SEC College Football Preview: No. 10 South Carolina versus No. 8 Arkansas

This may not be the college football game of the weekend or the best game the SEC has to offer this week but the eighth ranked Arkansas Razorbacks versus the tenth ranked South Carolina Gamecocks should prove to be an exciting game between two very similar teams.

The Razorbacks take on their fourth ranked team in the past six games and second top-10 team of the season when the Gamecocks visit Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Saturday. Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino hopes playing at home will spark his talented team into playing a complete game against a revenge minded team.

In 2010 Arkansas jumped out to an early 24-10 lead and cruised to a 41-20 win at Williams-Brice Stadium. Absent from last year’s winning team are Ryan Mallett’s 303-yards passing with one score to the NFL and Knile Davis’110-rushing yards and three touchdowns, out with an ankle injury.

The Gamecocks will also be without last year’s starting quarterback Stephen Garcia, dismissed from the team in week seven for violating team rules, and running back Marcus Lattimore, injured ACL.

Garcia threw for 161 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions against the Hogs in 2010. Lattimore was held to 30 rushing yards on 11 attempts before Spurrier took him out of the game in the third quarter.

The 2011 starting quarterbacks for both squads made an appearance in last year’s game. Arkansas’ Tyler Wilson was sacked on his only passing attempt and the Gamecock’s Connor Shaw completed two passes for 20 yards in mop-up duty.

Based off preseason predictions both teams have struggled to meet expectations offensively and defensively this season despite their current rankings.

In four of their past five games the Hogs have overcome double digits deficits before rallying to win. Included in those wins were sub-par performances against Ole Miss and Vanderbilt in their past two games.

South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier has had to overcome one difficult situation after another this season. Connor Shaw started the season under center for the Gamecocks only to be replaced by troubled senior Stephen Garcia in the second quarter of their first game. Garcia was dismissed from the team in week seven of the season for violation of team rules.

Shaw replaced Garcia as starting quarterback after his dismissal. Shaw was to count on the production of All-SEC running back Marcus Lattimore only to lose him at the end of that same week to an ACL injury suffered against Mississippi State.

Arkansas has not been without injuries as well. Both starting defensive ends and cornerbacks have missed significant game time as has their top wide receiver over the past two years, Greg Childs.

South Carolina had a bye week to prepare true freshman running back Brandon Wilds (Blythewood, South Carolina) for their first game without Lattimore. Wilds responded with 135 yards rushing on 28 attempts in a sluggish win over the Vols. Wilds also caught three passes for 31 yards.

Before his breakout performance against Tennessee, Wilds highest rushing totals had come against Kentucky when he rushed five times for 45 yards.

Connor Shaw has been inconsistent as the Gamecock starting quarterback. He threw for 311 yards against Kentucky but has regressed since then. Against MSU he threw for 155 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. On the road against Tennessee he finished with 87 passing yards on 10 of 18 passing attempts.

The Hogs running game made a brief appearance for two games but took a big step back against the Commodores last week. Dennis Johnson was held to 52 yards rushing on nine attempts and was benched after fumbling the ball for the second straight game. Arkansas finished with 72-net rushing yards after quarterback Tyler Wilson was sacked three times for a loss of 21-yards.

Through shaky offenses, injuries, and poor defensive performances both teams are fighting for an opportunity to remain in contention for a SEC Conference Title Game appearance and a possible BCS bowl berth.

Much like last year both teams enter the game with identical 7-1 records; in 2010 their records were 6-2 at the time of the game. South Carolina leads the SEC East while Arkansas can only hope LSU beats Alabama and they can beat LSU for an outside shot of representing the SEC West in the title game. 

Inside the Game

South Carolina’s defense will get their first true test of the season against the Razorbacks. The Gamecocks defense has the sixth rated total defense in FBS but the Hogs have the ninth best passing attack in the nation.

Weakness on weakness pits Arkansas’ running game and USC’s rush defense. Can the Hogs take advantage? USC is allowing 130.25 rushing yards per game. If the Hogs can hit that total that may be all Tyler Wilson needs to control the game with his arm.

The Razorbacks allowed two inferior opponents, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt, to rack up 151 rushing yards and 222 yards respectively. The Hogs have to like that a true freshman, Wilds, is handling the ball for the Gamecocks. They have to hate that Wilds ran for 135 in his first game as a starter against Tennessee. They can hope that the 28 carries he had last week wore him down some.

South Carolina averages 202 rushing yards per game but that was with Marcus Lattimore. Can they keep that pace up?

USC has the third best pass defense in the nation limiting teams to 135.88 passing yards per game. Is this statistic telling of their defense or a product of the offensive systems they have encountered?

