http://www.yardbarker.com/content/team/636 Recent articles about the South Carolina Gamecocks en-us Top 5 SEC Football Overtime Games, EVER, Video . Before yall yell at me, I did not make the video. I am just reporting it. The games they have listed are. 5. Tennessee vs. LSU 2005 4. Arkansas vs. Ole Miss 2001 OVERTIME! 3. Georgia vs. Auburn 1996 2. Arkansas vs. Kentucky 2003 1. LSU vs. Kentucky 2007 Wed, 06 Aug 2008 19:53:41 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/302170 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/302170 The preseason Coaches poll is out and surprise, surprise -- Georgia is No. 1. Actually its not that big of a surprise. Most expected Georgia to be ranked in the top 2. What I do find somewhat surprising is Ohio State is No. 3. Is there an anti-Buckeyes movement among the coaches? Or is there just a love for USC. I'm sure the community users have an un-biased answer. Not that it really matters because the Buckeyes will play No. 2 USC on Sept. 13. I'm pretty sure the winner will by No. 1 or No. 2 after that game and all this preseason nonsense will mean nothing. The defending national champions check in at No. 6, right behind Oklahoma (No. 4) and Florida (No. 5). That makes three SEC teams in the Top 6. The biggest surprise to me is Clemson at No. 9 -- that's pretty high for a team that has high expectations every year, but always falls short. The Tigers are pretty stacked this year, especially at running back, so I'm sure the coaches see them as the class of the ACC. BYU checks in at No. 17, which is pretty good for them to make a run at that BCS bowl. They won't have far to go to get into that top 12 if they finish the season undefeated. A few teams with losing records last year, got votes in the preseason poll -- Nebraska (5-7) got 17 votes and Notre Dame (3-9) got 5 votes. Arizona (5-7) and Colorado (6-7) each got one vote. Potential BCS Bowl Predictions (based solely on the Preseason Poll, which we know means nothing, but it sure is fun): BCS Title -- Georgia vs. USC Rose: Ohio State vs. Arizona State Orange: Clemson vs. West Virginia Sugar: Florida vs. Missouri Fiesta: Oklahoma vs. BYU Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:53:04 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/301329 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/301329 1. Florida Yes, I know Georgia's No. 1 in the coaches' preseason poll. But since when did the coaches become good prognosticators? Any team with Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin is No. 1 in my poll. 2. Georgia If Florida and Georgia swapped schedules, I'd probably have the Bulldogs No. 1 in the power rankings. The Bulldogs are good, but not good enough to make it through that schedule unscathed. 3. LSU Sounds like a transfer from Harvard's freshman team, Andrew Hatch, may be LSU's quarterback this year. Say this for the Tigers: If it comes down to the offensive and defensive lines, nobody's better. 4. Auburn This is one of those even years, which means Auburn gets LSU at home. That's typically been good news for the home team. Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville has a solid team. Now, if he can only settle on a quarterback. 5. Tenn The Vols should be better in just about every area than a year ago and, despite embarrassing routs to Florida and Alabama, did make it to the SEC championship game. Is Jon Crompton the answer at quarterback? 6. SC The Gamecocks are overflowing with returning defensive starters, including 270-pound middle linebacker Jasper Brinkley. If Steve Spurrier can stick with a quarterback, the Gamecocks could be in for a big year. 7. Ol Miss As the season has drawn nearer, I've decided that the Rebels deserve some more love. Something tells me Jevan Snead will be the third best quarterback in the league, and Ole Miss is loaded in the defensive line. 8. Bama Freshmen figure to play a big role for the Crimson Tide this season, especially at linebacker and receiver. If quarterback John Parker Wilson can play with consistency from the outset, Bama could work itself up. 9. Miss State The first four games are critical for the Bulldogs. They have to find a way to come out of those four at least 3-1. It remains to be seen if Mississippi State has enough offensive playmakers to match last season's success. 10. Kentucky Rich Brooks says he's never had a more talented defense at Kentucky, and he'll need one this season. The Wildcats lost just about everybody on offense, and quarterback hopeful Curtis Pulley is in the doghouse. 11. Arkansas Arkansas will win a game nobody expects it to, but there's just too much unproven about this team to expect a winning season. Bobby Petrino has shown us that it doesn't take him long to put his stamp on a program. 12. Vandy Keep an eye on D.J. Moore, who's one of the most exciting multi-purpose athletes in the league. He'll play receiver and cornerback. Even so, the Commodores will be hard-pressed to climb out of the cellar. Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:26:08 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/301316 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/301316 Today we finish our Preseason All America Team with the big uglies on Defense. There are some definite high caliber players that will be playing on Sundays very shortly. Once again leave a message if you agree or disagree with the team. Mon, 04 Aug 2008 09:58:24 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/300563 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/300563 When Steve Spurrier took over the coaching duties at South Carolina prior to the 2005 season, the expectation was that he would turn the Gamecocks into a legitimate SEC power. Sat, 02 Aug 2008 11:25:45 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/299794 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/299794 After taking an in depth look at each conference to find the Best Running Backs in College Football I decided to continue on find out who is primed to be the best Wide Receivers in 2008. While this is a little more difficult overall than looking into the backfield, I've come up with some great players that will be suiting up this fall. Here is my breakdown of the best receivers accompanied by their 2007 stats…. Fri, 01 Aug 2008 19:28:21 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/299620 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/299620 In a league that saw lots of turnover at the skill position spots, fantasy options might be tougher to come by in the SEC in 2008. However, there stlll is plenty of high-upside, value picks to be had in the later rounds. Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:54:15 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/297004 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/297004 Recruiting is a never-ending process, with college programs around the nation in constant pursuit of the best talent available. According to Scout.com, every year since 2002 the SEC has led all conferences in landing the most talented prep football players around the nation. Mon, 28 Jul 2008 01:01:02 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/296732 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/296732 I haven't seen a lot of discussion about the best college football stadiums and there are many throughout the nation worthy of special attention. Instead of listing all of them in one post, I'll start with the stadiums along the east coast and work my west before the start of the season. Check back next week for the second installment! Fri, 25 Jul 2008 02:01:54 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/295291 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/295291 I want to make it clear that every list you'll see regarding the most difficult schedule for the 2008 college football season is entirely subjective. I took into account where those tough games take place - at home or on the road. Ultimately, I ranked the teams based on the total number of pre-season Top 25 games on the schedule and how many of those games are at home or on the road. Wed, 23 Jul 2008 02:47:49 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294169 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294169 Week 3 of the Big Orange Roundtable covering the Tennessee Vols, from Gate 21 Tue, 22 Jul 2008 11:06:17 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293791 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293791 It started in 1977, over 30 years ago when the streak began. Woody Hayes, the most beloved of any Ohio State head coach past or present, was the first to endure the pain that has now extended into three decades. How can one team with such a rich history like Ohio State not have a victory against an SEC opponent? Fri, 18 Jul 2008 01:20:43 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/292030 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/292030 Whether you believe he's a legend in the making or a liar, Urban Meyer stokes passions on all sides. Legend advocates will cite his second-year National Championship and a sophomore Heisman Trophy winner. Liar advocates are lining up against Meyer as stories continue to build, just as bridges linking Meyer to other coaches continue to burn. Consider these recent stories from other sites and sources on Meyer's recruiting tactics. It's unlikely the following schools have Meyer on their Christmas card list. LSU: Florida was ready to take all-star corner Patrick Johnson with what they thought was a bogus test score, but he committed to LSU. How did Florida respond? "Florida flagged my scores," Johnson said. "They called the compliance office." "I'm not upset," Johnson said. "Florida made an issue about the ACT score. They're cowards. They had to go behind my back. But that's OK. We play them this year (on Oct. 11 at Florida)." FSU (posted on noledigest.com): "While Gator fans will sit and give excuses or spin the details of what is going on, there is no denying that it seems like the UF staff flat-out lies to these kids. "Here is a quote from Trent Pupello (a player they initially compared to Jeremy Shockey), who is looking to leave the program this year: 'Coach (Steve) Addazio (UF tight ends coach) told me to work on my speed,' Pupello said. 'He didn't say that my speed was slow or anything. He just said that everything (at this level) is faster. "'I need to work on speed and getting stronger, which is pretty much what we all need to work on. He said that they need me at tight end, that I'll have an early chance to play and that all of the tight ends will play on the special teams.'" Michigan site (on the recruitment of Daryl Stonum): The University of Florida stayed on the four star pass-catcher well all the way through. Things crescendoed recently after a conversation with Urban Meyer. According to Stonum, Meyer had a compelling reason why he should become a Gator. "He told me that he talked to Coach Carr and Coach Soup and that they told him that I would be a much better fit in the Florida offense than I would be in the one at Michigan," Stonum recalled. "I thought, wow, my coaches are selling me out? I confronted them about it. I asked Coach Carr and Coach