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2012 South Carolina Gamecocks College Gambling Odds | Predictions

2012-13 Football Previews – (SEC) – South Carolina Gamecocks

South Carolina was knocking on the door for a long time, with a good-but-unspectacular SEC East team under “the Ole Ball Coach” Steve Spurrier.

Last season saw the Gamecocks kick the door in, with an 11-win season that included victories over Florida, Georgia and Tennessee (for the second straight year, actually) and a drubbing of #21 Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl.

SEC 2012-13 Football Previews: South Carolina Gamecocks
Coach: Steve Spurrier
2011 Record: 11-2
South Carolina Gambling Odds from Bovada.lv to win BCS: 35-1
South Carolina Team Page – Players Stats – Roster – 2012 Schedule –>

It likely felt like vindication for Spurrier, who’s had a solid tenure in Columbia, but perhaps has the image that he hasn’t brought the pizzazz to the program he was supposed to when he arrived eight seasons ago. This season, Carolina has some pieces to keep the momentum going; we will see if the rest of the East division is more prepared for SC in 2012.

There are some clear-cut assets on this Gamecocks team, but perhaps the brightest strength is the defensive front seven. With names like senior DE Devin Taylor (six sacks 2011), ultra-hype sophomore DE Jadeveon Clowney (eight sacks in ’11), and senior LBs Shaq Wilson and De’Vonte Holloman, the Gamecocks are not going to be fun to run the ball on, and will also provide ample pressure on opposing QBs.

This talent will be buttressed with returning safety D.J. Swearinger, last year’s second-leading tackler.

On offense, the production is going to begin and end with QB Connor Shaw and RB Marcus Lattimore. Shaw had a strong season after replacing troubled veteran Stephen Garcia. He threw for a good percentage and a 14-6 TD/INT ratio was respectable for a new starter. [soliloquy id=”82219″]

Guess what? – Shaw also ran for over 500 yards.

The bulk of the offense, however, will be run through Carolina’s stud RB. The junior was the National Freshman Player of the Year as a true frosh and amassed 818 rushing yards and 10 TDs despite battling a barrage of ailments. The blessing in disguise with Lattimore’s injuries was that we saw that SC has depth, with sophomore Brandon Wilds ripping off four 100-yard games himself.

The Gamecocks will really miss last year’s leading receiver Alshon Jeffery, but there is obviously talent in the offensive backfield.

South Carolina breaks in a couple new starters at K and P, in freshman Nick St. German and Patrick Fish, respectively.

2012-13 South Carolina Football Prediction: 9-4

The Gamecocks have a rather unlucky draw with their opponents out of the West division this season. Carolina faces LSU (travelling to Death Valley on Oct. 13) and gets Arkansas at home.

SC also travels to Gainesville to play Florida, and to “the other Death Valley” to play nemesis Clemson in the Battle of the Palmetto State.

Georgia, Florida and Tennessee must be hungry after losing consecutive games to their divisional rival, and all three programs have improved this off-season. You have to like Carolina’s backfield and that dominant defensive front seven, but SC also must replace the majority of its secondary and offensive line. Losing a top weapon like Jeffery is also cause for concern.

Adding the Missouri Tigers on the schedule – in what would have been a tricky non-con game a year ago – won’t help either.

There is no doubt that South Carolina is still a good football team. There is a lot to like in Columbia.

However, the stars seemed to align last year and I don’t see the Gamecocks winning 11 games again or taking the East division.

2012 Schedule

8/30/12 7:00 PM ET @VAN
9/8/12 TBD ECAR
9/15/12 TBD UAB
9/22/12 TBD MISOU
9/29/12 TBD @KENTY
10/6/12 TBD GEO
10/13/12 TBD @LSU
10/20/12 TBD @FLA
10/27/12 TBD TENN
11/10/12 TBD ARK
11/17/12 TBD WOFF
11/24/12 TBD @CLEM

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By James Hayes

James has been naming every player on the EA Sports video game rosters for half a decade now, he’s finally putting his knowledge to better use writing for us here at CappersPicks.com. Your comments are welcome below…Give Us Your Take!