Gamecock beat writer predicts SC season & Scores for each game... You must see and read and know the delusion even affects the local media in Columbia ....
http://www.thestate.com/sports/college/university-of-south-carolina/usc-football/josh-kendall-blog/article194894139.html
Ok, so I did my own (kind of long)
Coastal Carolina, Sept. 1
The Chanticleers are coming off a 3-9 season, and their only other trip to Williams-Brice Stadium ended in a 70-10 loss in 2013. This one won’t be a 60-point win (probably), but it’s a big win for a Gamecocks team that will be looking to prove its offense is improved. Moving on.
Coast Carolina will not test the coots. This is them opening up with a cupcake.
Pick: South Carolina 56, Coastal Carolina 17
Neil's pick: South Carolina 59 Coast Carolina 21
Georgia, Sept. 8
The Bulldogs are back on the early part of the schedule, and that’s good news for South Carolina. Georgia still will be working to figure out how to replace a lot of very important defenders, plus running backs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel. The less-good news for the Gamecocks is the Bulldogs have recruited well enough to replace their losses.
The bulldawgs said goodbye to 31 seniors from last year's team. They bring back Fromm, 4 starting OL, two solid WRs, and only 5 starters from the defense. On the other side, the coots lose 2 OL, Hurst off the offense, while losing 7 starters off the defense, including 3/4 of their DL. The score looks about right for me, but one player the Dawgs will use is De'andre Swift. Add in Cook and Zeus as freshmen phenoms and the Dawg running game will be explosive again.
Pick: Georgia 28, South Carolina 20
Neil's pick: Georgia 34 South Carolina 24
Marshall, Sept. 15
This won’t be a walkover win, especially coming off what will be a physical game against the Bulldogs. The Thundering Herd finished 8-5 a year ago and beat a decent Colorado State game in a bowl game. The good news for South Carolina is junior Herd quarterback Chase Litton, who ranked fifth in school history in passing, decided to skip his senior season, so Marshall will be breaking in a new quarterback.
Marshall returns 10 starters on offense, and 9 starters off the defense, but that doesn't mean they can beat usuck in their packed white towel twirling bottle throwing by fans stadium. The pick below is a bit off in my thinking.
Pick: South Carolina 35, Marshall 13
Neil's pick: Usuck 34 Marshall 27
At Vanderbilt, Sept. 22
Breaking news: Ralph Webb is not a Commodore anymore. It seems like Webb has been running the ball for Vanderbilt forever, and SEC defensive coordinators will be glad to see him gone. Commodores quarterback Kyle Shurmur, who had 26 touchdowns and 10 interceptions last year, is back, but Vanderbilt still is Vanderbilt.
Vanderbilt is going through a rebuilding year, but their strong point will be their OL, returning all five starters, plus their QB. Problem is, they lost their best WRs and RB to graduation. Additionally, they lost seven starters off the defense, wasn't that good to begin with. Another $EC-least cupcake....again.
Pick: South Carolina 24, Vanderbilt 17
Neil's pick: USUCK 38 Vandy 20
At Kentucky, Sept. 29
The optimism surrounding the Wildcats’ football team seems a long time ago, but it was only this time last year that people thought Kentucky was going to turn the corner. It hasn’t happened yet. Quarterback Stephen Johnson graduated, and one-time USC target and UK backup Drew Barker decided to transfer. Running back Benny Snell will lead the Kentucky offense, and the Gamecocks will beat the Wildcats for the first time since 2013.
I love it. Every year, usuck fans and media poo poo Kentucky off as a sure win and every year, Kentucky whips them. Should be the same thing this year. Kentucky returns 4 OL and a top running back, but must replace two WRs and the starting quarterback. Defensively, the team returns 9 starters and should be enough to squelch the chickens.
Pick: South Carolina 28, Kentucky 27
Neil's pick: Kentucky 24 South Carolina 17
Missouri, Oct. 6
A lot was made of Missouri’s six-game winning streak to end the regular season, but it’s tough to forget how bad the Tigers looked when South Carolina beat them 31-13 early in the season last year. Quarterback Drew Lock is back, and former Tennessee head coach Derek Dooley will be coordinating the offense. It will be Dooley’s first job running an offense, so it’s hard to know what kind of system he’ll run. By this point in the season, the Gamecocks will have it figured out, though.
