Gamecocks will be back in a bowl game this season, early projection says
The South Carolina football team missed out on playing in a bowl last season, but that shouldn’t be the case this year, according to one publication.
College Football News published bowl projections for all the teams in the Southeastern Conference and has the Gamecocks headed to Charlotte for the Belk Bowl against ACC foe Virginia. The two teams played in the 2018 Belk Bowl with the Cavaliers beating the Gamecocks 28-0.
The name of the game likely will change with Belk’s sponsorship ending last season.
The publication has Georgia and Alabama making the College Football Playoff, with the Bulldogs playing Ohio State in the Rose Bowl and Crimson Tide meeting Clemson in the Sugar Bowl.
South Carolina is coming off a 4-8 season, the school’s worst record since 1999, and missed a bowl game for the first time in four seasons. The Gamecocks made several changes in the offseason including bringing in Mike Bobo as the team’s offensive coordinator. Bobo was head coach at Colorado State last season but has SEC experience as a player and assistant coach at Georgia.
The Gamecocks return seven starters on defense but face several questions on offense. Quarterback Ryan Hilinski returns and was team’s starter after Jake Bentley went down with a season-ending injury in the opener against North Carolina.
USC has experience returning on the offensive line but has question marks at receiver and running back. Talented freshman Marshawn Llloyd is expected to give a boost to the Gamecocks’ running game.
College Football News SEC bowl projections
Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl: TCU vs. Tennessee
AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Baylor vs. Mississippi State
Belk Bowl: Virginia vs. South Carolina
Outback Bowl: Michigan vs. Auburn
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl: North Carolina vs. Missouri
TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl: Memphis vs. Ole Miss
TransPerfect Music City Bowl: Minnesota vs. Kentucky
VRBO Citrus Bowl: Wisconsin vs. LSU
GoodYear Cotton Bowl Classic: Oklahoma vs. Texas A&M
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl: Florida vs. Notre Dame
Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs. Georgia
AllState Sugar Bowl: Clemson vs. Alabama
College Football Playoff National Championship: Ohio State vs. Alabama
