Projecting point spreads for every South Carolina football game in 2020
The South Carolina football team faces an uphill climb with its 2020 schedule, but hey, what else is new?
The Gamecocks’ slate is again difficult and the SP+ rankings, created by ESPN’s Bill Connelly, can give us a sense of how tough. His early rankings can be used to projected lines for FBS games, and they show just how much of a tangle it’s going to be — assuming the coronavirus pandemic doesn’t impact the structure of the season.
SP+ has the Gamecocks as the No. 35 team in the country, with an offense ranked 79th in the country and No. 19 on defense.
Projected lines for USC’s 2020 football schedule (FBS only):
Sept. 5 vs. Coastal Carolina: Gamecocks by 22
Sept. 12 vs. East Carolina: Gamecocks by 19
Sept. 19 vs. Missouri: Gamecocks by 8
Sept. 26 at Kentucky: Wildcats by 4 1/2
Oct. 3 at Florida: Gators by 14
Oct. 10 vs. Tennessee: Volunteers by 2 1/2
Oct. 24 vs. Texas A&M: Aggies by 8 1/2
Oct. 31 at Vanderbilt: Gamecocks by 20
Nov. 7 Georgia: Bulldogs by 14
Nov. 14 at LSU: Tigers by 16 1/2
Nov. 28 at Clemson: Tigers by 20
That means USC will be favored in four FBS games, three by 19 or more. In the underdog situations, the Gamecocks have two games that are closer than a touchdown, one at 8 1/2 and four where USC projects to be a two-touchdown underdog.
Last year’s schedule was the sixth hardest in program history in terms of the College Football Reference strength of schedule rating.
The Gamecocks are coming off a 4-8 season in which they faced three top-5 SP+ teams, plus Nos. 7, 21, 27, 29 and 30. Ten of their opponents were top-40 teams.
In four seasons under Will Muschamp, the Gamecocks are 26-25.
