Five burning questions facing South Carolina against Auburn
South Carolina football returns to Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday, looking for its second consecutive win of the year against No. 15 Auburn. The game kicks off at noon on ESPN. Here are the biggest questions facing the Gamecocks heading into the matchup.
1. Can the secondary shut down Bo Nix?
South Carolina’s secondary has struggled in the early stages of the season but did put together a solid performance against Vanderbilt and true freshman quarterback Ken Seals. Now, the Gamecock defensive backs will have to deal with sophomore dual-threat QB Bo Nix, who has experienced a roller coaster start to his collegiate career.
After a solid opening performance against Kentucky, Nix has struggled this year, throwing for one touchdown and rushing for another but gaining just 402 all-purpose yards in two games, averaging 5.4 yards per passing attempt and 1.8 yards per rushing attempt. He also made a controversial spike that nearly cost the Tigers the game against Arkansas. So the opportunity is there for the back end of South Carolina’s defense to make an impact. If it can’t carry any momentum from Vanderbilt, however, it could be an opportunity for Nix to get his own confidence back.
2. Will the offensive front hold up vs. the Tigers?
South Carolina’s offensive line and tight ends has drawn some scrutiny through the season’s first three games as quarterback Collin Hill has faced a fair amount of pressure with more than three sacks per game. This week, the unit will be going against an Auburn front seven that has a history of producing some great pass rushers but is currently sputtering a bit in the eyes of coach Gus Malzahn.
But the Tigers are still a talented group that can get going at any time. The Gamecocks have done a good job blocking for sudden running back star Kevin Harris — keeping Hill upright and under no duress would be huge.
3. Is Shi Smith bottled up again? Will it matter?
Senior Shi Smith led the SEC in catches and targets after two games as he essentially carried the Gamecock passing attack, but Vandy was able to limit him last week to just four catches for 46 yards — not a dismal performance, but less than half of what he had been averaging.
It didn’t wind up mattering, as tight end Nick Muse put up a career high in catches and yards. Sophomore Xavier Legette remains a deep ball threat, and the running backs have been effective pass catchers. But it’s hard to imagine Smith not playing a major role two weeks in a row — and to envision the Gamecock offense playing well without him in back-to-back games.
4. Will the Gamecock defense hold Tank Bigsby in check?
Four-star freshman running back Tank Bigsby was pursued hard by Will Muschamp and his staff during the recruiting process, but ultimately wound up with the Tigers. And he’s made an immediate impact, catching seven passes for 68 yards against Georgia, then rumbling for 146 yards on the ground against Arkansas. He’s quickly become one of the bright spots for Auburn this seasons, and the Gamecocks will have to keep him contained this weekend.
The South Carolina run defense has been solid thus far, holding opponents to 3.2 yards per rush and fewer than 100 yards per game, both fourth in the SEC. It has yet to face a high-level ground attack, though, and has been susceptible to the occasional explosive play.
5. Can the Gamecocks get a win streak going?
It’s been just more than a calendar year since South Carolina last won two games in a row. Since then, the Gamecocks have only been able to beat the SEC’s bottom feeder, Vanderbilt, an accomplishment that has done little to give an anxious fan base confidence.
Auburn, meanwhile, hasn’t lost to the Gamecocks since 1933, before South Carolina was a member of the SEC. While the Tigers have looked a little shaky to start the season, they’re still ranked 15th in the nation. The Gamecocks have a shot — they’re only three-point underdogs — and a victory would inject the team and fans with a massive dose of confidence. Not to mention, 2-2 looks a world different from 1-3.
This story was originally published October 16, 2020 at 8:50 AM with the headline "Five burning questions facing South Carolina against Auburn."
