Two weeks ago this game was not a big game. Then, a funny thing happened on the way to a 4-3 record for South Carolina and a 7-0 record for LSU. South Carolina found a player in Jason Barnes, Kenny McKinley returned from injury and an expected split between Ole Miss and Kentucky turned into two victories and a 5-2 record. Carolina's offense started to move the ball. Carolina is now averaging one punt per game. 3rd down conversions are tops in the SEC. Had it not been for 4 costly turnovers against Kentucky, a team that only gave up 17 points against Alabama the previous week, Carolina could have beaten Kentucky by two or more touchdowns. Is the tide turning? Is our team starting to come together? Who knows.
Photo from The StateOne thing we've known all year is that our defense is as good as advertised. While they've slipped a little in the first halves against both Ole Miss and Kentucky, they've bucked down nicely, giving up a total of 3 points in the second halves of the past two games. Our defense is ranked 1st in the SEC. If our defense continues to play the way they've played through the first 7 games we will continue to be in every game with a shot to win. LSU on the otherhand....well, they are LSU. They are who we think they are. However, this year's LSU team is not as good as once thought. They have struggled on offense and their defense was rudely exposed by Florida in a 51-21 beat down last weekend. Their defense ranks 9th in the SEC and in general I think LSU lacks leadership on both sides of the ball. They have talent....actually, they have more talent than most every other team in the country. However, talented or not, without sound leadership you're going to have an uphill battle each and every week.
Photo from NOLAThe big question is "How will LSU respond after such a big loss to Florida?" Well, at this point, check in with me late Saturday night. (Actually, you could probably check in with me about 9pm EST and I should know something.)
How will this thing play out? Will the ghost of Joe Morrison show up, roam the sidelines closely watching over the psyche of the Gamecocks? What does the greatest offensive mind in College Football have up his sleeves? Does he finally have the players to let his offense go? Can our defense rise up to the challenge and disrupt LSU's fragile offense?
Somewhere in Lousiana tomorrow night, on a farm out in the middle of nowhere, Billy Cannon may or may not turn on the TV and watch the game. Maybe he'll go out to his shed, listen on the radio for a while before retiring back into his solitude. Somewhere, Paul Dietzl will be watching. A man who coached both LSU and South Carolina. Dietzl coached LSU to a National Championship and Billy Cannon to a Heisman Trophy. At Carolina he removed us from the ACC. An often argued and sore subject for the ACC Big 3, Clemson and South Carolina. Depending on who you ask, you'll get a completely different response. Nevertheless, in my eyes corruption in the ACC's Big 3 was all too similar to the people of South Carolina and just like they did in 1861 they Seceded.
Tomorrow night is the game I've been waiting for. The build up this week reminds me of 2001 when USC went up against a talented Florida team, coached by the great Steve Spurrier, only to have our boys fall back to mediocrity. Will history repeat itself or will a new chapter be written. 2001 was a long time ago, we have more talent and better coaches now. Our schemes are better and the playing field has been leveled. Time'll tell. Tomorrow we'll know just how good we are or aren't. Tomorrow hopefully victory awaits.
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