Gameday Guide: South Carolina vs. Akron game details, TV info, depth chart
South Carolina football is coming off a hard fought loss to Clemson and hosts Akron with a chance to close the regular season at seven wins. Here’s what you need to know about the game:
What time do the Gamecocks play?
Who: Akron (4-7) vs. South Carolina (6-5)
When: Noon Saturday
Where: Williams-Brice Stadium (80,250)
Series history: This is the first meeting between the teams.
TV: SEC Network Alternate (Taylor Zarzour, play-by-play; Cole Cubelic, analysis; Dawn Davenport, 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: XM 389
Line: Gamecocks by 29 1/2
Weather: Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after noon. High near 61. Calm wind becoming southeast 5 to 7 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
What’s at stake
The Gamecocks are looking to reach seven wins for the second consecutive season and guarantee a final record above .500.
This is also a chance to quarterback Jake Bentley to add to his statistical totals. He’s already in the program’s top 10 in passing yards for a season.
Akron has been disappointing this year, outside an upset of Northwestern. Another Power Five win would help on that front.
USC | AKRON | |
Points/Game | 33.0 | 20.4 |
Opp. Points/Game | 29.4 | 27.1 |
Yds. Rushing/Game | 160.7 | 96.5 |
Opp. Yds Rush/Game | 204.7 | 198.1 |
Yds. Pass/Game | 284.5 | 201.1 |
Opp. Yds. Pass/Game | 235.5 | 190.4 |
Avg. Yds./Game | 445.3 | 297.5 |
Opp. Total Yds/Game | 440.3 | 388.5 |
South Carolina players to watch
1. South Carolina quarterback Jake Bentley has been on quite a run, capped by a 510-yard, five-touchdown performance against Clemson. This could be another chance for some numbers, and maybe a chance to solidify a possible draft stock. For the season, he has 2,754 yards, 24 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a 155.1 rating.
2. Running back Mon Denson has managed to emerge as South Carolina’s top back down the stretch, as much for health reasons as anything else. He could get a lot of work against a Zips squad that is better against the pass than the run. He has 305 yards at 4.7 per carry this season.
3. Corner Rashad Fenton will have to help corral a passing game that hasn’t been good, but does have a few solid receivers. Andre Williams has 649 yards, and No. 2 Kwadarrius Smith averages 17.4 yards.
Akron players to watch
1. Akron quarterback Kato Nelson is fourth in the MAC, averaging 215 passing yards per game. The Florida native produced 314 yards of offense and two touchdowns in the win over Northwestern. The former three-star prospect had offers from Cincinnati and Illinois.
2. Junior linebacker John Lako is fourth in the MAC with 118 tackles. He leads the Zips in stops — by 39. The 6-foot-2, 230-pounder recorded 23 tackles in a win over Central Michigan on Oct. 27.
3. Akron entered last week fifth in the nation in defense touchdowns with four. Junior cornerback Alvin Davis had two pick-sixes in the win over Northwestern.
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 - Mon Denson OR A.J. Turner OR Rico Dowdle OR Ty’Son Williams
TE - Jacob August (Kyle Markway)
TE - K.C. Crosby (Kiel Pollard)
Defense
DE - Brad Johnson (J.J. Enagbare)
DT - Javon Kinlaw (Rick Sandidge)
DT - Kobe Smith (J.J. Enagbare)
DE - Keir Thomas (Shameik Blackshear)
WLB - Sherrod Greene (Ernest Jones)
MLB - T.J. Brunson (Rosendo Louis)
SLB - Rosendo Louis (Ernest Jones)
CB - Keisean Nixon (Jaycee Horn)
S - Steven Montac (Jaycee Horn)
S - R.J. Roderick (Jaycee Horn)
CB - Rashad Fenton (Israel Mukuamu)
Nickel - Jaycee Horn (Rashad Fenton)
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
H - Danny Gordon (Michael Almond)
Andrew Ramspacher contributed to this report
This story was originally published November 29, 2018 at 11:17 AM.
