Gameday Guide: South Carolina vs. Chattanooga game details, TV info, depth chart
South Carolina football is coming off a blown lead at Florida and hosts FCS Chattanooga with a chance to clinch bowl eligibility. Here’s what you need to know about the game:
What time do the Gamecocks play?
Who: Chattanooga (6-4) vs. South Carolina (5-4)
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Williams-Brice Stadium (80,250)
Series history: This is the first meeting between the teams. South Carolina has won its past two games against FCS opponents.
TV: SEC Network Alternate (Mike Morgan, play-by-play; Barrett Jones, analysis; Alyssa Lang, sideline)
SEC Network alternate channels:
Spectrum: 385
AT&T UVerse: 608/1608HD and 609/1609HD
DISH (National): 596-597
DISH (Hopper): 404.1, 404.2
DirecTV: 611-1
Radio: 107.5 FM (Todd Ellis, play-by-play; Tommy Suggs, analysis; Langston Moore, sideline) ... See all the radio affiliates around the state here.
Satellite radio: Sirius 135/XM 207
Line: Gamecocks by 30 1/2
Weather: Mostly clear, with a low around 41. No chance of rain. Around 51 degrees at kickoff, 44 at the end of the game.
What’s at stake
Coming off the disappointing loss to Florida, the Gamecocks have to turn their attention toward getting bowl eligible. A win Saturday guarantees that, which would make Will Muschamp 3 for 3 at reaching the postseason.
The game also could be a chance for South Carolina to play its younger players, assuming it pulls ahead by a good bit. With the new redshirt rule in place, USC can play freshmen in four games, and the team has only four more games on the schedule.
The Mocs are looking for what every non-powerhouse FCS team is in this spot: The chance to topple a team from the higher subdivision. At 5-4, Chattanooga has a long shot to do it, but that’s why they play the games.
South Carolina Gamecocks-Florida Gators predictions
Josh Kendall: South Carolina is going to beat Chattanooga on Saturday in Williams-Brice Stadium. There’s no sense burying the prediction. With one more win, South Carolina will earn a trip to a bowl game, and it will be just the second time in history the Gamecocks have finished three consecutive seasons in a postseason game. South Carolina 38, Chattanooga 17
Ben Breiner: In its past two FCS games, Will Muschamp’s squad has messed around a little, but South Carolina’s only game against a non-Power 5 team this season produced a large-scale blowout. South Carolina has a stout FCS defense ahead of it, but should roll regardless. South Carolina 41, Chattanooga 10
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The teams, by the numbers
USC | CHAT | |
Points/Game | 31.0 | 22.7 |
Opp. Points/Game | 28.7 | 18.2 |
Yds. Rushing/Game | 160.0 | 100.4 |
Opp. Yds Rush/Game | 202.6 | 154.3 |
Yds. Pass/Game | 250.7 | 245.6 |
Opp. Yds. Pass/Game | 215.8 | 185.3 |
Avg. Yds./Game | 410.7 | 346.0 |
Opp. Total Yds/Game | 418.3 | 339.6 |
South Carolina players to watch
1. South Carolina running back Rico Dowdle hardly played against Florida because of an ankle injury. The team might not need him or Ty’Son Williams against FCS Chattanooga, but getting both back would help going into Clemson. For the season, Dowdle has 100 carries for 504 yards and four touchdowns.
2. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel delivered his first 100-yard receiving game of the season against Florida. With 527 yards and five touchdowns, this week should provide the chance for adding to what has been a statistically underwhelming season.
3. Grad transfer safety J.T. Ibe is questionable to come back from a knee injury that sidelined him for most of the season. The Gamecocks need him purely for depth reasons, as the Gamecocks have two healthy safeties and then a corner at the position.
Chattanooga players to watch
1. Chattanooga receiver Bryce Nunnelly set a program record earlier this season when he recorded four 100-yard receiving games in a row The 6-foot-2, 190-pound sophomore has made 74 catches for 1,096 yards and seven touchdowns in 2018.
2. Quarterback Nick Tiano threw for 300-plus yards in consecutive games earlier this season. That was a first by a Moc since B.J. Coleman in 2010. Tiano, a 6-5, 240-pound junior, is a former three-star prospect who began his career at Mississippi State. He appeared in six games as a Bulldog freshman in 2016.
3. Chattanooga entered last weekend 12th in the FCS in scoring defense and 10th in turnover margin. Linebacker Marshall Cooper is at the heart of the Mocs’ defensive unit. He leads the team with 89 tackles. He’s also forced a couple fumbles and has an interception.
South Carolina depth chart
OFFENSE
WR
Deebo Samuel
Josh Vann
WR
Bryan Edwards
Chavis Dawkins
WR
Shi Smith
Randrecous Davis
OT
Dylan Wonnum
Blake Camper
OG
Zack Bailey
Eric Douglas
C
Donell Stanley
Chandler Farrell
OG
Sadarius Hutcherson
Jordan Rhodes
OT
Dennis Daley
Malik Young
QB
Jake Bentley
Michael Scarnecchia
Dakereon Joyner
RB
Rico Dowdle
OR Ty’Son Williams
OR A.J. Turner
OR Mon Denson
TE
Jacob August
Kyle Markway
TE
K.C. Crosby
Kiel Pollard
Defense
DE
D.J. Wonnum
Brad Johnson/Bryson Allen-Williams
DT
Javon Kinlaw
Kobe Smith
DT
Keir Thomas
J.J. Enagbare/Rick Sandidge
DE
Aaron Sterling
Shameik Blackshear
WLB
Sherrod Greene
Damani Staley
MLB
T.J. Brunson
Rosendo Louis
SLB
Bryson Allen-Williams
Daniel Fennell
CB
Keisean Nixon
Jaycee Horn
S
Steven Montac
S
R.J. Roderick
CB
Rashad Fenton
Israel Mukuamu
Nickel
Jaycee Horn
Jamyest Williams
PK
Parker White
Alexander Woznick
KO
Alexander Woznick
Parker White
P
Joseph Charlton
Michael Almond
LS
Ben Asbury
Matthew Smith
KOR
Deebo Samuel
A.J. Turner
PR
Bryan Edwards
Nick Harvey
H
Danny Gordon
Michael Almond
Greg Hadley contributed to this report
This story was originally published November 17, 2018 at 9:11 AM.
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