South Carolina Football: 3 reasons Gamecocks will beat Missouri in Week 4

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COLUMBIA, SC – OCTOBER 27: Parker White #43 of the South Carolina Gamecocks kicks a field goal to put the South Carolina Gamecocks ahead 27-24 against the Tennessee Volunteers during their game at Williams-Brice Stadium on October 27, 2018 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

1. The kicking game

In a series of close games, field goals have been a decisive factor on a number of occasions.

Their meeting in 2013 was a victory for South Carolina that came by way of a field goal at the end of regulation. Earlier in the fourth Missouri missed a 46-yard field goal that would have put the game out of reach. In 2016, Elliot Fry kicked a field goal with under five minutes to go that put the game out of reach for another Gamecock victory.

Early in his career, South Carolina Kicker Parker White struggled mightily. In his freshman season of 2017, White was only 14-for-25. Since then, he has gone 19-for-23. His lone miss of this season was from 50-plus yards.

Senior Tucker McCann has had a terrific year for Missouri as well. He also only has one miss on the season but it came from inside of 35 yards. He also has a missed extra point on the season as well.

In three of the four games that Missouri lost last season, Tucker had a missed field goal. None of those hurt more than the missed opening drive field goal that ended up being the difference of the game against a top-15 ranked Kentucky.

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I see this one coming down to the wire again this year and I believe that Parker White has the ice water in his veins to pull this one out.