In My Opinion, will come in the first game of the season against Vanderbilt. James Franklin is busy installing a new attitude in the Commadores, and they have made it clear in the past, that South Carolina is a game they use to indicate the strength of their team. They had some recent success against the Gamecocks and Steve Sprurrier winning twice and taking games deep into the forth quarter before they were finally decided by South Carolina. They are playing competitive football with the other SEC teams now and that is something Vandy "just doesn't do" regularly. Franklin has improved the team through coaching and recruiting and they are a much more dangerous Commadore team that the majorty we have faced since we have been in the SEC.
As for USC, a simple check back for the last three decades shows that USC has not been a strong in opening games. The record for opening games wins is good (perfect under Coach Spurrier) yet we have won some dull and close games going back several years. Even in the game last year against ECU, were the Gamecocks put 56 points on the board, the game was still in doubt until late in the third quarter. Recent openers in the Spurrier Era that gave some cause for concern were So Miss, ULL, NC St, and UCF.
Starting the 2013 season against a reconstructed Vandy team set to prove themselves, and playing in a prime game on TV in the past would be a game that would see us as a target for an upset loss. It may still be yet, however if the Gamecocks are as strong as I think they are this year, If they come out of the gates HOT, and dominate Vanderbilt on both sides of the line of scrimmage, and win this game by 17 or more, I think you'll have the proof from game one that this Gamecock team is set up for a run at the SEC Title. Whether we get there or not, I thik a decisive win over Vandy in the opener this year would prove that we are not the Gamecock team of the past 3-4 decades and a team that will be competitive with any opponent on our schedule this season. Including LSU and Arkansas. Steve Spurrier gives me the feel of being "evil happy" again. You don't see interviews now where he seem upset over slow or sluggish practices or scrimmages, he hasn't been dropping doom and gloom statement about players (especially the QB position) or making sarcastic remarks aimmed at player's who haven't given their best in the off season or on the practice field. .... If this is the Old Spurrier (and I think he's back), he will use the Vandy game to send a message down the line that you'd better bring your best against USC when we play because you're going to be playing against the best Gamecock team he's had since he took over. All this rests On not IF we win against Vanderbilt, but HOW we win against them.
As for USC, a simple check back for the last three decades shows that USC has not been a strong in opening games. The record for opening games wins is good (perfect under Coach Spurrier) yet we have won some dull and close games going back several years. Even in the game last year against ECU, were the Gamecocks put 56 points on the board, the game was still in doubt until late in the third quarter. Recent openers in the Spurrier Era that gave some cause for concern were So Miss, ULL, NC St, and UCF.
Starting the 2013 season against a reconstructed Vandy team set to prove themselves, and playing in a prime game on TV in the past would be a game that would see us as a target for an upset loss. It may still be yet, however if the Gamecocks are as strong as I think they are this year, If they come out of the gates HOT, and dominate Vanderbilt on both sides of the line of scrimmage, and win this game by 17 or more, I think you'll have the proof from game one that this Gamecock team is set up for a run at the SEC Title. Whether we get there or not, I thik a decisive win over Vandy in the opener this year would prove that we are not the Gamecock team of the past 3-4 decades and a team that will be competitive with any opponent on our schedule this season. Including LSU and Arkansas. Steve Spurrier gives me the feel of being "evil happy" again. You don't see interviews now where he seem upset over slow or sluggish practices or scrimmages, he hasn't been dropping doom and gloom statement about players (especially the QB position) or making sarcastic remarks aimmed at player's who haven't given their best in the off season or on the practice field. .... If this is the Old Spurrier (and I think he's back), he will use the Vandy game to send a message down the line that you'd better bring your best against USC when we play because you're going to be playing against the best Gamecock team he's had since he took over. All this rests On not IF we win against Vanderbilt, but HOW we win against them.
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