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Game-by-game: Forecasting USC's schedule
South Carolina opens the season this Thursday at North Carolina State.
File photo/The State
Posted on 08.30.09
Comments7 p.m. Sept. 3, at N.C. State
The Wolfpack are entering their third season under Tom O'Brien and have one of the best quarterbacks in the ACC in Russell Wilson. No surprise the Pack opened as favorites by a field goal.
Pick: USC 24, N.C. State 20
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7 p.m. Sept. 12, at Georgia
Both teams will be coming off difficult road games; Georgia opens at Oklahoma State, a popular preseason top-10 pick. How each fares in its opener will have a big impact on its mentality entering the SEC opener.
Pick: Georgia 28, USC 17
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7 p.m. Sept. 19, vs. Florida Atlantic
This should proved USC a break during an otherwise brutal opening four-game stretch. That might sound disrespectful to a Florida Atlantic program that defeated Central Michigan in the Motor City Bowl last season. But coach Howard Schnellenberger's squad returns less than half its starters.
Pick: USC 31, Florida Atlantic 10
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7:30 p.m. Sept. 24, vs. Mississippi
The Rebels, a top-10 team in some preseason polls, could end up falling flat on their face — or making a BCS bowl. Their first trap game arrives when they visit Columbia. Both teams will be playing on four days’ rest.
Pick: Mississippi 30, USC 24
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Oct. 3, vs. S.C. State
The lone non-FBS team on USC's schedule. Two years ago, the Gamecocks won 38-3. The Bulldogs are coming off a 10-3 season and are the preseason pick to win the MEAC. Still, this should be a game the Gamecocks win comfortably.
Pick: USC 44, S.C. State 6
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Oct. 10, vs. Kentucky
If the season started today, this would be one of two SEC games the Gamecocks likely would be favored to win (Vanderbilt being the other). Kentucky might be due, considering USC has won the past nine meetings. Or maybe not.
Pick: USC 23, Kentucky 13
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Oct. 17, at Alabama
Nick Saban has the Tide rolling again, and Alabama should be strong again this season. New quarterback Greg McElroy should be settled in by this point, and this will be a tough one for the Gamecocks.
Pick: Alabama 30, USC 13
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Oct. 24, vs. Vanderbilt
After consecutive losses to the Commodores, this could be the game a lot of veteran Gamecocks circle on their calendars. The Commodores return 19 starters from a team that won the Music City Bowl, but USC will get back on the winning side of this series.
Pick: USC 35, Vanderbilt 17
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Oct. 31, at Tennessee
There are many questions surrounding the Volunteers: How will Lane Kiffin handle potential adversity early in the season? Will Jonathan Crompton still be the quarterback at this point? The Vols will have enough answers to squeak past the Gamecocks.
Pick: Tennessee 20, USC 17
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Nov. 7, at Arkansas
There is every reason to believe this will be a more difficult road game than the trip to Tennessee. The Razorbacks return almost everybody from last season and add quarterback Ryan Mallett, a transfer from Michigan. Coach Bobby Petrino has his team on the upswing.
Pick: Arkansas 31, USC 17
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Nov. 14, vs. Florida
There could be an electric atmosphere for this game if the Gators come to town with a perfect record and Tebow chasing another Heisman. Even if that isn’t the case, the Gators have too much talent for USC to handle.
Pick: Florida 44, USC 20
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Nov. 28, vs. Clemson
With the Gamecocks in danger of finishing with a four-game losing streak, they end on a positive note by gaining bowl eligibility and giving Steve Spurrier his second win against the Tigers.
Pick: USC 31, Clemson 23
— Seth Emerson
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