South Carolina Gamecocks Football: 2015 Season Preview and Prediction

Dec 27, 2014; Shreveport, LA, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Steve Spurrier and defensive player of the game linebacker Jonathan Walton (28) hold the Independence Bowl trophy after defeating the Miami Hurricanes in the 2014 Independence Bowl at Independence Stadium. South Carolina defeated Miami 24-21. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

South Carolina had their worst season in five years when the Gamecocks slipped from 11 wins to a 7-6 record so can Steve Spurrier’s team get back to double-digit wins in 2015?

South Carolina’s 2014 season was a huge dip in the success the Gamecocks have started to get used to under the coaching of Steve Spurrier. USC finished the season with a 7-6 record, 3-5 when it came to conference play, and ranked third from the bottom in the SEC East division just above Kentucky and Vanderbilt.

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The lowest point of their season came when they actually lost to Kentucky 38-45, earning the number one spot in USA Today’s “Misery Index” for that week. No question about it, South Carolina’s hype bubble had been burst and by nothing less than the sharp claws of a wildcat.

What in the world went wrong, ol’ ball coach? Some cited the difficulty in replacing explosive players like Jadeveon Clowney and Connor Shaw. Some pointed at special teams, which allowed Vanderbilt to get two kickoff return touchdowns. Some pointed at defense, which was ranked 13th (a.k.a. second to last) in the conference. Some pointed at Dylan Thompson’s mistakes, which certainly caused many turnovers throughout the season.

The best way to summarize what went wrong in 2014 is to say that there were inconsistencies and problems across the entire football team. But it’s now time to put all that behind us and look ahead. Can Spurrier fix everything that was broken so that the Gamecocks can rise back up to the top again?

Let’s see.

Next: Offensive Outlook