Five South Carolina football predictions for the Gator Bowl
As South Carolina football matches up against Notre Dame in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, GamecockCentral.com staffers take a stab at how the game against Fighting Irish may play out in Jacksonville.
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CHRIS CLARK: Notre Dame has given up 300 passing yards once this season, to North Carolina and talented quarterback Drake Maye. That’s even given the fact that the Fighting Irish have played two more really good quarterbacks, including Caleb Williams from Southern Cal and CJ Stroud from Ohio State.
Given how much USC is likely going to need to throw it in this game and how well Spencer Rattler’s played the last two games, let’s bet on Rattler putting up the highest passing yardage total of the season against the Irish. He would need over 301.
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WES MITCHELL: It’s going to be the Spencer Rattler and Juice Wells show… again. Those two certainly finished the season on a high and with no MarShawn Lloyd or Jaheim Bell, I expect the Gamecocks to keep attacking through the air as they did against Tennessee and Clemson. Rattler and Wells have developed quite a chemistry together and Notre Dame will be without its top pass rusher too. Throw in the fact that the Irish have shown the ability to stop the run and it’s time for the Gamecocks to keep throwing it around the yard.
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KENDLL SMITH: Without MarShawn Lloyd and Jaheim Bell, South Carolina is going to need offensive production in the Gator Bowl from a few players who haven’t had as many touches this year. The tight end room is as thin as ever, but Nate Adkins has been a constant in that position group all year long. Sure, he hasn’t seen the ball as much, but his perimeter blocking has been exceptional and he had a heck of a catch against Clemson. I think Adkins will score a touchdown this week for South Carolina, and he deserves it. He’s hard not to root for given he has been a team player all season long.
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COLLYN TAYLOR: This is a Notre Dame team missing a ton defensively and a South Carolina offense able to sling it across the yard. Conversely, South Carolina is dealing with depth issues defensively and Notre Dame is a great rushing team. I think the Gamecocks pass for at least 300 yards while Notre Dame rushes for 200.
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MIKE UVA: With the Gamecocks playing without a handful of offensive weapons, some roles will need to be increased by the ones that they still have. Ahmarean Brown is one of those players I expect to not only make an impact in the receiving game but on special teams and perhaps even in the run game on some jet sweeps. Maybe not super bold but I predict that Brown will finish with over 200 all-purpose yards and a TD.
