Bentley is back 🐔

Your preview guide to Gamecock Football 🏈

Year after year, August in Columbia arrives with the anticipation of two major events: a lot more traffic (hey again, students 👋), and football season. I would argue that one of the greatest parts of living in Cola is having a shared passion with fellow Soda Citizens that brings everyone together (literally, in Williams-Brice) each fall – Gamecock Football. 🏈

Photo by @kruscher

Here’s a breakdown of what to expect from Coach Boom (a.k.a. mUSChamp) + the Gamecocks this season. (Don’t fret, Tiger fans – we’ll have a preview of Clemson Football’s 2017 season for you soon.)

🐔 Kickoff: South Carolina vs. NC State | Saturday, September 2 | 3 p.m. | Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. (considered a neutral site) | The season’s opening game won’t be a sleeper. NC State went 7-6 last season, and their defensive line will be one of the best that the Gamecocks will face all season. The Wolfpack is favored to win by *just* 5 points. Unknowns on the Gamecock defense will reveal themselves – setting the stage for the rest of the season.

🐔 5 players to watch:

4⃣ Jake Bentley | quarterback | #4 | sophomore | Unlike the past few seasons, there is no dispute who the #1 quarterback is this year. Bentley started at quarterback halfway through last season as a true freshman (he was 18, y’all) – and he already ranks #1 for pass completion percentage in school history at 65.8%.

1⃣0⃣ Skai Moore | linebacker | #10 | RS senior | After sitting out last season with a neck injury, Skai Moore is back – and coaches say he’s in his best physical condition of his career. He lead his team in tackles for his first 3 years + provided great pass coverage.

1⃣ Deebo Samuel | wide receiver | #1 | RS junior | Samuel closed out last season’s bowl game with 14 catches, which ties the school record for most catches in a single game. He was also used as a kickoff specialist, kickoff returner + ran for six touchdowns.

1⃣8⃣ OrTre Smith | wide receiver | #18 | freshman | Mt. Pleasant’s true freshman product + 4-star receiver was a finalist for Mr. Football in S.C. high school play last year – and Gamecock Nation believes he could have an immediate impact this year if he stays healthy.

8⃣1⃣ Hayden Hurst | tight end | #81 | junior | Hurst will be 24 years old when the season kicks off in Charlotte on Sept. 2. He joined the team last year as a walk-on (after trying his hand at pitching in MLB for a couple of years) and caught 48 passes.

🐔 #1 concern: Defensive line | After Muschamp’s press conferences at SEC Media Days + the beginning of summer camp, it’s no secret that he’s not too confident in the defensive line’s ability to stop the run – especially against all-team SEC running backs like Georgia’s Nick Chubb, who helped the Bulldogs score 50 points in last year’s match up. Last year’s defense had just 21 sacks (12th in the SEC). Practice is focusing on a more physical + faster defense, but the question on everyone’s mind remains: Who’s gonna bring the pass rush this year?

🐔 #2 concern: Offensive line | Last year’s OL gave up 41 sacks. The Gamecocks are currently using preseason camp to identify the 5 best players for this year’s offensive line.

🐔 Special teams switch up | The Gamecocks have to replace their place kicker, kickoff specialist, holder + punter this season. We miss you already, Elliot Fry.

🐔 3 must-do home games

🏈 South Carolina vs. Kentucky | Saturday, September 16 | 7:30 p.m. | The first home game of the season will be played under the lights (PTL for a night game – midday, mid-September is too dang hot). The Wildcats have beaten us 3 years in a row. We’ll be amped to win at home.

🏈 South Carolina vs. Florida | Saturday, November 11 | game time TBD | We’ll face the reigning champion of the SEC East to open a series of 3 home games to finish out the season in November (when Willy B. will be much, much cooler 🙌).

🏈 South Carolina vs. Clemson | Saturday, November 25 | game time TBD | Yeah, we’re probably gonna lose. Coming off a National Championship win last year, the Tigers (sans Deshaun) will still have one of the best defenses in the nation. But this in-state rivalry is one of the best in college football – and brings out the •superfan• in everyone.

South Carolina 2017 football schedule:

🏈 Sept. 2: NC State (in Charlotte)

🏈 Sept. 9: at Missouri*

🏈 Sept. 16: KENTUCKY*

🏈 Sept. 23: LOUISIANA TECH

🏈 Sept. 30: at Texas A&M*

🏈 Oct. 7: ARKANSAS*

🏈 Oct. 14: at Tennessee*

🏈 Oct. 28: VANDERBILT*

🏈 Nov. 4: at Georgia*

🏈 Nov. 11: FLORIDA*

🏈 Nov. 18: WOFFORD

🏈 Nov. 25: CLEMSON

Bold = HOME GAMES

*SEC game

Where do I get my bevy of Gamecock Football knowledge? The Gamecock Central Radio podcast. Shout out to hosts Emerson Phillips, Wes Mitchell + Chris Clark for keeping me in-the-know.

The bottom line – this year’s Gamecock offense has promise to be explosive. Cue the Bentley-to-Hurst highlight reel.

Go Cocks. 🐔

-Beth

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