South Carolina is not a very good football team.
Expected to be one of the top teams in not only the SEC, but the country, the Gamecocks were upset by Texas A&M in their opener in Columbia, and it's been downhill from there since then.
They did pick up an impressive win against Georgia between the hedges, but also struggled early against an abysmal Vanderbilt team and lost to Kentucky.
Saturday, Oct. 25, Steve Spurrier's team will roll into Jordan-Hare Stadium boasting a 4-3 record to take on the fifth ranked, 5-1 Tigers.
On the Auburn side, the Tigers are coming off a much-needed bye week that gave them a chance to rest up following a tough 38-23 loss to Mississippi State in Starkville.
Here are my keys to the game for the Tigers, which they'll need to execute if they hope to beat the Gamecocks and remain in the top five in the polls heading into a pivotal matchup with Ole Miss in Oxford next week.
1. Don't beat yourself.
Mississippi State put a pretty good beating on Auburn. For the most part, the Bulldogs controlled the game the whole way, but people forget Auburn basically spotted the Bulldogs 21 points. The first two Auburn offensive plays resulted in turnovers and gave Heisman front runner Dak Prescott and the MSU defense a short path to the end zone. You can't do that and expect to beat any football team worth its salt.
2. Play to your defensive potential.
As of Oct. 19, Auburn is home to the 26th- best rush defense in the NCAA, allowing only 120 yards per game and an average of just 3.34 yards per rush. South Carolina is the 40th- ranked passing offense and 49th-ranked rushing, so if the Auburn defense can play up to their potential, they shouldn't see much trouble against the Gamecocks.
3. Exploit Gamecock weaknesses.
South Carolina has the nation's 90th-ranked rushing defense, paired with a passing defense that is allowing 239 yards per game. A healthy mix of runs and passes from Nick Marshall should translate to a win for the Tigers.
4. Red zone efficiency.
Auburn struggled mightily in the red zone against MSU. For most of the game, the Tigers just couldn't seem to find the end zone. Whether it was careless penalties or questionable play calling, Auburn couldn't punch it in when they needed to, and you can't win if you can't score touchdowns. Especially in the SEC. The Tigers should be able to see some success inside the 20-yard line against South Carolina though. The Gamecocks are tied for 91st in the country in red zone defense.
5. Try giving Roc the rock.
Roc Thomas brought a quick spark in the Auburn offense in the first half against Mississippi State. On three consecutive carries, he put video-game type moves on the Bulldogs and racked up 36 yards. He didn't see much other action. I'm not calling for the benching of Cameron Artis-Payne or Corey Grant, but neither of them were able to get much going against MSU. If the seniors struggle early against the Gamecocks, what's to keep the coaches from handing the ball to the talented freshman?
David McKinney is a sports reporter for The Plainsman. He can be reached at sports@theplainsman.com.
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