Of the eight teams the Gamecocks have played only two of those teams featured throwing quarterbacks; East Carolina’s Dominique Davis and Georgia’s Aaron Murray. Davis threw for 260 yards and 248 for Murray. The telling statistic is both quarterbacks threw for four touchdowns against the Gamecocks.

South Carolina has not played a ranked team at the time of their game this season. Georgia and Auburn are both currently ranked. The Gamecocks strength of schedule is tied for 68th in the nation.

Connor Shaw threw for 87 yards against Tennessee and wide receiver Alshon Jeffery was held to three catches for 17 total yards.

Arkansas has made their last two opposing quarterbacks (Randall Mackey, Ole Miss, and Jordan Rodgers) look like world beaters. Shaw showed his ability to run against the Vols gaining 64 yards on 16 attempts, much like what the Razorbacks faced in Vanderbilt’s Jordan Rodgers last week.

Prediction

Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino has to be excited that he has made it through the most difficult part of his schedule to return home 7-1 for a three-game home stand.

Spurrier has to hate that his young team is Arkansas’ homecoming game.

The Razorbacks have been uninspired over their past two games but gain a spring in their step being home for a night game.

Final Score

Hogs 28, South Carolina 17

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2011 SEC College Football Preview - In-Conference Games

SEC In-Conference Race Changers

When the SEC reformed their conference in 1992 by adding Arkansas and South Carolina, the powerhouse teams were in the SEC East division for the first 11 years. The East won 8 of the first 11 SEC Title Games, five of those games won by Florida in seven appearances. Since 2003, the West has taken 5 out of 8 titles in the SEC. The importance of the SEC Title Game on a national level usually has National Championship implications. Since 1992 the SEC has won or split nine NCAA or BCS National Championships. The SEC has won five straight BCS Titles; Florida, LSU, Florida, Alabama, and Auburn.

This year appears to be another win for a SEC West team in the SEC Title Game but which team? Some of these games will give bragging rights and decide recruiting battles while others will map out a team of destiny or just another top tier bowl game. The rest will heat up a coach’s hot seat or cool it off.

Teams/Date/Site (off-campus location)

South Carolina at Georgia, September 10

LSU at Mississippi State, September 15

Ole Miss at Vanderbilt, September 17

Arkansas at Alabama, September 24

Florida at Kentucky, September 24

Mississippi State at Auburn, September 10

Alabama at Florida, October 1

Florida at LSU, October 8

Georgia vs. Florida, October 24, in Jacksonville, Florida

LSU at Alabama, November 5

South Carolina at Arkansas, November 5

Florida at South Carolina, November 12

Arkansas at LSU, November 25

Either South Carolina or Georgia will be playing following the leader in the SEC East after this week two showdown.

MSU is either lucky or unlucky that Northwestern State plays LSU in week two after LSU plays Oregon in week one; this depends if LSU wins or loses. If LSU can’t find their offense in week one, LSU could be in trouble by week three in Starkville. A MSU upset could shake up the SEC West race.

Puzzling to have Ole Miss and Vanderbilt amongst the most important games in the SEC this year but this game means a lot to both schools. If Vanderbilt wins, Franklin’s hire looks good for now. On the flip side, an Ole Miss loss could mean the end of the line for Houston Nutt in Oxford. If Nutt loses to Vanderbilt and then to MSU in the Egg Bowl (November 26), you can bet the rumblings for Nutt to get his walking papers will become chants before the Rebels, General Ackbars, or Rebel Black Bears are done showering.

Arkansas, Alabama, and LSU are the cream of the crop SEC teams this season. When any of those three teams play each other everything in the SEC West is on the line. South Carolina deserves to be mentioned but they are not scheduled to play LSU or Alabama during the regular season.

Mississippi State will get a chance in week two to show how far along they have come under Dan Mullen or to show how far Auburn has fallen with the loss of all their talent from last years BCS Championship team. Wherever your team loyalty lies will influence your take on the outcome of this one.

Florida gets back to back shots at Alabama and LSU to shake up the West. If Florida can split those games that could make for an interesting break for the winning SEC West team, Arkansas, and possibly MSU. Georgia and South Carolina will be watching the scoreboard to see who wins those games.

How many big games does Florida have this year… five; Bama, LSU, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida State. The outcome of those games will have an impact on who will play in the SEC Title Game, BCS Bowl berths, and who could play in the BCS Championship Game.

Arkansas vs. LSU has quietly become one of the best SEC rivalry games and one of the best throughout college football. Since 2005 Arkansas and LSU have split their series 3-3. 21 total points separates the winning team from the losing team with Arkansas having the largest winning margin, winning by 8 points in 2010 in Little Rock, Arkansas. That’s a 3.5 average margin of victory between the two schools. This year’s winner not only receives the Golden Boot Trophy but should end up in the SEC Title Game. Thankfully CBS put this game back on the schedule the Friday after Thanksgiving before a college football hungry crowd. 

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