Hahnfeldt field goals.
Player of the game ... South Carolina LB Jasper Brinkley made seven tackles, broke up two passes, and made three tackles for loss.
Stat Leaders: Vanderbilt - Passing: Chris Nickson, 4-15, 76 yds, 2 INT
Rushing: Chris Nickson, 14-70, 1 TD. Receiving: Earl Bennett, 4-16
South Carolina - Passing: Syvelle Newton, 11-18, 133 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Cory Boyd, 22-113  Receiving: Sidney Rice, 7-89
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean Basil? ... South Carolina got a great game from its defense against Vanderbilt to make up for an uneven and sloppy game from the offense. Even with all the mistakes, Syvelle Newton played well moving the chains converting eight of 11 third down chances. The defense was camped out in the Commodore backfield all game long, and will have to do more of the same to stay with Tennessee next week.

Oct. 7
South Carolina 24 ... Kentucky 17
Trick plays proved to be the difference as South Carolina took the lead for good on a double reverse that turned into a 22-yard touchdown pass from WR Kenny McKinley to a QB Syvelle Newton. Newton also ran for a seven-yard score, and Cory Boyd ran for a five yard touchdown. Kentucky used a sneaky play getting QB Andre Woodson into the end zone from a yard out and got a nine-yard touchdown catch to Dicky Lyons with less than three minutes to play, but a last gasp drive stalled just past midfield.
Player of the game ... South Carolina RB Cory Boyd ran 25 times for 113 yards and a touchdown and led the team with four catches for 61 yards.
Stat Leaders: Kentucky - Passing: Andre Woodson, 18-31, 289 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Rafael Little, 13-50. Receiving: Jacob Tamme, 4-48
South Carolina - Passing: Syvelle Newton, 14-22, 171 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Cory Boyd, 25-113, 1 TD  Receiving: Cory Boyd, 4-61
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean Basil? ... It has to be a bit of a concern that South Carolina needed some razzle dazzle to get by Kentucky. The running game worked well, and Syvelle Newton threw well enough to keep the chains moving, but ten penalties proved costly and UK was able to hang around way too late. Even so, this was a dangerous game that the Gamecocks were able to get through before dealing with Tennessee, Arkansas and Florida. With Middle Tennessee down the road, a win next week at Vanderbilt will all but assure a bowl bid.

Sept. 28
Auburn 24 ... South Carolina 17
Auburn had to hold on late as South Carolina drive stalled on the five-yard line after a broken up fourth down pass in the end zone to Sidney Rice. In the homecoming for Auburn Kenny Irons, who began his career at USC, he pounded in two one-yard touchdown runs with the second coming on the first play of the fourth quarter to cap an amazing start to the second half. Auburn took up 8:35 on a 17 play drive leading to a John Vaughn field goal, recovered an onside kick, and then held on to the ball for the rest of the third quarter. South Carolina owns the fourth with a long drive of its own going 93 yards in 15 plays culminating in a 25-yard touchdown pass to Jared Cook. Syvelle Newton threw two touchdown passes for USC for the first touchdowns scored this year by an SEC team against the Tiger defense.
Player of the game ... Auburn RB Kenny Irons ran 27 times for 117 yards and two touchdowns
Stat Leaders: Auburn - Passing: Brandon Cox, 13-19, 180 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Kenny Irons, 27-117, 2 TD. Receiving: Tommy Trott, 3-31, 1 TD
South Carolina - Passing: Syvelle Newton, 21-35, 240 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Syvelle Newton, 20-44  Receiving: Kenny McKinley, 8-110, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean Basil? ... It's amazing what a little time to work can do. South Carolina did a great job of protecting Syvelle Newton from the fearsome Auburn pass rush, and he came through with a fantastic game. Yeah he was sacked four times, but he also did a great job of getting rid of the ball in a hurry and picking on the weaknesses in the Tiger secondary. Mike Davis and Cory Boyd never got the ground game going, but that wasn't a bad thing considering the success Newton was having with No. 2 receiver option Kenny McKinley. While this was a disappointing loss, it should be a confidence booster going into winnable road games at Kentucky and Vanderbilt.

Sept. 23
South Carolina 45 ... Florida Atlantic 6
Syvelle Newton and Sidney Rice hooked up for five touchdowns in the first 32 minutes of the game on the way to a 35-6 Gamecock lead. Mike Davis ran for a one-yard score to make the blowout even worse. The Owls got their only score on a 25-yard touchdown pass to to Jason Harmon, but they failed to tie the game after the missed extra point. USC outgained FAU 492 yards to 243.
Player of the game ... South Carolina WR Sidney Rice caught nine passes for 161 yards and five touchdowns
Stat Leaders: Florida Atlantic - Passing: Sean Clayton, 5-17, 66 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Sean Clayton, 5-68. Receiving: Chad Wilkes, 3-29
South Carolina - Passing: Syvelle Newton, 13-20, 216 yds, 5 TD
Rushing: Taylor Rank, 15-101  Receiving: Sidney Rice, 9-161, 5 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean Basil? ... Finally, Sidney Rice blew up and looked like the All-America talent he is. Yeah, it came against an awful Florida Atlantic team that's done nothing all season long, but this still might be the wake-up call the offense needed going into the Auburn battle. Everything clicked for an offense that sputtered and coughed way too often over the first four games, while the defense came up with a great performance a week after almost blowing the Wofford game. If nothing else, this game will force Auburn to spend half of this week worrying about stopping Rice, which means things might open up for the rest of the USC passing attack.

