Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] This episode of Cox talking gamecocks is brought to you by the Mason Jar, New York City. The Mason Jar is the official gamecock bar for the New York City area. Fans and alumni of USC can come by the Jar for some great barbecue, cold drinks, and of course to watch the gamecocks in any sport, all while surrounded by South Carolina memorabilia. If you want to get a slice of game day in Columbia, all while in the Big Apple, head to the Mason Jar on east 30th street. All right, here we go.
[00:00:50] Sam 81 of Cox talking gamecocks brought to you by the Mason Jar, new York City. I am your host, Tim Cox, where I will keep every episode from 18 one to 2001. And this is our weekend gamecocks. I mean, any college football fan really, this weekend, this is what you practice for. My goodness, I am so excited for the weekend. So many great games and then just sitting down on my couch and then eventually moving to the Mason Jar and watching just honestly, like 12 hours worth of college football. Absolutely excited for the weekend. Hope you all have fun weekends lined up as well and going to jump right into things here. Normally I kick these things off with a recap of what has gone on around USC athletics over the last few days, but this week there's nothing, nada. Got nothing to report back for y'all. Women's soccer is playing Kentucky as I am recording, so sending the best of vibes to them. But other than that, there is no action during the week. There's a lot going on Friday, Saturday, so next episode will bring y'all up to speed on the results from all of our sports from around South Carolina. So going to just jump right into it. About the biggest action from the weekend, and that is South Carolina football taking on Mississippi State Saturday night. 730 in Williams Bryce. Very, very jazzed up for this game. South Carolina is currently favored by six and a half points and this is a massive game. Like, I'm not going to beat around the bush with y'all on this one. This is a huge game. I am dubbing this game the linchpin of the South Carolina season. This feels like despite it being so early in the year, this feels like a must win. And it's crazy because it's just the fourth game of the year. And with that it signifies that you're one third of the way through the season. So obviously you have a lot of football left, but at the same time you can kind of say, all right, who are we? One third of the way through, right? Your sample size is decently big after this game.
[00:03:47] Obviously the Gamecocks have faced a pair of really good teams to start the year and as such are unfortunately sitting at one and two with the meat of the SEC schedule still fully ahead of Know. Side note it's funny to see UNC kind of having a similar season to what they did last year. They struggle against App State, escaped with a win. They go against Minnesota, which is kind of a weird matchup, but they hung 31 on them. It's like they're consistently putting up like 31 to 34 points and doing just enough on defense to get the job done. I do think, though, if we were to play UNC again, I think our team has gelled together better and is definitely better than they were in Charlote, but that's beyond the point. The point is that you're sitting at one and two after having faced two legitimately good teams, right? So with this game being at home in what's sure to be a wild atmosphere, in what is a very important note here, it's Mississippi State's first road game of the year. You absolutely have to make this game count.
[00:05:04] You can't let this one get away from you, because then all of a sudden, you find yourself in an incredibly deep hole. And the only way out of that hole in this scenario, if the game goes sideways, the only way out of it is to play damn near perfect football for at least the next month, which starts off with a road trip to Knoxville right around the you know, that game is still in September, but point remains.
[00:05:38] On the flip side, if you win this game, you get that pressure off of you a little bit, then you get your first SEC win of the season, first Power Five win of the season.
[00:05:51] You also do your job in winning the game as the home favorite, and then all of a sudden, you find yourself at 500 if you win this game, and all of a sudden, the rest of the schedule might not look as daunting.
[00:06:08] I mean, just look at college football this year as a whole. It's pretty wide open. There's a lot of parity this year. And then you look at the SEC East in general this year, it feels like there's a lot of parity just in general. There's not a lot of teams that just are beating the crap out of someone.
[00:06:26] There really hasn't been at least through three games this far, right?
[00:06:32] So for South Carolina, this is absolutely a massive game because you can't have this game go sideways and all of a sudden you could be staring down the barrel of a season that could potentially get away from you. Just by the nature of the sport, you're going to lose a couple, right?
[00:06:49] But you have to find a way to take advantage of the home atmosphere and get yourself back to two and two.
[00:06:56] And that bye week is right around the corner as well. Shane Beamer has shown his ability to self scout and self correct very well in that bye week, but you want to be in as much of an advantageous position as possible before that.
[00:07:16] It is funny though, I was looking back at it and last year South Carolina started one and two as well and they responded by rattling off four straight wins. Now granted, the schedule is very different this year because if you remember last year when that happened, you had two lower game, lower tier games, opponents rather Charlote and SC State. You don't have that luxury this year, but it goes to show you again that this is a staff that is able to correct wrongs as the season goes on.
[00:07:51] And really all they need is a little momentum. And in general in college, all you need is a little momentum in this sport and your team can do some big things.
