The Gamecocks are coming off of a 29-7 win over in-state rival Clemson and have looked very solid in their past three contests, posting a 36-14 win at Florida to claim the SEC East Title and a 69-24 rout of Troy at home. A surprising theme in the Clemson win is that Freshman RB Marcus Lattimore was limited to 48 yards on 23 carries and was unable to reach the end zone. QB Stephen Garcia seemed to make up for Lattimore's inability to provide yards, throwing for 227 yards and two touchdowns. WR Alshon Jeffery led all South Carolina receivers with five catches for 141 yards and a touchdown.
The Gamecock defense was stout for the third straight contest, allowing only one touchdown early in the first quarter to Kyle Parker and the Clemson offense. South Carolina's defense was able to hold Parker to only 117 yards on seven completions and also forced an interception that went back for a touchdown. Parker gave way to backup Tajh Boyd in the third quarter, who was unable to provide a spark for Clemson's lowly offense.
Auburn is coming off of a remarkable come from behind win at Alabama in which they trailed 24-0. Cam Newton was shut down for the majority of the first half as Auburn felt their dreams of a national championship start to slip away. The second half was a different story for the Tigers. Cam Newton finished the game 13 of 20 for 216 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Tigers back to win the game 28-27 in stunning fashion.
Auburn's pass defense was a problem, however, allowing QB Greg McElroy to throw for a career high 377 yards while WR Julio Jones had 10 catches for 199 yards and a score. They were able to stifle the Ingram-Richardson combo, allowing only 70 yards between the two of them.
For the Gamecocks to win, Cam Newton must be contained. He has rushed for over 1,300 yards and 18 touchdowns this year and has added over 2,200 yards and 24 touchdowns through the air. Cam Newton is the key to Auburn's game plan. If he can be forced into throwing the ball, as Alabama was able to do in the first half of last week's game, Auburn's offense struggles to get started. He often throws bad passes and is not as effective when he has to throw.
The Gamecock offense needs to focus on DT Nick Fairley. He causes problems in protection schemes and is able to blow up plays in the backfield if he is not properly contained. It is nearly impossible to stop Fairley one on one, so the Gamecocks will need to double team him as much as possible to limit his impact on defense. In their last meeting with Auburn, the Gamecocks were limited to only 79 yards on the ground, they need to get the running game going, especially with Marcus Lattimore, in order to be successful offensively.
Key match-up:
Cam Newton vs. the South Carolina defense
There is no secret to Auburn's offensive success. Auburn's offensive attack is lead by Heisman-candidate Cam Newton. In order for him to be effective, he uses his legs often more than his arm. If the Gamecocks can contain him on the many play-action looks and read options that Auburn runs, they will have a chance to be successful. If not, it could be a long and frustrating day for Steve Spurrier and the Gamecock defense.
Key Player:
QB Stephen Garcia
In the last match-up between Auburn and South Carolina, Garcia was able to torch Auburn's secondary for 235 yards and three touchdowns, two of which went to Alshon Jeffery. The problem for Garcia was holding onto the ball. He fumbled often and arguably cost the Gamecocks a chance to win in the fourth quarter. Look for Garcia to put that game behind him and lead South Carolina's offense against Auburn's mediocre secondary. If Garcia can take care of the ball, the Gamecock offense should have a chance to put points on the board and win the game.
Prediction:
(19)South Carolina 35 (1)Auburn 32
