Coastal Carolina coach on USC: ‘I wouldn’t be surprised if they end up in the top 10’
South Carolina and Coastal Carolina are meeting this weekend for the first time since 2013. At the end of that season, the Gamecocks had 11 wins and a No. 4 ranking in both major polls.
USC enters this year just outside the Top 25. Where it finishes hinges on a five-month journey that begins at noon, Saturday, at Williams-Brice Stadium. Coastal coach Joe Moglia, speaking Monday during the Sun Belt teleconference, believes his Chanticleers could be playing an eventual top 10 team when they kick off at Noon at Williams-Brice Stadium.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if they wind up top 10 in the nation by the end of the season,” Moglia said.
The ‘13 Gamecocks, powered by Jadeveon Clowney, Connor Shaw and Mike Davis and coached by Steve Spurrier, rolled the Chants, 70-10. Five years later, the Will Muschamp-led Gamecocks have high expectations thanks to noted returnees Jake Bentley and Deebo Samuel, among others.
“Their offense, they execute well,” Moglia said, “they have really good running backs, they have really good receivers, their quarterback’s solid, they have a strong offensive line.
“They have the same thing on defense ... Across the board, they’re big, they’re fast, they’re strong, they’re athletic. They seem to have a lot of depth. They finished the season really strong last year by upsetting Michigan in the bowl game.”
CCU went 3-9 last season, its first as an FBS member, as Moglia was sidelined for health reasons. His return is to a Chanticleer team picked last in the Sun Belt’s East Division. Coastal is 0-3 all-time against the SEC, but nearly won at Arkansas last November.
South Carolina opened as 29.5-point favorites for Saturday.
“I was told by one of you (media members) that Will said that he thinks this is going to be the best team he’s even been a part of,” Moglia said. “And I can appreciate that.
“So there are all the reasons I said that I wouldn’t be surprised that they’re a top 10 team by the end of the year.”