[00:08:01] I do think that the team is trending in the right direction. It feels like they're like bubbling up right and they're just ready to break through again. Week one UNC, just you're all out of sorts, right? Week one is weird. In college you looked good as you wanted to against Furman, and you hung tough last week. So what are the gamecocks looking at in Mississippi State? The Bulldogs are two and one and are playing under their new head coach in his first year, Will Arnett, after he took over, of course, after those tragic circumstances that he did. He is a defensive minded head coach and they have played solid defense under him. He was on staff under Coach Leach and was elevated in those situations and that's where he's been. So they know the system. He runs a unique formation. I think it's typically I think I heard it's like a three, three, five. I think that math, maths correctly, but typically speaking, three down linemen, three linebackers, but one linebacker can sometimes move down and it's just very unique. Allows him to be aggressive at times. But with that and because he's been there, his defense is very experienced as well. And they're also just older guys. They're veteran players.
[00:09:26] But the biggest change that we've seen from State is the offense. I mean, we didn't know what it was going to look like. They're obviously not running the air raid anymore and their new OC seems determined to bring a more balanced attack to Mississippi State. And so far through this season, it seems they are just not settled on that side of the ball and that is putting it nicely. They are not looking nearly as explosive or consistent as they had been. It's crazy. Like Will Rogers had been one of the more decorated quarterbacks at MSU, and going into this season, he was still talked about as one of the better quarterbacks in the SEC and you just haven't heard about him at all.
[00:10:15] I mean, I'm on social media and you're seeing these graphics know, top eight quarterbacks by yards, top eight receivers by yards. There is not a single Mississippi State player on those types of list. So it's a drastic change for how we view their offense. And I mean really, just in general, it feels like the team has just not settled. Maybe it's the new staff, maybe it's just early in the year. They just seem a little out of whack. Like, yes, they are two and one. But one of those wins was a close overtime win against Arizona. Arizona's, nah. Right. And last week they got dismantled by LSU. And their past defense has been particularly suspect in this early part of the season. So it definitely matches up in a favorable way, I guess, for Carolina. Right. And that's why it's an absolute must know. They're coming to your place.
[00:11:26] They have looked out of sorts this year. They're coming off a bad loss. It's their first true road game.
[00:11:34] You need to make it stick. So how are the gamecocks going to make it stick? Let me share with you my Crows to the Game for any new listeners. I don't do keys to the game. We have our rooster crow, so I have my Crows to the game. First off for the whole team, protect your house. Protect your house. The two losses this year have not been in Willie B. This team needs to move forward from those and take it personally to defend their home turf.
[00:12:06] Shane Beamer is nine and two at night at Williams Bryce as a head coach, a very, very cool stat.
[00:12:14] And that tells you that he knows how to get his team ready for the moment and how to keep them level during the game.
[00:12:23] We take a lot of pride as Gamecock fans as making Williams Bryce a tough place to it's. It'll pop up on his underrated, tough place to play, raucous environment, best student section. We take a lot of pride in that and we always say at home at night, that's what you want as a Gamecocks fan. Shane Beamer has put his money where his mouth is, right? So you got to hope that these trends continue and it's just protect your house. Take it seriously.
[00:12:56] Now, on the defensive side of the ball, my first crow is slow down running back Joquavius Marks.
[00:13:03] Sorry if I mispronounce your name, he is a senior, he's very experienced and is on pace already for his best year running the ball. So it's ironic where you have Will Rogers, one of the more decorated quarterbacks in your school's history, really not doing jack, but your running back, who we just have not talked about mississippi State running backs for several years. He's having one of his better years yet and in their two wins this year, he easily went over 100 yards. Last weekend, however, against LSU, he was held to just 75 and they lost in a route.
[00:13:44] And it does seem like the Gamecock's rush defense is a bit improved over last year's through a few games so far despite the second half of last weekend's game. So everyone involved needs to contribute because it seems like if you can hold him, the team will follow.
[00:14:07] So my second crow here is TJ. Sanders needs to continue the work we saw against Georgia. He received SEC wide recognition for last week's game and he needs to keep it up. He was a disruptor on the line both in the pass and run. And if he can have another solid game that will just continue to make life difficult for an opposing offense, which again, has yet to find their footing on the offensive side of the ball, here my first Crow, and I don't know, it seems like a lot of people are calling for this. There are some people who are saying maybe pump the brakes. But my first crow is Mario Anderson. He needs to get at least twelve touches.
[00:14:52] Simply put, the run game for this team is ineffective. It's not working. Something has to change.
[00:15:01] So in my mind, we need to turn to the most experienced collegiate running back on the team and that is Mario Anderson.
[00:15:11] Against Georgia he had two carries. Against Furman. He had six.
[00:15:17] So asking for twelve, yes is a jump up, but it's not that much over the course of a game. It averages out to three per quarter.
[00:15:26] And with that Dawa loggins, he needs to be a little stubborn in trying to establish something on the ground.
[00:15:35] And I understand that Mississippi State's strength on their defense is defending the run, but there still should be some opportunities to run against them. And even if the gamecocks can break just two chunk runs like eight or more yards, it will make Spencer's life easier, but hopefully inject some life into that room moving forward. Right?
