South Carolina finally has something to holler about
- Gamecocks are No. 3, highest they've ever been ranking in USA TODAY Coaches Poll
- Saturday's rout of Georgia vaulted South Carolina into conversation as legitimate title contender
- South Carolina still has tough schedule ahead, including trips to LSU, Florida and Clemson
The tortured history of South Carolina football is written in the south end zone of Williams-Brice Stadium, where there are just two achievements worth committing to posterity: an Atlantic Coast Conference championship in 1969 and an appearance in the Southeastern Conference championship game in 2010.
In between there has been considerable mediocrity, punctuated by a stretch of 24 games in the late 1990s in which South Carolina won just once. But regardless of the glass ceiling that always seemed to exist for the Gamecocks, they boasted one of the most energetic fan bases in all of college football, showing up 80,000 strong week after week no matter the condition of the program.
When Steve Spurrier came back to the SEC in 2005, he vowed to give South Carolina a program worthy of all that support. And now it has become a vision paid back in full, with the Gamecocks 6-0 and ranked No. 3, the highest they've ever been in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll
"We're just halfway through, but we do have a chance for a big year if we can continue on," Spurrier said Sunday. "Some teams get better as the season goes, some get worse. You generally don't stay the same. We'll see if we can improve as we go."
South Carolina has won plenty of big games since Spurrier arrived, but none meant more than Saturday's 35-7 victory against Georgia. Not only did the Gamecocks display unexpected superiority over a top-10 opponent, it vaulted them legitimately into the national title conversation. Only once before -- in 1984, when they started 9-0 before losing to Navy -- has that been the case for South Carolina so deep into a season.
But for South Carolina to add a banner to its modest collection, it will have to string together more performances like Saturday night. The Gamecocks head right back into the crucible this weekend at No. 8 LSU, then travel to No. 6 Florida on Oct. 20. Then, if they can somehow run the table in the conference, South Carolina would have to win at No. 13 Clemson to close the regular season before likely playing No. 1 Alabama in the SEC title game.
"I'd say we have the toughest schedule of all (the championship contenders), but time will tell," Spurrier said. "We certainly like where we are right now, but hopefully we're smart enough to know it's still a difficult, difficult road for us."
Spurrier has been vocal in the past about the inequality of SEC schedules, proposing that only division games should count toward the division title. South Carolina has a more difficult road to Atlanta than Florida or Georgia, but a new goal -- the BCS title game -- has suddenly come into focus after one of the most impressive performances by any team this season. With their upcoming schedule, however, everything South Carolina is now playing for can be taken off the table pretty quickly.
"You don't know anything until you go play the game, but we've got some good leaders now, guys who set their goals high," said Spurrier, who won the national title in 1996 at Florida. "You go one game at a time, but you also look down the road. After LSU, we know Florida's down the road, Tennessee's down the road. If we're going to have a big year, our only chance is for the team to really be prepared to play."
A quick look at the other early contenders in the national title race with the first BCS rankings coming out Oct. 14:
No. 1 Alabama
Why they'll go unbeaten: A.J. McCarron hasn't been intercepted, which means there are no noteworthy weaknesses in Nick Saban's operation.
Why they won't: LSU has been pointing toward Nov. 3 in Baton Rouge all season and will be positioned perfectly to exact revenge for the BCS championship game debacle.
No. 2 Oregon
Why they'll go unbeaten: The Ducks are averaging 52.3 points, have outscored Pac-12 opponents 152-47 and appear to have a better defense than in years past.
Why they won't: Southern California has the athletes to contend with them, as the Trojans showed in last year's 38-35 victory, and this year the Ducks have to travel to Los Angeles.
No. 4 West Virginia
Why they'll go unbeaten: Quarterback Geno Smith seems almost invincible, completing 81.4% of his passes with 24 touchdowns and no interceptions.
Why they won't: The defense has allowed 108 points in two Big 12 games, which puts too much stress on the offense to be perfect. The Mountaineers will slip up somewhere.
No. 5 Kansas State
Why they'll go unbeaten: Bill Snyder is the best coach in college football, and, unlike most of the Big 12, the Wildcats actually play a little defense.
Why they won't: Quarterback Collin Klein has attempted only 94 passes all season. If the Wildcats fall behind, can he bring them back with his arm?
No. 6 Florida
Why they'll go unbeaten: The Gators have an outstanding defense, finish games as strong as anyone in the country and play only two more road games.
Why they won't: The lack of downfield threats will eventually catch up to them, if not against South Carolina on Oct. 20 or Georgia on Oct. 27, then Nov. 24 at rival Florida State.
No. 7 Notre Dame
Why they'll go unbeaten: The Irish boast an excellent defense, allowing 12 total points in their last three games, all against decent teams.
Why they won't: Though quarterback Everett Golson continues to improve in his first year as the starter, asking him to win at venues such as Oklahoma and Southern California is a tall order.