Keys for the South Carolina Gamecocks to defeat the Missouri Tigers

After suffering a blowout loss last week to Vanderbilt, the South Carolina Gamecocks are looking to get back in the win column against the Missouri Tigers. With LaNorris Sellers playing, the Gamecocks will certainly have a much better chance to win, but there are still several challenges they’ll need to overcome if they want to get their first SEC win.

• Contain Amhad Henry- The Tigers have one of the best offensive attacks in the country, ranking in the top five nationally in total yardage. One of the biggest reasons for their offensive explosions is RB Amhad Henry. Last week against Louisiana Lafayette, Henry exploded for 250 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. If the Gamecocks want to leave this game with a victory, it’s imperative that their front seven is able to be physical at the point of attack. The Gamecocks certainly have the personnel to win up front, and if they do, they’ll greatly impact their chance of winning. 

• Establish an offensive rhythm- It sounds elementary that a team needs to establish offensive rhythm in a game, but it’s been a glaring issue for the Gamecocks. They are the worst scoring offense in the SEC, which doesn’t bode well when facing the best scoring offense in the conference. When Sellers went down last week, the offense looked totally shell shocked and was unable to generate any consistency or explosiveness without his elite athleticism and strength. If the Gamecocks want to win, they’ll have to put together consecutive successful drives and stay in the driver’s seat.

• Force Turnovers- Playing such a high powered offense, the Gamecocks will need to make big plays to stifle momentum for the Tigers. One of the best ways to generate big plays is to force turnovers on defense. While the Tigers have been dominant on offense, the Gamecocks are undoubtedly the best team they have faced up to this point. Boasting a heap of talent on defense, the Gamecocks are poised to be the first team to get consistent pressure in the Tigers backfield and force QB Beau Pribula to make poor decisions in the air. With a struggling offense, turnovers will also leave their offense with shorter fields to drive down the field, which would be a huge confidence boost for LaNorris Sellers and co. 

The Gamecocks will kick off tonight from Columbia, MI at 7 PM ET on ESPN.