| South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier will have to prepare for Wofford's option attack this week. (US Presswire) |
Wofford (8-2, 6-2 Southern Conference) at No. 12 South Carolina (8-2, 6-2 SEC)
Kickoff: Saturday, 1 p.m. ET (ESPN-Gameplan)
Spread: No line
Watchability: This is one of many SEC vs. FCS matchups this weekend. There won’t be much interest outside of the state of South Carolina.
Shining stars: South Carolina -- DE Jadeveon Clowney. We pity the Wofford OL. Even the best SEC linemen haven’t been able to block Clowney (43 tackles, 17 TFLs, 8.5 sacks) at times, so it could be a long day for the Terriers. Wofford -- RB Eric Breitenstein. Wofford’s third all-time leading rusher has put up big numbers this season with 188 carries for 1,396 yards and 14 TDs. He’s rushed for 100 yards or more in eight of nine games this season, including 321 yards vs. Elon and 219 yards vs. Gardner-Webb.
Who could steal the show: South Carolina -- WR Ace Sanders. His receiving numbers aren’t big (25 catches, 285 yards), but he has five TDs and he's a threat in the return game. He averages 13.3 yards per punt return. Wofford -- QB Brian Kass. He leads the Terriers’ option attack. He’s only completed 17 passes this season, but six of them have been for TDs. He also has 370 yards and five TDs rushing.
Magic number for South Carolina: 136.8. That’s how many rushing yards per game the Gamecocks allow. Wofford’s option offense averages 372.9 rushing yards per game.
Magic number for Wofford: 32. That’s how many passes the Terriers have completed this season. A pass is almost considered a trick play in their option offense.
The game comes down to: It’s always interesting to watch a powerful SEC defense go against an option attack. It seems the SEC team would overpower it, but it can sometimes be tricky. Alabama struggled against Georgia Southern’s option last season. For that reason, it’s fair to expect some big plays and some points from Wofford. But South Carolina shouldn’t have much trouble scoring enough to overcome any difficulties for the defense.
Prediction: South Carolina 38, Wofford 17
For more up-to-the minute news and analysis from SEC bloggers Larry Hartstein and Daniel Lewis, follow @CBSSportsSEC.