Power ranking the SEC after week 5: #7 - South Carolina
The off week could not have come at a better time for the Gamecocks. With a hampered LaNorris Sellers and Rocket Sanders, USC needed some time to recover. Heading into the rest week, they got some nice exercise and fresh air against Akron, getting some experience for their young guys as well.
While they prepared for Ole Miss, too—one of the biggest games of the young season in Columbia—they saw Kentucky, who the Gamecocks decisively defeated, lay out a solid blueprint to take down the Rebels. Can USC do the same against Mississippi?
They’re not really built the same ways as the Wildcats, so the matchup will be pretty different. While the Gamecocks have a solid DL, their strength is at edge rather than tackle, so it could be an easier time for the Rebels running up the middle.
That edge pressure that the Gamecocks bring, though, could be some of the best in the nation, so it’ll be interesting to see how Jaxson Dart plays against it—as well as how the entire team deals with an underrated environment in Columbia. This could be a huge springboard moment for the Gamecocks if they emerge with a win.