COLUMBIA — South Carolina football is one win away from bowl eligibility, however their potential touchdown spots have shifted after shedding to Missouri final week.
The Gamecocks (5-3, 2-3 SEC) failed to achieve the six-win threshold with a 23-10 loss in opposition to the Tigers (4-4, 2-3), snapping a four-game win streak. They’ll have their greatest remaining shot at it in opposition to Vanderbilt (3-5, 0-4) in Nashville on Saturday (7:30 p.m., SEC Network).
If South Carolina beats Vanderbilt, it should have an opportunity to achieve seven wins — and a greater bowl task — the next week at Florida earlier than ending the season in opposition to No. 3 Tennessee and No. 5 Clemson. A loss to Vanderbilt can be the Gamecocks’ first since 2008 and would place all bowl sport hopes on beating the Gators.
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Last season South Carolina beat North Carolina 38-21 within the Duke’s Mayo Bowl after going 6-6 within the common season. The Mayo Bowl alternates as an SEC tie-tin yearly with the Las Vegas Bowl, so it won’t be accomplished by a crew within the convention in 2022. Pro Football Network initiatives the Gamecocks in opposition to Notre Dame the Vegas Bowl on Dec. 30 this 12 months.
Prior to the 2021 season, South Carolina had not performed in a bowl sport since 2018 and had not received one since beating Michigan within the 2017 Outback Bowl, now often called the ReliaQuest Bowl. No Gamecocks coach has ever received a bowl sport in every of their first two seasons, and solely Steve Spurrier and Lou Holtz have received two consecutively.
The prevailing projection for South Carolina after shedding to Missouri is the Liberty Bowl, performed in Memphis on Dec. 28. The opponent would come from the Big 12, which might be notably fascinating due to quarterback Spencer Rattler’s historical past within the convention.
USA TODAY and Sporting News each venture Oklahoma because the Gamecocks’ opponent within the Liberty Bowl, which might give Rattler and tight finish Austin Stogner the prospect to go face to face with this system they transferred out of. It would even be a revenge sport for Rattler, who left the Sooners after being benched midseason for freshman QB Caleb Williams in 2021.
ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura additionally initiatives a South Carolina-Oklahoma showdown within the Texas Bowl, performed Dec. 28 in Houston. The Sooners (5-3) are unranked however have taken two of their three losses in opposition to ranked opponents. Their solely unranked defeat was a 49-0 blowout by Texas.
However, the most certainly opponent for the Liberty Bowl is Baylor (5-3). The Bears will not be ranked however obtained votes on this week’s ballot after beating Texas Tech 45-17 final week. Two of their three losses are to unranked opponents, BYU and West Virginia, so their matchup with Oklahoma this week might alter the calculus on who leads to Memphis.
Multiple shops are additionally projecting South Carolina to the Music City Bowl on Dec. 31 in Nashville. College Football News lists Minnesota (5-3) because the Big Ten opponent, whereas The Athletic initiatives Wisconsin (4-4). Both Minnesota and Wisconsin are 2-3 within the convention, and neither has a ranked win this season.
Bowl projections
247Sports: Liberty Bowl vs. Baylor
Action Network: Gator Bowl vs. Notre Dame, Dec. 30
Athlon Sports: Liberty Bowl vs. Baylor
CBS Sports: Liberty Bowl vs. Baylor
College Football News: Music City Bowl vs. Minnesota
ESPN (Kyle Bonagura): Texas Bowl vs. Oklahoma
ESPN (Mark Schlabach): Liberty Bowl vs. Baylor
Pro Football Network: Las Vegas Bowl vs. Washington, Dec. 17
Saturday Down South: Birmingham Bowl vs. Coastal Carolina, Dec. 27
Sporting News: Liberty Bowl vs. Oklahoma
The Athletic: Music City Bowl vs. Wisconsin
USA TODAY: Liberty Bowl vs. Oklahoma
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