Missouri is a team that could upset the coots as they return 9 starters on their offense including the entire OL, and the defense must replace 3 starting DL and one safety, but bring everyone else back. Lock could make this game more interesting than the coots want it to be.
Pick: South Carolina 30, Missouri 24
Neil's pick: usuck 34 Missouri 31
Texas A&M, Oct. 13
The Aggies are the biggest mystery on South Carolina’s 2018 schedule. Texas A&M fired Kevin Sumlin and broke the bank to lure Jimbo Fisher from Florida State. Fisher inherits plenty of talent, which has never been the Aggies issue. If Texas A&M can survive an early season schedule that includes Clemson and Alabama with its confidence intact, the Aggies will be trouble.
The Aggies under Fisher will be better offensively, especially returning the entire OL, and their quarterback, albeit young. The defense returns 8 starters on their defense and should be better. I'm afraid the chickens will be lugubrious after this game.
Pick: South Carolina 27, Texas A&M 24
Neil's pick: Texas A&M 24 usuck 20
Tennessee, Oct. 27
Whereas Fisher doesn’t have a lot of rebuilding to do with the Texas A&M program, first-year Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt has a lot of work in front of him. It’s hard to believe Pruitt will get the Volunteers back to being a legitimate threat in the SEC East in one year.
Indeed, Pruitt is taking over the reigns of a young team, but it's his work ethic that will take hold. Having said that, UT is still rebuilding and is on a 9 game SEC losing streak. Kelly leaving didn't help.
Pick: South Carolina 34, Tennessee 20
Neil's pick: USUCK 27 Tennessee 14
At Ole Miss, Nov. 3
This will be South Carolina’s first trip to Oxford, Miss., since 2008, and it’s sure to be a hot ticket for Gamecocks fans. It’s also pretty sure to be a win for South Carolina. The Rebels have an open date before this game, but that’s probably not enough to lift a team that will be replacing quarterback Shea Patterson and won’t be eligible for a bowl game again because of NCAA sanctions.
They may not be eligible for a bowl game again, but they are bringing in some very good talent at WR and Quarterback with Matt Corral. He could start from day 1, and the rebels do return a fair amount of talent. This one could turn out to be not so good for the cluckers, but....
Pick: South Carolina 34, Ole Miss 17
Neil's pick: USUCK 27 Ole Miss 24
At Florida, Nov. 10
The Swamp still is a tough place for South Carolina to play. The Gamecocks have won there twice, and even though those victories have come in their last four trips to Gainesville, Fla., (2014 and 2010), this will be a tough trip. Florida will have had plenty of time to get comfortable with first-year head coach Dan Mullen’s spread offense.
All you need to know is Florida returns 20 starters, 10 each on offense and defense, and brought in 10 more 4-stars to add depth (14 commits all together). Mullen will have his team clicking when the coots come to town.
Pick: Florida 27, South Carolina 17
Neil's pick: Florida 24 usuck 13
Chattanooga, Nov. 17
A 3-8 team a year ago, the Mocs will provide a good breather before the Clemson game.
Not even gonna comment on this cupcake.
Pick: South Carolina 42, Chattanooga 14
At Clemson, Nov. 24
The Tigers will be going for their fifth consecutive win in this series, and they probably will be favorites to do it. Clemson’s daunting defensive line will be back intact after its three juniors surprised everyone by deciding to return. The big question is who will be playing quarterback for the Tigers at this point. The bet here is on freshman Trevor Lawrence, who’s really good.
So, the guy that picked this game ACTUALLY thinks usuck can score 28 points on Clemson's defense that is returning 8 starters on the defense that has held them to 17 points the last 8 quarters. He must have been on his 2nd six-pack by this time. The Tigers will run ragged on a defense that is missing 3 starters off the DL not to mention their "all world LB" Skai "let me hit Bryant out of bounds one more time" Moore and a couple of more in the secondary. Please. It's not going to matter whether it's Bryant or Lawrence, this game won't be close, again.
Pick: Clemson 30, South Carolina 28
Neil's pick: Clemson 45 usuck 17 (maybe)
The way I see it, 7-5 and a mid tier bowl.
Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/sports/college/university-of-south-carolina/usc-football/josh-kendall-blog/article194894139.html#sto
Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/sports/college/university-of-south-carolina/usc-football/josh-kendall-blog/article194894139.html#storylink=cpy