Soup about it, and they said they never talked to that guy and that there was no way they ever said anything like that and that they think I should be a Wolverine. I believed them. Right then, I knew just how Florida rolled." Just Funny: You can't tell the story about Jevan Snead enough (recounted in the book Meat Market). The funniest thing I read in it concerned what Urban Meyer told Jevan Snead. Snead had watched the Outside the Lines special on Tebow, which showed Meyer and OC Dan Mullen in the stands. Problem was, Meyer had told Snead, committed at the time, that he was the only quarterback they were going after. When Snead asked Meyer about it, Meyer responded, "We are recruiting him for linebacker." I had heard that before, but got a big kick out of reading it in the book straight from Snead. More LSU from Fox 26 in Houston: "Hempstead's Terrance Toliver, one of the nation's top high school football recruits, says negative recruiting tactics by the University of Florida first had him confused and bewildered. But in an unusual move, two Hempstead High School employees went above and beyond the call of duty to help Toliver make the biggest decision of his life. "After a vigorous early recruiting rush, it came down to LSU and Florida for Toliver, considered by many the No. 1 high school recruit in Texas and the best wide receiver in the nation. He ended up signing a letter-of-intent with LSU on National Signing Day Wednesday, but not before Florida coaches took several shots at LSU, leaving Toliver unsure what to do next. "'Every time (Florida recruiters) came, they just said LSU doesn't qualify their players,' Toliver told FOX 26's Mark Berman Wednesday. 'About (how) their academics are not all that. It kind of had me confused.'" "Eventually a bewildered Toliver asked his football coach Rick Sargent and Hempstead instructional coordinator Tina Johnson to go to Baton Rouge to find out the truth about LSU. The two went last weekend. 'They went and checked (LSU's) academics out and their facilities,' Toliver said. 'They just came back and told me whatever Florida was saying about the academics wasn't true.'" Notre Dame Blog: When Meyer recruited Justin Trattou he did so by the cover of night. Not that it's illegal, but he told Trattou not to tell anyone he was talking with Florida. Keep in mind that Trattou was committed to Notre Dame at the time. Amongst other things, Coach Meyer talked to Trattou about how the 3-4 defense was not a good fit for him and his football future (read: NFL, which is garbage—the Cowboys, Patriots, and Chargers all use the 3-4). Former Gators assistant coach Greg Mattison's favorite topics about Notre Dame (with several recruits), despite his previous love for the school, included how the weather sucked and the social life suffered. Case in point No. 2: Omar Hunter, same deal as before. Omar was snookered into lying to everyone from Notre Dame coaches and players to likely even his parents, especially his father, who wanted him at Notre Dame due to the academics. Hunter said that he was not talking to other schools, when in fact he was—Florida included—while being a Notre Dame commitment. In the end, Hunter was a fraud himself, but he was not the one who was truly taken for a ride. Coach Mattison recruited Hunter. He had an ax to grind with Notre Dame after leaving South Bend on not so good terms, and he definitely took it to another level with Hunter. Mattison, you see, had an assistant coaching job lined up with the Baltimore Ravens long before this past National Signing Day came around. So when Hunter switched his commitment to UF after initially deciding to attend Notre Dame, Mattison and Meyer did what came naturally. They lied to Hunter about the entire situation, telling Hunter that Mattison was not leaving Gainesville. Just by complete and total coincidence, Mattison ended up taking a job with the Ravens right after National Signing Day. Shocking! And oh yes, Notre Dame assistant coach Bill Lewis, who recently retired as a football coach, told Hunter what was about to happen. Hunter did not listen and signed with the Gators. Urban continues to build the best talent base not located in Southern California. Success certainly breeds enemies, but so does recruiting. Urban Legend or Urban Liar? Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:09:09 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/291802 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/291802 Every once in awhile you hear someone talk about the coaching fraternity. Now we have actual proof that there is indeed one in the college football ranks. Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:24:17 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/291090 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/291090 Well, the headline pretty much sums it up, but former Nebraska football player Jason Peter isn't a fan of former Notre Dame & South Carolina coach current ESPN college analyst Lou Holtz. Peter says the bad-blood started when "his younger brother was a highly touted offensive lineman who committed to Notre Dame shortly before he broke a vertebra in his neck. Holtz never called or visited, though two Notre Dame assistants did, and in the fall Damien was "frozen out, ignored, discarded" by Holtz and company." That would piss me off too, but who knows if this is actually true. Either way, Holtz is a horrible analyst and I can't stand his crazy rants and awkward pep talks. Fri, 11 Jul 2008 20:09:03 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/289344 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/289344