First look: Top story lines, betting odds for South Carolina vs Florida football game
South Carolina football jumps back in after its open week, hosting fellow SEC East program Florida Gators for a night kickoff at Williams-Brice Stadium this Saturday.
Both at 4-4 overall with four conference losses, the Gamecocks and the Gators meet after suffering steep defeats to SEC foes. Two weeks ago, South Carolina was annihilated by Texas A&M 44-14 in College Station. Florida comes to Columbia after being routed by No. 1 Georgia 34-7 in last week’s annual matchup in Jacksonville.
Florida carries the all-time series 29-9-3 against South Carolina, with the Gators winning five of the last six matchups. The Gamecocks last beat an ailing Florida 28-20 in 2017, two weeks after the Gators fired head coach Jim McElwain.
How to watch South Carolina vs Florida football game
Who: South Carolina Gamecocks (4-4, 1-4 SEC) vs. Florida Gators (4-4, 2-4 SEC)
Where: Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, S.C.
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
TV: SEC Network
This week’s SEC betting odds, TV times
Florida as a 20-point road favorite over South Carolina, with the spread settling around 19 points Sunday evening. The line remained fairly consistent Sunday, according to VegasInsider, with some sportsbooks favoring the Gators by 19 and 18.5 points. The Gamecocks are the only home underdog in the SEC this week.
College football open point spreads, according to VegasInsider.com
- Noon: Missouri at Georgia (-39)
- Noon: Liberty at Ole Miss (-15.5)
- 3:30 p.m.: Auburn at Texas A&M (-6.5)
- 4 p.m.: Mississippi State at Arkansas (-5)
- 7 p.m.: LSU at Alabama (-25)
- 7 p.m.: Tennessee at Kentucky (-5)
- 7:30 p.m.: Florida (-19) at South Carolina
The state of the Gamecocks
South Carolina was breathless on offense through the first 45 minutes against Texas A&M, accumulating just 15 total yards through in the first three quarters. Quarterback Jason Brown came for starter Zeb Noland and saved the Gamecocks from finishing the game scoreless and with less than 100 yards.
Noland underwent a “minor surgical procedure” during the off week, but the school said the Gamecocks’ graduate assistant-turned-quarterback should be available for the Florida game. South Carolina has been spread thin at the quarterback position this year, with Luke Doty out for the season after the Vanderbilt game and little experience across the room.
The Gamecocks’ defense boasts Jaylan Foster, who leads the nation with five interceptions this season, but South Carolina hasn’t been able to keep its ailing offense competitive in SEC play. Against conference opponents, USC has given up an average of 33 points per game while scoring an average of 15.6 points.
The state of the Florida Gators
Florida head coach Dan Mullen is grappling with an opposite kind of quarterback controversy over in Gainesville, managing a tandem of Emory Jones and Anthony Richardson. Mullen started Richardson against Georgia, but the freshman threw two interceptions and fumbled once as the Bulldogs rolled over the Gators on Saturday.
Florida grabbed the conference’s attention in Week 3 when it stayed close with Alabama in an eventual 31-29 loss. After defeating Tennessee on Sept. 25, the Gators went on to lose three of their last four SEC games. That streak included two road losses to SEC East rival Kentucky and an underperforming LSU team.
The Gators boast the SEC’s third-best total offense but hasn’t turned that production into points, landing eighth in the conference with 31 points per game. Florida is also turnover-prone, giving up the ball 16 times through eight games. Jones has thrown nine interceptions, and Richardson has been responsible for five.
3 Florida players to watch
Emory Jones, QB: Jones had started in all of Florida’s contests before Georgia and leads the Gators in both passing yards (1,417) and rushing yards (517) by a long shot. Though he didn’t start, the junior saw action in the loss to Georgia, finishing with 112 yards on 10-of-14 passing and another 22 yards on five carries. Jones hauled in the Gators’ lone touchdown last week against the Bulldogs.
Justin Shorter, WR: A transfer out of Penn State, Shorter has watched his production rise throughout his second season at Florida. Shorter caught six receptions for 113 yards and two touchdowns in the Gators’ shootout loss to LSU and led the Gators in receiving yards against Georgia. He totaled 50 yards on four catches against the Bulldogs.
Zachary Carter, DL: Carter has been credited with 6.0 sacks for 35 lost yards and a forced fumble. The senior is one of the Gators’ more consistent defensive threats alongside linebacker Brenton Cox, who’s totaled 6.0 sacks of his own, including five in the Gators’ win over Tennessee.
