A Preview: South Carolina Gamecocks at Florida Gators

60 minutes to Atlanta. That’s been the theme of the week. It seems like a

Florida

chant coming from a Florida fan, but

South Carolina

could be saying the same thing. In fact, they should be. You’re not supposed to look ahead, but adding another dimension to the importance of winning doesn’t hurt. For the Gators, Atlanta would be a shinning accomplishment at the end of a tough season. For the Gamecocks, it would be an arrival, it would be respect, it would be the knowledge that there really is a new challenger in the SEC East. For both teams, this is more than just another game.

I’ve said this before, but it must be discussed again. The number one goal is to get to the SEC Championship Game. That’s it. For fans, getting to Atlanta is merely a step to the top of the rankings. It’s easy to get caught up in the National Championship picture early. Easy to immediately become discouraged when you accumulate lose number two. But there’s still that achievable goal. The one SEC teams start with. Both of these programs have that dream alive. One has a head of steam while the other seems to have lost its way. This game brings back memories to the 2006 matchup, one of the greatest games in recent memory.

We’ve already gone over the history between Urban Meyer and Steve Spurrier and the similarities between the two legendary coaches. This is another chapter in the book about the former Florida head coach and the current one. With Spurrier adding years and Meyer’s long-term status always a question mark, there won’t be many more of these. And there may never be another one that acts as the SEC East title game. The rest of the world may not think much of this one, but it has plenty of meaning for both schools and all of those involved.

For the Gators, the game plan seems simple enough on paper, but not in practice. Contain Marcus Lattimore and Alshon Jeffery. Lattimore may contain himself after injuring his knee against Arkansas. He might not be 100%, but that doesn’t mean he still isn’t a threat. The true freshman looks like he’s been playing at this level for years. There’s nothing first-year about him. He has shown he can be a banger and get the ball as many times as the Gamecocks want to give it to him. If he can’t go consistently, South Carolina takes a big hit. Jeffery will go and could be a headache for Florida. The sophomore has already surpassed his numbers from his freshman season and has turned himself into one of the nation’s best wide receivers. It’ll be Jeffery versus Janoris Jenkins all night. Jenkins did an admirable job shutting down A.J. Green earlier this season, so there’s no reason to think he can’t do the same against Jeffery, but he’ll have his work cut out for him.

This game represents part two of the Florida three-headed quarterback monster. One thing is probably for certain, Trey Burton will have the least pass attempts among the three. Fortunately, for the Gators, letting Jordan Reed throw has given them an added dimension which will keep the South Carolina defense guessing. It’s hard to say who will get the call when and who will come away as the star. All three have the potential, but if one gets into a rhythm, will coaches keep him in? While the system worked against Vanderbilt, the Gamecocks are a much tougher opponent. It may be hard to pull a guy who gets himself going early and is moving the ball. Alternatively, it may be hard to leave in a guy who isn’t getting it done. We’ll see all three, but it’s anyone’s guess as to how much.

Quarterbacks aside, speed could win it for Florida. If Jeff Demps can go and Chris Rainey continues to play like he has since his return, speed could help pull the Gators away. It’s hard to match Florida’s speed when healthy. If Demps and Rainey are going strong, teams rarely have an answer. With a still shaky passing game, both – and Mike Gillislee – should see the ball plenty. The Gators have a variety of run plays designed to confuse defenses. The South Carolina defense has played well at times this season, but they don’t have an answer for the Florida speed.

Florida needs to play an intense game from start to finish. On offense, take shots down the field. The Gamecock secondary is suspect. The Gators should be able to have some success in the deep passing game, if they choose to use it. On defense, the linebackers need to show up and the secondary needs to shut down Jeffery. And on special teams, keep bringing the heat. The fire is back for the Florida special teams. Every unit. 60 minutes.