When the Gamecocks welcome South Alabama into the confines of Williams-Brice Stadium Saturday afternoon, they'll be waiting with $900,000 in hand for their opponent.
Despite owning a better record than South Carolina (5-5, 3-5 SEC) and already reaching bowl eligibility, the Jaguars (6-4, 5-3 Sun Belt) will receive the university’s highest payout this season. South Carolina paid Furman $250,000 to come to Columbia last month.
However, South Alabama senior linebacker Maleki Harris sees an opportunity for the team to pull of the biggest win in school history rather than just collect a paycheck.
“It's just another team, another set of players who put their pants on one leg at a time,” Harris said. “We're never going to back down or shy away from a challenge. Hopefully, we'll all rise to the occasion and give them a run for their money.”
After picking up a victory in Gainesville last weekend, the Gamecocks are in search of their sixth win, something the Jaguars found a week ago in a 24-20 win over Texas State.
South Alabama is in the middle of its third season as an FBS school and has clinched bowl eligibility for the first time in school history.
“You see the tape of these guys, and you can see they’re a good team,” head coach Steve Spurrier said. “This is a well-coached team. I’m telling you, we’ve got to really play well against this team. We’re not good enough to think we can show up and roll over people.”
South Carolina needs a win against South Alabama or Clemson to become bowl eligible, something the team has done every year of Spurrier's tenure.
Riding high after a win over the Gators, South Carolina will sustain the changes made before the victory. The Gamecocks defense performed at a high level against Florida, allowing a season-low 278 yards in the overtime win.
Sophomore linebackers Jonathan Walton and Skai Moore are both slated to start after Moore was moved to middle linebacker last week.
Moore said the move not only helps the defense, but also helps him individually because the two motivate each other when on the field together.
“We’ve been talking about playing together since day one,” Moore said. “We got that opportunity last weekend and just made it happen. When I found out, I told Jon [Walton] immediately — he’s my roommate — so I went straight to him.”
Moore and Walton are tied-first and third on the team in total tackles with 63 and 46, respectively.
South Carolina has 17 seniors listed on its roster, with each likely to participate in Saturday’s Senior Day activities. Running back Mike Davis is one of five juniors expected to walk on Senior Day, according to Josh Kendall at The State.
Davis said that he still has not made a decision on whether he will return next season but is leaning heavily on the advice of his brother James Davis, who was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft.
“He’s been a big factor in a lot of things and a lot of decisions that I’ve made,” Davis said. “So, of course, him coming back his senior year ended up hurting his draft status, so I’m talking to my brother and hearing things from him.”