Predicting the 2014 SEC Football Season: South Carolina Gamecocks

The fifth in a series leading up to fall camps takes us to Steve Spurrier's retirement plan.

South Carolina Gamecocks 11-2 (6-2) in 2013

Synopsis:
After seeing another typical Steve Spurrier SEC Media Days with his man crush on Nick Saban, I came away a little less confident in SC's chances to win the East this year. You would think that before the "Evil Genius" heads off to the golf courses full time that he might try to make one more run at a trophy even if it is an SEC championship. Last year was a perfect opportunity and he blew it losing to (!!!) Tennessee of all teams. He has another chance this season with the East still being down but he just doesn't seemed focused or serious about anything other than complacency and cracking jokes. Entering his tenth year in Columbia, he has won the East once, 0 SEC crowns, and played in 0 BCS bowls. Congratulations on all your 11-win seasons and beating up on Clemson but where are the trophies?

Key returnees:
RB Mike Davis, WR Shaq Roland, QB Dylan Thompson, OL AJ Cann, OL Brandon Shell, OL Corey Robinson, LB Skai Moore, LB/Spur Sharrod Golightly, DB Brison Williams, DB Kadetrix Marcus

Key losses:
Some guy named Jadeveon Clowney (Round 1, Texans), WR Bruce Ellington (Round 4, 49ers), DT Kelcy Quarles (UFA, Giants), QB Connor Shaw (UFA, Browns), CB Vic Hampton (UFA, Bengals), CB Jimmy Legree (UFA, Cardinals).

Newcomers:
A grand total of 13 Gamecocks from the 2014 recruiting class have qualified so far and enrolled at South Carolina. OLB Bryson Allen-Williams, OG Donell Stanley, and WR Shaq Davidson are the best of that lot. Eight young men are still trying to gain entrance. Among them are 4-stars DE Dante Sawyer, CB Wesley Green, DT Dexter Wideman, CB Chris Lammons. It would be pretty devastating for SCar depth if these guys do not qualify.

The Schedule
Thu, Aug 28 vs Texas A&M - W - This is a hard one to call but go with the home team.
Sept 6 vs East Carolina - W
Sept 13 vs Georgia - W - Unless Florida bounces back, this game could decide the SEC East.
Sept 20 at Vanderbilt - W - upset alert.
Sept 27 vs Missouri - W - see above.
Oct 4 at Kentucky - W
Oct 18 vs Furman - W
Oct 25 at Auburn - L
Nov 1 vs Tennessee - W
Nov 15 at Florida - L - call it a hunch.
Nov 22 vs South Alabama - W
Nov 29 at Clemson - W - The Tigers lost a lot of firepower to the NFL.

Let's Go Bowling? Yeppers. They have a chance to win the SEC East but they almost always seem to lose a game they shouldn't. In 22 SEC Championship games, they have only participated once losing 56-17 to Auburn in 2010.

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Other previews:

• MSU Clanga-Clangs
• Arkansas Razorbacks
• Tennessee Volunteers
• Ole Miss Rebel Ackbar Black Bears