Carolina will win school-record 11 games, head to Sugar Bowl
Steve Spurrier was, of all things, modest during his team's preseason media day earlier this month.
"I think we've assembled, hopefully, one of our best teams ever," said South Carolina's seventh-year coach. "Time will tell if it becomes a real good team or not."
Time isn't necessary. There's no doubt this USC team is not only one of, but simply the best Carolina team of all time. And it will follow through on its potential.
Welcome to "The Year," Gamecock fans. Here's how it'll come to be:
East Carolina in Charlotte on Saturday: The Pirates are excited about this game and have a very capable offense. They also had the worst defense in America last year. USC has too much firepower. This one is ugly by the end of the third quarter as USC wins big and starts 1-0.
Georgia in Athens on Sept. 10: The game of the year in the SEC East. The winner will be the eventual division champion. After years of tough, defensive battles that come down to one or two plays, a team finally breaks away and wins emphatically. That team is South Carolina, by at least two scores. USC improves to 2-0 and 1-0 in SEC play.
Navy in Columbia on Sept. 17: 1984 was a long time ago, folks. The Midshipmen are young and inexperienced, and USC finally has the speed needed to defend the triple option with consistent success. The final score is somewhat close, but a win is a win. USC starts 3-0 for the second straight year.
Vanderbilt in Columbia on Sept. 24: I'm high on James Franklin and his Commodores — I have them going 6-6 and making a bowl game — but Vandy is nowhere near USC talent-wise. This will be another boring game in the series, but not because of sloppy play. It'll be a snoozer because it will be over by halftime. USC is 4-0 and 2-0 in the SEC.
Auburn in Columbia on Oct. 1: Both teams will enter undefeated, bringing about a tremendous amount of national hype. Luckily for the Gamecocks, this year's Auburn team is a shell of last year's. Another easy win. 5-0 and 3-0.
Kentucky in Columbia on Oct. 8: This one will be over by the end of the first quarter. No collapse this time. 6-0 and 4-0.
Mississippi State in Starkville on Oct. 15: The Bulldogs have been penciled in as the trap game for USC this fall. They'll come close to being it. The Gamecocks will trail all day long, but make big plays in the fourth quarter to get to 7-0 and 5-0 in the SEC, ensuring only the third winning record in league play in school history.
Tennessee in Knoxville on Oct. 29: The Vols are another team many have pegged as a threat to USC, mainly because of the Gamecocks' lack of success in Knoxville over the years. Here's what people are missing: in its three games prior to hosting Carolina, Tennessee will play Georgia, LSU and Alabama. The depth-challenged Vols might not have enough healthy bodies to entertain upset thoughts. 8-0 and 6-0 go the Gamecocks.
With such a tremendous start — the second-best in school history and the most single-season SEC wins ever — the Gamecocks will be in the Top 5 and legitimate national championship contenders when they travel to Arkansas.
Then, the rug will be pulled out from underneath. Hey, it is South Carolina.
Arkansas in Fayetteville on Nov. 5: As always, the Razorbacks are a nightmare match-up for USC. Arkansas is stellar in every facet of the game Carolina considers a weakness. Tyler Wilson and his corps of receivers will carve up the USC secondary, dealing the Gamecocks their first loss of the season and putting them at 8-1 and 6-1 in league play.
With the loss, the mood around Columbia will be funereal. The hopes of the national title will feel dashed. Moreover, the specter of a blown Eastern Division title will begin to loom. In control all season long, USC will suddenly have company as, surprise, Georgia has won seven straight since starting 0-2 to pull to within a win and USC loss of the East title. It won't happen though.
Florida in Columbia on Nov. 12: Playing for their second straight trip to Atlanta, the Gamecocks come out on a mission. USC thrashes the Gators, clinches the East and improves to 9-1 and an astounding final 7-1 record in SEC play.
The Citadel in Columbia on Nov. 19: 1990 was a long time ago as well. USC wins in a laugher; in the process tying the single-season wins record and improving to 10-1.
With three games to go, USC has three shots to win 11 games in a season for the first time in school history. The Gamecocks will only need one to do so, however.
Clemson in Columbia on Nov. 26: It's not even close. USC dominates the Tigers in all facets of the game, grabbing the magical 11th win.
And, that night, the season changes for USC. Stanford and Heisman Trophy favorite Andrew Luck will not live up to preseason expectations this fall, but they will still have a shining moment. The Cardinal will upset 11-0 Notre Dame in the regular season finale, knocking the Fighting Irish off the threshold of the BCS title game and opening the door for the Gamecocks.
LSU in Atlanta on Dec. 3: The stakes are pretty simple. Top-ranked Oklahoma will have already disposed of Oklahoma State earlier in the day and clinched its spot in the BCS National Championship Game. The other spot will be given to the winner of the SEC title game.
Win, and the Gamecocks are one win away from a national championship. Lose, and they are still headed to New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl.
Brother Velasquez says they'll win it and face the Sooners. I say they lose and get West Virginia in the Sugar. It could go either way, though.
The bottom line is this: when it is all said and done, USC will end 2011 with the most wins in school history and another SEC East crown. That will unequivocally be the best season in school history.
Anything more is gravy. Anything less should be considered a failure. That's the deal when the best team in program history is taking the field each Saturday.
USC definitely has that this fall.