Wofford has played South Carolina twice in the last decade and both games have been highly contested. USC head coach Steve Spurrier doesn't expect anything different on Saturday.
Wofford has played South Carolina twice in the last decade and both games have been highly contested. USC head coach Steve Spurrier doesn't expect anything different on Saturday.
Facts
Saturday
Wofford (8-2) at No. 12 USC (8-2)
1 p.m., Pay-per-view, 97.1 FM, 104.3 FM, 1400 AM, 105.7 FM, 910 AM
In 2006, the Terriers rushed for 290 yards and nearly upset Carolina, falling 27-20 when it turned the ball over on downs deep in USC territory late in the fourth quarter.
In 2008, Wofford once again gave Carolina all it could handle. The Gamecocks led just 16-13 late in the fourth quarter when Chris Smelley found Dion Lecorn for a 17-yard touchdown with just less than two minutes remaining in the game to seal the 23-13 win.
Spurrier said during his teleconference Sunday he's expecting another close, hard-fought game this week.
“They're a very good team. We've got to play well to expect to have a chance to beat these guys,” Spurrier said. “They run the ball extremely well, play tough defense, and that's why they're the conference champs.”
Spurrier also said Sunday that starting quarterback Connor Shaw reinjured his foot against Arkansas. Shaw is expected to return to practice Tuesday or Wednesday.
Spurrier said if Shaw is feeling healthy enough to play he definitely will.
“Wofford's a formidable opponent. They really are. If he's ready we'll play him,” Spurrier said. “This is a huge game for us. We know it's not going to be easy. It never has been easy to beat Wofford. We're not holding anybody out.”
If USC can beat the Terriers it would finish off an undefeated home season. Spurrier said he expects his team to be ready to play and not looking ahead to the game with Clemson next week.
“I don't think so with everything that's on the line, winning seven home games,” he said. “We need to beat (Wofford) to try to get our ninth win and stay undefeated here at home.”
USC running back Kenny Miles, who's starting in place of injured running back Marcus Lattimore (Byrnes), said he doesn't expect Carolina to be looking ahead to Clemson.
“I don't think so. With the team we've got and the guys we've got everybody knows the importance of each game and really focusing on getting better as a team versus getting better against an opponent,” Miles said. “I feel like regardless of what game it is they'll be ready to come out and play.”
Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney said stopping Wofford's running game will be the key to a victory, admitting that the Terriers' option offense is not one of his favorite to face.
“I hate that because all they do is come off the ball and cut, but we're going to have to be ready to stop the run,” he said. “If we stop the run we're going to pretty much win the game.”
USC defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward said playing Wofford's option offense sandwiched in the middle of passing teams Arkansas and Clemson will be a challenge.
“It's totally different. We'll probably see three or four passes at the most, and we've gotta stop the run,” Ward said. “We've got to tackle on the perimeter well because Wofford is very, very capable of taking the ball and scoring on any team that they play.”
link: http://www.goupstate.com/article/20121111/ARTICLES/121119949/1091/sports03?p=2&tc=pg
Wofford has played South Carolina twice in the last decade and both games have been highly contested. USC head coach Steve Spurrier doesn't expect anything different on Saturday.
Facts
Saturday
Wofford (8-2) at No. 12 USC (8-2)
1 p.m., Pay-per-view, 97.1 FM, 104.3 FM, 1400 AM, 105.7 FM, 910 AM
In 2006, the Terriers rushed for 290 yards and nearly upset Carolina, falling 27-20 when it turned the ball over on downs deep in USC territory late in the fourth quarter.
In 2008, Wofford once again gave Carolina all it could handle. The Gamecocks led just 16-13 late in the fourth quarter when Chris Smelley found Dion Lecorn for a 17-yard touchdown with just less than two minutes remaining in the game to seal the 23-13 win.
Spurrier said during his teleconference Sunday he's expecting another close, hard-fought game this week.
“They're a very good team. We've got to play well to expect to have a chance to beat these guys,” Spurrier said. “They run the ball extremely well, play tough defense, and that's why they're the conference champs.”
Spurrier also said Sunday that starting quarterback Connor Shaw reinjured his foot against Arkansas. Shaw is expected to return to practice Tuesday or Wednesday.
Spurrier said if Shaw is feeling healthy enough to play he definitely will.
“Wofford's a formidable opponent. They really are. If he's ready we'll play him,” Spurrier said. “This is a huge game for us. We know it's not going to be easy. It never has been easy to beat Wofford. We're not holding anybody out.”
If USC can beat the Terriers it would finish off an undefeated home season. Spurrier said he expects his team to be ready to play and not looking ahead to the game with Clemson next week.
“I don't think so with everything that's on the line, winning seven home games,” he said. “We need to beat (Wofford) to try to get our ninth win and stay undefeated here at home.”
USC running back Kenny Miles, who's starting in place of injured running back Marcus Lattimore (Byrnes), said he doesn't expect Carolina to be looking ahead to Clemson.
“I don't think so. With the team we've got and the guys we've got everybody knows the importance of each game and really focusing on getting better as a team versus getting better against an opponent,” Miles said. “I feel like regardless of what game it is they'll be ready to come out and play.”
Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney said stopping Wofford's running game will be the key to a victory, admitting that the Terriers' option offense is not one of his favorite to face.
“I hate that because all they do is come off the ball and cut, but we're going to have to be ready to stop the run,” he said. “If we stop the run we're going to pretty much win the game.”
USC defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward said playing Wofford's option offense sandwiched in the middle of passing teams Arkansas and Clemson will be a challenge.
“It's totally different. We'll probably see three or four passes at the most, and we've gotta stop the run,” Ward said. “We've got to tackle on the perimeter well because Wofford is very, very capable of taking the ball and scoring on any team that they play.”
link: http://www.goupstate.com/article/20121111/ARTICLES/121119949/1091/sports03?p=2&tc=pg
