South Carolina Predicted to Suffer First Conference Loss to an Unexpected Opponent

With fall camp in session, the South Carolina Gamecocks are officially beginning their journey to the College Football Playoff. Tasked with surviving one of the toughest schedules in the country, every rep, drill, and competition is critical to ensuring they are ready for the season’s inaugural kickoff. 

Though the over/under for wins for the Gamecocks are 7.5, head coach Shane Beamer and his team are aiming for much higher. Despite having heavyweights like LSU, Alabama, and Clemson on the schedule, the Gamecocks are predicted to suffer an early loss from a conference foe.

According to CBS Sports, the Gamecocks are predicted to take their first loss of the season to the Missouri Tigers. This would be their fourth game of the season, as well as their second conference game. The site notes that the Gamecocks have not made it through the first six weeks of a season without suffering a loss since 2012. 

"If South Carolina is able to start the season 5-0 entering its open date ahead of a showdown at LSU, the Gamecocks are going to be a trendy College Football Playoff pick at midseason," Brad Crawford wrote. "However, this program hasn't made it through the first six weeks of the regular season unscathed since 2012 and has lost five of its last six to the Tigers, including three on the road. The first true road game for Shane Beamer's team this fall will be a four-quarter fight and decided in the final moments."

It is worth noting that this matchup will be the first true road trip of the season and is sandwiched between two home games, being Vanderbilt and Kentucky. Last season, the Gamecocks beat the Tigers at home in a thriller that was settled in the last minute of the game.

If the Gamecocks were to suffer a loss to Mizzou, it would certainly lower their margin for error throughout the rest of the season. Unless a team wins their conference, it is tough to make the College Football Playoff with more than two losses. Following the matchup with Kentucky after Mizzou,  the Gamecocks would have to travel to Death Valley to play the LSU Tigers, which is a tough task for any team. 

It would not get easier, as the weeks follow with matchups against Alabama, Oklahoma, and Ole Miss. If the Gamecocks want to make a playoff push, it is paramount that they enter the matchup with LSU undefeated. It is obviously not an impossibility to make the playoffs if they suffer a loss to Mizzou, but it will certainly make the road to the postseason much more difficult. 

The matchup between the Gamecocks and Mizzou Tigers is scheduled for October 20th, but no time has been announced yet.