Outback Bowl gameday guide: USC vs. Michigan TV info, depth chart, more
South Carolina and Michigan face off in the Outback Bowl with each team gunning for win No. 9 going into the offseason.
Game info
Who: South Carolina (8-4) vs. Michigan (8-4)
When: Noon Monday
Where: Raymond James Stadium (65,890)
Series history: South Carolina leads 2-1 and won the last meeting 33-28 in the 2013 Outback Bowl. Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh quarterbacked the Wolverines to their lone win in Columbia in 1985.
TV: ESPN2 (Adam Amin, play-by-play; Dusty Dvoracek, analysis; Molly McGrath, sideline)
Online: WatchESPN
Radio: 107.5 FM in the Columbia area (Todd Ellis, play-by-play; Tommy Suggs, analysis; Langston Moore, sideline)
Odds: Michigan by 8.5
Weather: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy. Temperature of 58 degrees at kickoffs, low 60s by game’s end.
What’s at stake
South Carolina is aiming for win No. 9 for only the seventh time in program history. The Gamecocks are also looking to head into Will Muschamp’s second full offseason on a winning note after falling short in Birmingham last year.
Michigan is aiming to pick up a solid win to close out a somewhat disappointing season. The Wolverines didn’t beat a team with a winning record in the regular season.
The teams, by the numbers
USC | MICH | |
Points/Game | 24.1 | 25.8 |
Opp. Points/Game | 20.8 | 18.2 |
Yds. Rushing/Game | 128.2 | 186.3 |
Opp. Yds. Rush/Game | 146.7 | 125.9 |
Yds. Pass/Game | 212.9 | 168.6 |
Opp. Yds. Pass/Game | 227.9 | 142.7 |
Avg. Yds./Game | 341.1 | 354.9 |
Opp. Total Yds./Game | 374.6 | 268.6 |
South Carolina players to watch
1. Sophomore quarterback Jake Bentley is looking to cap his sophomore season with a strong bowl, as he did in his freshman campaign. He’s thrown for 2,555 yards, 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions and has run for 243 yards (discounting sacks) and six scores. Things could get more complicated, as offensive Zack Bailey and Donell Stanley both missed some practice this week.
2. Michigan’s defense is blitz-happy and loves to go with man coverage on the back end. That could mean seams for Gamecocks tight end Hayden Hurst. The junior is one of the most productive tight ends in the country with 518 yards on 41 catches with a pair of scores.
3. Linebacker Skai Moore will be asked to hold up against a Michigan offense that tries to pound the ball inside. He is also one interception from sole possession of the school career record and has 88 tackles with three interceptions and a four quarterback hurries.
Michigan players to watch
1. Running back Karan Higdon has been probably the most efficient player in an anemic Michigan attack. Despite a rotating cast of quarterbacks, he’s run for 929 yards and 11 touchdowns on 6.3 yards a carry.
2. Middle linebacker Devin Bush is a freakish athlete in the middle of the Wolverine defense. He has 94 tackles, 9 1/2 tackles for loss, five sacks and eight pass break-ups.
3. Michigan has a slew of top linemen, and Maurice Hurst is one that makes things go. The defensive tackle has 59 tackles, 13 1/2 for loss and five sacks, impressive for an interior lineman, and he draws consistent double teams to open things up for teammates.
South Carolina depth chart
OFFENSE
QB – Jake Bentley (Michael Scarnecchia)
RB – A.J. Turner (Mon Denson, Ty’Son Williams)
WR – OrTre Smith (Chad Terrell)
WR – Bryan Edwards (OrTre Smith)
WR – Shi Smith (Randrecous Davis)
TE – Hayden Hurst (Kiel Pollard)
TE – Jacob August (Evan Hinson)
LT – Dennis Daley (Malik Young)
LG – Donell Stanley (Sadarius Hutcherson)
C – Alan Knott (Chandler Farrell)
RG – Cory Helms (D.J. Park)
RT – Zack Bailey (Blake Camper)
DEFENSE
DE – Dante Sawyer OR Keir Thomas (Aaron Sterling)
DT – Taylor Stallworth (Kobe Smith)
DT – Ulric Jones (Javon Kinlaw)
DE – D.J. Wonnum (Daniel Fennell)
LB – Sherrod Greene (Daniel Fennell)
LB – T.J. Brunson (Sherrod Greene)
LB – Skai Moore (Eldridge Thompson)
CB – Jamarcus King (Chris Lammons)
S – D.J. Smith (Javon Charleston)
S – Chris Lammons (Steven Montac)
CB – Rashad Fenton (Jamyest Williams)
NICK – Steven Montac (Chris Lammons)
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK – Parker White
KO – Parker White
P – Joseph Charlton (Michael Almond)
LS – Ben Asbury (Matthew Smith)
KR – Rashad Fenton (A.J. Turner)
PR – Chris Lammons (Rashad Fenton)
H – Danny Gordon (Michael Almond)
This story was originally published December 30, 2017 at 12:21 PM with the headline "Outback Bowl gameday guide: USC vs. Michigan TV info, depth chart, more."