[00:16:04] My second quote of the game is feed Xavier Leguette. Mississippi State allows 277 yards through the air on average so far, and last week against LSU and their SEC wide receiving corps, they got burned bad.
[00:16:22] Felt like every time I looked up they were just getting cooked.
[00:16:25] So the gamecocks might have to make a living in this game, really, in that medium pass range. But you need to feed X and continue to test the Mississippi State corners, really until they prove you wrong. So it's funny, I know I'm saying a couple of different things here. A little bit of Ying yield, bit of yang, right? Be a little stubborn in the run, but then feed Xavier the get. But the point being that you want to test them, right? You want to find a little bit of balance. So be stubborn with it, with the run. That is right. But when you're going to throw it, push it, make them prove you wrong because it has been a struggle for them this year.
[00:17:09] Plus, if Leguete gets cooking, that should make life easier for everyone else.
[00:17:15] I mean, I would also love to see Nick Harbor play some meaningful snaps this game. I think it's a great opportunity for him to so overall for this game. Again, I see this as a linchpin for holding the season together in terms of finishing the year with a solid win.
[00:17:37] You know, there have been a few games in the Shane Beamer era so far where you kind of have said, you have to have that game, ones where the stars align a bit, right. And it's a big moment and you say to yourself, if the program is really on the rise and Beamer's leading us in the right direction, they should rise to this moment and win.
[00:18:01] And for the most part, it feels like he kind of has right this one. It feels like, of course, this is not an annual game, right, this matchup with Mississippi State. But to me, this almost has a similar feel to last year's Texas A M game. It's at home against a team that isn't quite settled, but they still have potential to be good, but you need to close the door on their face pretty much, and you're a team that you feel like you've been playing better than them. And I don't know, there's just something that to me, sticks out like that where it's one where you're like, if you're going to do it, you're going to do it this weekend, right? If you're going to get this thing back on track and get a nice SEC win and regain some momentum before the buy, you kind of got to do it now because asking to do all of those things in Knoxville is ten times harder.
[00:19:00] So here's your moment.
[00:19:02] And also, these are the types of teams that this South Carolina program, this year especially, just has to beat. Right. You're favored. They are a team trying to find themselves. They're not ranked. You need to beat these types of teams to continue to establish where you're at in the SEC.
[00:19:27] If you're trying to be a program on the rise, to be that upper tier, top half SEC program, you need to beat these types of teams. They're in your conference. They're not a doormat. They're going to fight. It's going to be a game.
[00:19:46] But these are the types of games at home in the moment. They're coming off a bad loss. Yes, we're coming off a loss as well. But you kind of feel like you have a little bit more momentum than they did. You have to just get it done.
[00:20:00] Again, I love that this game is Mississippi State's first road game. I think that despite them having a lot of veterans, that's a huge X factor, and communication, especially on offense, will be difficult for Know Rogers could very well make life difficult for our defense. So I hope Clayton White can mix in some more bodies and keep guys fresh. He's talked about that this week, particularly with a guy like Pup Howard making sure he sees the field a little bit more. I think this is a great opportunity to let's build some of that depth. We have to see the fruits of this labor. We keep hearing them say debo and stone can't play all those snaps.
[00:20:42] DQ can't play all those it could. Rogers can make you pay because he's got the skills, but this could be a good time to mix in some bodies to make sure you're fresh to do so. But again, hopefully willie b. At night, spencer leading the charge can get this thing going for the gamecocks and we can be happy at the end of the night. I think it's going to be a fun one. I think mississippi state's certainly going to fight and again, they have a good defense, can make things difficult, but hopefully we can get the run game going just enough to make them respect it. And spencer will make him pay because again, he is locked in and their past defense has been suspect at best.
[00:21:26] All right, moving on to my six pack of picks and then I'll get y'all out of here. Again, just a fantastic slate of college football every time. Slot has a couple of good games. Very, very excited for this saturday, starting with the ACC I'm actually going friday night lights. Give me NC. State minus nine versus virginia. Virginia is terrible. Like, I try to mix it up a little bit in the six pack to not do the same team over and over again. If you're looking to make some bread, just bet against virginia.
[00:21:59] Big twelve. SMU plus seven versus TCU. I think it's close. So I'll take the points. Big ten michigan -24 versus rutgers. Harbaugh is back. I think they blow them out. Pac twelve. Very good. Pac twelve. State really going out with a bang is the pac twelve. This year I'm going with oregon state versus washington state under 59. SEC going with an early over here. Auburn versus texas a and m over 50 and a half and then group of five, give me memphis plus six and a half versus mizzou. Mizzou tends to play teams close and also f them. So give me the memphis tigers with that, y'all. That wraps up this episode. Please follow me on social media. Twitter is coxgamecox. Instagram is just the name of the show, cox talking gamecocks. And please like subscribe and review the podcast. I appreciate all y'all. Go cox.