Sept. 16
South Carolina 27 ... Wofford 20
South Carolina appeared to be cruising with three Cory Boyd touchdown runs in the first half highlighted by a 40-yard dash for a 24-10 lead. The final Gamecock points came on a 22-yard Ryan Succop field goal late in the third quarter as Wofford's D started making big plays. It got interesting as Nick Robinson kicked his second field goal of the game and Andy Stickland caught a 25-yard touchdown pass to get within seven with just under five minutes to play. Wofford got down to the USC ten, but Dakota Walker forced a fumble with seven seconds to play.
Player of the game ... South Carolina RB Cory Boyd ran 11 times for 74 yards and three touchdowns
Stat Leaders: Wofford - Passing: Josh Collier, 4-10, 66 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Kevious Johnson, 12-129, 1 TD. Receiving: Dane Romero, 2-40
South Carolina - Passing: Syvelle Newton, 12-18, 196 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Cory Boyd, 11-74, 3 TD  Receiving: Sidney Rice, 7-151
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean Basil? ... Uhhhhh, South Carolina; it's time to wake up. After sleepwalking through the second half against Wofford and almost losing a shocker, there's reason to be concerned about the team's overall focus. Either that, this group simply isn't any good. Syvelle Newton did a good job at quarterback and Sidney Rice finally broke out, the defense had way too many issues with the Wofford running game. The Florida Atlantic game next week had better be razor sharp, or the Auburn game could be ugly.

Sept. 9
Georgia 18 ... South Carolina 0
Georgia got field goals from 46, 46 and 42 yards from Brandon Coutu along with a nine-yard touchdown run from Danny Ware to get past South Carolina in an occasionally ugly battle. The Bulldog defense held USC to only 35 rushing yards and forced five fumbles, recovering three. South Carolina's defense had its moments after Georgia starting QB Joe Tereshinski got knocked out with an ankle injury. Matthew Stafford threw three interceptions, but he led the team on three scoring drives. South Carolina got into the red zone three times and didn't come away with any points.
Player of the game ... Georgia DE Charles Johnson made five tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack and one broken up pass
Stat Leaders: Georgia - Passing: Matthew Stafford, 8-19, 171 yds, 3 INT
Rushing: Thomas Brown, 16-69. Receiving: Martrez Milner, 2-40
South Carolina - Passing: Blake Mitchell, 16-22, 156 yds
Rushing: Blake Mitchell, 4-22  Receiving: Syvelle Newton, 7-49
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean Basil? ... The South Carolina passing game simply isn't strong enough to carry the team against great teams like Georgia. The running game has to be there to lend a little help, or else the passing attack has to start pushing the ball down the field better. It's doubtful the team will win many, if any, games when Blake Mitchell is the leading rusher. After this shutout and after the 15-0 win over Mississippi State, the only Gamecock touchdown on the year came on a trick play. The offense needs to get some serious work over the next two weeks against Wofford and Florida Atlantic before dealing with Auburn.

Aug. 31
South Carolina 15 ... Mississippi State 0
South Carolina's defense held MSU to 161 yards of total offense highlighted by a key fourth down stop early in the fourth quarter which the offense converted into an immediate score on a trick-play 54-yard touchdown pass from Syvelle Newton to Cory Boyd. Ryan Succop hit three field goals for the Gamecocks including a 47-yard strike in the fourth quarter, but it was the defense that was the star allowing 79 rushing yards and 82 through the air.
Player of the game ... South Carolina LB Jasper Brinkley made 11 tackles, one sack, 1.5 tackles for loss and broke up one pass.
Stat Leaders: South Carolina - Passing: Blake Mitchell, 12-22, 91 yds
Rushing: Cory Boyd, 12-93. Receiving: Cory Boyd, 4-67, 1 TD
Miss State - Passing: Tray Rutland, 6-15, 63 yds, 2 INT
Rushing: Anthony Dixon, 14-64. Receiving: Lance Long, 5-41
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean Basil? ... The win over Mississippi State was better than it might appear on paper. The Bulldog defense was fantastic carrying an inept offense, but the South Carolina attack was just functional enough to get the job done. QB Blake Mitchell getting knocked out for a little while was a blessing in disguise since it allowed freshman Chris Smelley to see some meaningful work. To beat Georgia next week, the line has to provide more of a push for the running game.

2006 South Carolina Preview

- South Carolina Preview | Offense | Defense | Depth Chart | Further Analysis

There wasn't much gun, but there was a whole bunch of fun.

