South Carolina-Vanderbilt prediction: USC meets an opponent in even worse shape
If South Carolina can’t take this one, something is really, truly wrong.
The Gamecocks are coming off a disheartening 20-point loss to Tennessee, probably the most disheartening in a season that has had several.
And yet the Vanderbilt team they’re facing has had a year so much worse that the Commodores are more than a two-touchdown underdog coming into this one.
Vandy has a good tailback in Ke’Shawn Vaughn (703 yards, six touchdowns), and Kalija Lipscomb has been a solid receiver, but an offense that was strong by the end of last season has fallen off.
The average play an opponent runs against them gains 6.8 yards, the fourth-worst mark in the entire country.
But somehow a team that lost to 2-6 UNLV also beat Missouri, which is suddenly stumbling after a strong start.
It’s hard to get a read on this one. Vandy isn’t good, and the mood is quite sour in Columbia. The Gamecocks looked bad on most fronts for the final 30 minutes against Tennessee, and if that team shows up in Williams-Brice (or the Vandy team that got Mizzou), it could be another sour afternoon.
But it probably won’t be.
The Gamecocks still have better pieces, better players and are at home. If things get grimy, covering might be a stretch, but a win shouldn’t be.
The pick: South Carolina 34, Vanderbilt 21
