Birmingham Bowl Important to South Carolina Gamecocks
Now that Christmas has passed and New Year’s is fast approaching, college bowl season is in full swing. There is always a big debate of the importance of the lower tier bowls, or if there are too many bowl games. The fans and analysts will always debate, but it is clear, however, that for the teams, it is important for many reasons. The South Carolina Gamecocks are in Birmingham, Alabama this week, preparing for a match-up with the 10-2 South Florida Bulls at the Birmingham Bowl.
The Gamecocks have won four straight bowl games, and are back in the postseason after last year’s disappointing campaign. They enter the game at 6-6 on the year. Despite only being in a lower tier bowl game, there are plenty of important things to look for on Thursday afternoon.
Reversing Road Woes
Coach Will Muschamp has mentioned multiple times this season that his team plays different at Williams-Brice stadium. The Gamecock fan base has long been known for its loud and loyal support. South Carolina took the opportunity of having that home field advantage, winning their last four home games including the upset over a ranked Tennessee team. Coach Muschamp is happy for the support and atmosphere his team gets at home, but he also wants his team to bring the same energy and intensity to the road.
His young squad has certainly failed to do that. South Carolina has only a single win away from home this year, the season opener against Vanderbilt in Nashville. The other performances from the 1-4 road record have been hard, if not painful, to watch. The burden has mostly been on poor showings by the offense, but the defense had embarrassing outings at Mississippi State and Clemson as well. The Gamecocks now have one final chance to get a victory away from home. While this isn’t a true road game, finding a way to win without the home field advantage could be huge for the growth of this young team.
Youth Development
The old saying is that practice makes perfect. South Carolina was one of the youngest teams in America this season, and the extra practice time a bowl game brings could prove extremely important. Jake Bentley, Rico Dowdle, and Bryan Edwards are all true freshman that played a big role in the offense this season. Sophomore Deebo Samuel emerged as the big play threat for the Gamecock offense this season, and tight ends K.C. Crosby and Hayden Hurst have also been productive. All of these skill position players will return next year, along with four of the five starters on the offensive line. Being able to continue the learning curve for these young players is crucial. An extra game, and the practice that comes with it, is key in developing chemistry among this young core.
The extra time will also give coaches a chance to reevaluate some of the freshman who are red-shirting this year. Building a program to be successful is an ongoing process, and getting a sneak peek at next year’s potential is always important. Four-star signee M.J. Webb is enrolling in January, but he is getting a head start on spring practice by being able to work with the team during Birmingham Bowl preparations.
Redemption
South Carolina had a rough go of it in their last regular season game. They were beaten handily in all three phases. The match-up with a good South Florida team will give the Gamecocks a chance at redemption of sorts. They will have to wait eleven more months to have another shot at their rival. However, having one more game gives them a chance to get that bad taste out of their mouths. The young offense can build on the progress they had been making in the second half of the year. The defense can show they are more the unit that went ten games without giving up thirty or more points, rather than the unit that wore down in the final few games.
With some time to regroup and recharge, coach Muschamp’s team can now end the season on a much better note. The offensive and defensive lines struggled with physicality and consistency this season. The coaches have mentioned that improving physicality has been an important focus of the pre-bowl workouts. South Carolina’s players will have one more chance to show that they can step up to the challenge.
Winning is Important
Everybody loves a winner. Whether you are talking football fans or recruits, the answer is no different. A win in Thursday’s Birmingham Bowl will not be easy, South Florida is a very good team with an explosive offense. If South Carolina can manage to get their fifth straight bowl win, they can end the year with a winning record. A seven-win season would be no small feat, considering the situation Will Muschamp walked into. He has built a staff known as a relentless recruiters. Winning the bowl game is another crucial piece in the recruiting pitch delivered to high school prospects.
It is always good to go into the off-season, ending the year with a good performance. It is important in building confidence for the young players returning next year. A win is also the best way to send the senior class off to end their college careers. While the Birmingham Bowl won’t be the most anticipated or highly-covered game this week, it by no means diminishes its importance to the participants. A chance to build momentum for next season and ending this one with a winning record is on the line Thursday. To the Gamecocks, both are very important.
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