Florida Gators vs South Carolina Gamecocks: Muschamp Urges Gators to Take Back Swamp

After losing their last two games at Florida Field — including the 42-13 thrashing from Missouri —  coach Will Muschamp said it would be the Gators mission to “take back” the Swamp when they play South Carolina on Saturday.

Oct 4, 2014; Lexington, KY, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Steve Spurrier reacts during the game against the Kentucky Wildcats in the second half at Commonwealth Stadium. Kentucky defeated South Carolina 45-38. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

A win by the Florida Gators (5-3)  will make them bowl eligible. A loss could make Muschamp ineligible to hold on to his job.  Kicking off at high-noon, this showdown in the Swamp with former coach Steve Spurrier is crucial if the Gamecocks (4-5) want to salvage their so-far disappointing season. Here are four keys for the Gators in their matchup with the Gamecocks:

Win the Goal Line

The Gator offense struggled at the goal line against Vanderbilt, failing to score on one case and needing a fourth down dive from quarterback Jeff Driskel in another situation. Offensive coordinator Kurt Roper said it was an issue of running out of space. The Gators won’t be able to afford to fall behind South Carolina’s dynamic offense. If they get near the goal line, they will need to convert for touchdowns.  Roper said he will try to create numbers for quarterback Treon Harris, who was able to read the defense inside the 10 yard line and run for a score later in the Vanderbilt game.

Balanced Offense

Gators continue building the run-first mentality, Roper said, while also making sure the Gators stayed in in third and short opportunities, which will help keep the offense balanced. With manageable third downs, the Gators are able to cut down on mistakes, like they did against Vanderbilt when they didn’t commit a turnover. But Roper also said he liked how Treon Harris was viewing the game. “We’re still in the early stages of understanding defense, but what he does is sees, and he responds quickly to what he sees on the field,” Roper said this week on SEC Network’s Film Room.

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Run Treon Run

Harris ran for two touchdowns against Vanderbilt, including a 33 yard scramble to cap an 84-yard drive. Good timing for Harris, as Carolina has had problem with rushing quarterbacks all season. Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall rushed for 89 yards while Kentucky wildcat quarterback Jojo Kemp ran for 131 yards,with both games resulting in losses for the Gamecocks. And South Carolina is coming off its worst performance when Tennessee quarterback Josh Dobbs rushed for 166 yards, leading the Volunteers back from a two touchdown deficit. Harris should try to continue to develop his passing game, but run any opportunity he can against the Gamecocks.

Stop the Gamecocks Passing Game

The Gamecocks have a precision passing and has had no problem scoring, averaging 479.6 yards and 35.9 points a game. They’re facing a Gators secondary coming off one of its better games of the year. Vernon Hargreaves got an interception and Jalen Tabor may have made the Gators catch of the year with his one-handed grab to kill a Vandy drive. The Gators will have to deal with sophomore wide receiver Pharoh Cooper, who has 360 yards receiving in his last two games.