What SEC Nation analysts said about South Carolina-Vanderbilt football game

SEC Nation breaks down the top matchups in the conference each Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. The show, which airs on the SEC Network, features host Lauren Rutledge and analysts Paul Finebaum, Tim Tebow, Jordan Rodgers and Roman Harper.

This week, the SEC Nation crew headed to Oxford, Mississippi for Ole Miss’ clash against Georgia. But they also spent some time discussing South Carolina’s game against Vanderbilt, which is set to kick off at 4:15 p.m. on Saturday.

[GamecockCentral FLASH SALE: $1 for the first week, then half-price for a year]

Finebaum kicked off the segment by praising both team’s head coaches – Clark Lea and Shane Beamer.

“Clark Lea has really beaten all the odds. It seemed hopeless there for a while. And Shane Beamer – he’s a guy that you go dark on him for a while, and then he beats Tennessee, and he beats Clemson, or he wins the (Texas) A&M game,” Finebaum said. “They are two remarkable coaches in a league where they’re not considered at the very top. But they’re making a lot of noise this year.”

Rodgers said the Gamecocks need to be wary of Vanderbilt’s ability to flip into another gear in the fourth quarter. While South Carolina has lost close games this season, the Commodores have shown a lot of confidence in those situations, Rodgers said.

But he added that Vanderbilt’s most recent win against Auburn provided South Carolina with a way it can shut down Diego Pavia.

“You need to spy him. Auburn spied him on every single play, and Pavia had only 26 rushing yards. He usually averages closer to 80. That really kind of suffocated this offense,” Rodgers said. “So, Debo Williams, Nick Emmanwori on that South Carolina defense – I know everybody talks about the defensive front, but I think it’s the second and third level keeping an eye on Diego and keeping him in the pocket.”

[See the Gamecock discussion on The Insiders Forum!]

Tebow acknowledged that, despite the Gamecocks’ narrow losses, they have only been out-played once this season – when it faced off against Ole Miss on Oct. 5. He said South Carolina is a team that is “fun to watch” and is “coming into their own.”

“When you look at this team getting better every single week, there’s a lot to like,” Tebow said. “We talk about the front four and the defense, but man, LaNorris (Sellers) is getting better, especially with his legs. Rocket (Sanders) is finally healthy. He’s a different running back. This is a team that believes.”

Harper focused on the Gamecocks’ defense in his assessment of the game between South Carolina and Vanderbilt. He argued that the Gamecocks possess the defense he “would love to play for most in the conference.”

“They create havoc, they play with speed, and when they get there, they cause pain,” Harper said. “This is why I love watching this defense – because the rules in which they abide by on defense, really, there are no rules. They play fast, they play without thinking, and that is what allows them to make all the plays that they do.”

[Newsletters: Get breaking news and analysis from GamecockCentral]

Predictions

SEC Nation’s four analysts were ultimately unanimous in their predictions for the South Carolina-Vanderbilt game – all four picked the Gamecocks. Here’s everything they said about their predictions.

Finebaum: “I’ve been wrong on Vandy every week. I’m probably going to be wrong today, but I’m picking South Carolina.”

Rodgers: “This is a tough one. In one way, the option and the triple-option unique offense of Vandy kind of slows down athleticism up front. It forces you to play gap-sound football. But I think South Carolina’s going to find a way to get it done on offense with LaNorris Sellers, his legs; Rocket Sanders, the video we saw earlier. They’re rolling. I think they get it done close.”

Tebow: “I love the way Vanderbilt’s playing, but I also think the running game of South Carolina, the physicality they’re playing with, I think it’s just too much in a close one.”

Harper: “You know how much I love Vandy. I’ve been the one that’s with them all season long. I’ll just say it like this. If I cut someone’s hair one time, it doesn’t mean I’m a barber. And if I don’t pick Vandy one time, it doesn’t mean I’m cheating on them, either. I’m going to take South Carolina. It’s a bad matchup.”

Discuss South Carolina football on The Insiders Forum!