No one was expecting the Florida Gators of the 1990s right off the bat when Steve Spurrier was hired to revive the sagging program, but the hearty Gamecock fans were hoping for some magic. They got it with a winning season and a bowl appearance from a marginally talented team that won all the games it was supposed to, and two it shouldn't have.  

It's amazing how off-the-field scandals, a brawl, and the three straight mediocre seasons can be wiped away by a five-game winning streak including upsets over Tennessee and Florida. While those two stunning victories made national news, the joy quickly subsided after a fourth straight loss to arch-rival Clemson and a bowl loss to Missouri to prove that Saint Spurrier wasn't totally infallible. Now the expectations are starting to grow.The amazing thing about the success of last season was how average the offense was. Oh sure, it carved up the Kentuckys and Vanderbilts of the world, but it was able to beat Florida despite putting up a mere 246 total yards of offense, and beat Arkansas with only 187 yards of total offense. This team found a way to win with timely defense, some clutch special teams play, and with just enough offensive production to get by. Can that be enough to win again?

South Carolina isn't on the verge of being a national superpower, but it does provide a major annoyance to the major players in the SEC East. Florida is about to be much, much better under Urban Meyer, Tennessee isn't going to be as mediocre as last year, and Georgia isn't about to slip under Mark Richt. As good as Spurrier and his staff might be, 2005 might be the last time the Gamecocks beat two of the beat three for a long, long time unless the talent level takes a major upturn.

This is a nice team with some next-level parts, but it's hardly a complete one. Wide receiver Sidney Rice is among the best in America, the 1-2 rushing punch of Mike Davis and Cory Boyd is tremendous, and cornerback Fred Bennett could be the SEC's best cover man. Beyond that, the Gamecocks are woefully undermanned compared to the LSUs, Auburns, Floridas, and other top SEC teams. That's not to say Spurrier isn't going to win his share of games this season, but this isn't going to be that contending year many are hoping for even with a relatively easy schedule with an all-but-gift-wrapped six wins.

Like last year, everything Spurrier does will be weekly news. He's still one of the game's biggest names, and he obviously hasn't lost a step. The SEC is a better place with him back.

The Schedule: If Spurrier can work his magic and make the team a little bit better, the potential is there for an amazing start with the toughest games coming at home before going to Florida in mid-November. Georgia, Auburn, Tennessee and Arkansas are good, but the Gamecocks have to win at least two of those games in Columbia. Going to Clemson could be a very sour way to end the regular season.

Best Offensive Player: Sophomore WR Sidney Rice. Rice emerged as one of the nation's best receivers at the end of last year cranking out 845 yards and nine touchdowns in the final seven games. He's a big, strong, talented target who'll make some NFL team very happy in the near future as long as he can stay healthy.

Best Defensive Player: Senior CB Fred Bennett. He's hardly a household name, but he's about to be a hot commodity in NFL draft circles. He's a safety-sized 6-1 and 199 pounds with tremendous speed and cover skills. He'll be in the hunt for All-America honors if he's able to put up any stats. No one will throw his way.

Key player to a successful season: Junior DT Stanley Doughty. The 6-0, 331-pound tackle has all the talent in the world, but it's hiding under about 30 pounds. He needs to be more consistent and he has to hit the elliptical machine to get down to a quicker, more effective 310 pounds. If he doesn't have a big year, the average line will have major problems.

The season will be a success if ... the Gamecocks win eight games. This team isn't great, but it should be able to show up and beat Wofford, Florida Atlantic and MTSU. It might not be a walk in the park, but it has to sweep road games at Mississippi State, Kentucky and Vanderbilt, and it needs to come up with home wins over someone like Arkansas to be in the hunt for another bowl season and a step in the right direction.

Key game: Sept. 9 vs. Georgia. USC gave the Dawgs all they could handle in a 17-15 loss in Athens last season. A win at home over the defending SEC champions would show that the team is going to be good enough to be in the hunt for the East title. This also might be a must win or else a 1-2 SEC start is possible with a date with Auburn ahead two weeks later.

2005 Fun Stats: 
- Time of possession: Opponents 32:08 - South Carolina 27:52
- Second quarter scoring: Opponents 95 - South Carolina 48
- Fourth down conversions: Opponents 15 of 29 (41%) - South Carolina 5 of 14 (34%)

The Last Time South Carolina…
…played in a bowl game…2005 (Independence Bowl vs. Missouri)
…missed a bowl game…2004
…pitched a shutout…2000 (New Mexico State)
…was shutout…2002 (Arkansas)
…scored 50 points…1995 (Vanderbilt)
…went undefeated…1907
…won a conference title…1969 (ACC)
…had a 3,000-yard passer…1995 (Steve Taneyhill)
…had a 1,000-yard rusher…2000 (Derek Watson)
…had a 1,000-yard receiver…2005 (Sidney Rice)
…had a first-round draft choice…2006 (CB Johnathan Joseph)