South Carolina Football: Game-by-game predictions for 2017
By Shane Lunnen
For the second consecutive week, South Carolina will play an SEC contender. Fortunately for them this contest will be at home instead and starts a three game home stand to conclude the regular season.
For the Gators to be a contender, the offense must improve from their 116th in the country ranking for total offense from last year. It could be led this fall by Notre Dame transfer Malik Zaire. He’ll have competition from freshman Feleipe Franks in fall camp. By the time this game rolls around, whoever the quarterback is will be fully entrenched. There will be plenty of weapons for the quarterback, including star receiver Antonio Callaway.
The defense was the total opposite of the offense a year ago, a top 10 defense. However the Gators lose several key players, especially in the secondary, so it will be tough for them to be as good as they were a year ago.
This is the toughest game to call on the list. On one hand, Florida’s offense has not shown enough in the past two years to have much faith in it. On the other, will South Carolina be good enough to pull off a signature win in 2017? I will not be surprised with the victor in this one since it’s a complete toss-up.
In a low scoring defensive battle in Columbia, the Gamecocks pull off the upset on a late field goal, giving them their best win of the season and a winning conference record. Not bad for Muschamp’s second season.
Final: Florida 14, South Carolina 17 (7-3, 5-3 SEC)