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In terms of schedules, they don’t get much more unfavorable than this.
The Gamecocks open with Old Dominion, which should be a cozy way to get things started. After that, though, there are very few games that South Carolina will be favored in.
Sure, there are some easy ones. Akron, Wofford and Vanderbilt should give this team four wins, but are there two more victories to be found?
The road games include trips to Kentucky, Alabama, Oklahoma and Clemson. There are home games against LSU, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Missouri.
This is, in a word, brutal.
Beyond the competition, South Carolina enters the season with questions across the depth chart. There are options at quarterback following the departure of Spencer Rattler, although they will have to play behind an offensive line that was both beat up and downright underwhelming last year.
There are bright spots, headlined by the electric Nyck Harbor. An elite athlete with rare speed, his development could help the offense grow a great deal. But the questions on this side of the ball are real.
The defense has its own set of questions after finishing No. 66 in scoring last year. There are some players in this group, headlined by linebacker Debo Williams.
Still, the talent this team will face in all areas on a week-to-week basis is likely to be too much. South Carolina isn’t void of good players. There are some really nice pieces here.
But…that schedule. Woof.
