The Gamecocks might have just locked up the off season NC

At first I laughed, but their first 8 games are as soft as possible for a SEC team (other than playing a FCS team instead of NC State):

NC State
@Missouri
Kentucky
LA Tech
Texas A&M
Arkansas
@Tennessee
Vanderbilt

6-2 is definitely possible. Would guess 5-3 tho.

I'm not sure how good NC State is, but that seems like a coin flip. Game is a neutral site too (although would expect more USCe fans).

The East is up for grabs and at least USCe has a proven QB. In theory Muschamp should have the defense in good shape.

Need to investigate their O/U win total this year - may have to make an Over wager if it's at 6.

Not sure how this can be equated to us boasting about potentially being the best team in the East when the article very accurately includes this portion:

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That’s the best-case, going to Georgia at 8-0 with a game against Wofford still to come, and having that New Year’s Day bowl berth wrapped up by Halloween. The worst-case? All those swing games go the other way: N.C. State lives up to the hype, Kentucky steals another one, La. Tech puts up 60, crowds at Texas A&M and Tennessee are too much to overcome.

Then, it’s a very different trip to Georgia for a team in the neighborhood of 3-5. South Carolina appears much better than a season ago, but the schedule is a more difficult one. Even the timing of that Missouri game, on the road and early when the Tigers are still confident, can be worrisome. Then again: Bentley stays healthy, and USC should be able to control the clock and score with anyone on its schedule through the first eight weeks.

That’s why it’s so tempting to look at what might be possible if the Gamecocks can get past N.C. State. Will it all unfold so perfectly? Of course not.

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It's not unusual to be optimistic, especially considering the past 3 years we've had, but I don't think even the most idiotic of Gamecock fans expect anything close to this happening.

Muschamp and his staff still have a lot to prove in order for us to be solidly confident again.

South Carolina's O/U regular season win total is 5.5 this year.

That could be cashed before Nov

Interestingly enough, NC State O/U is 7.5 wins - that opener is looking tough for the Cocks.

Literally every year people say we will lose the first game. The only time it has happened since Spurrier was hired was 2014 A&M

Also we haven't lost to a North Carolina school since 1999.

This is a clickbait article designed to build hype for the season. If the offseason championship was this easy to win, no wonder Tennessee is actually good at winning it.

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Literally every year people say we will lose the first game

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That doesn't make much sense from my viewpoint since the only opener I remember USCe not performing well at is the Kenny Trill game vs. TAMU.

NC State should be solid tho. Underrated game in Week 1 for sure.

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at least USCe has a proven QB

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Is he really proven though? Besides lighting up the number 115th passing D in a bowl game did he do anything to prove himself?

200 yards against the #103 passing d
170 yards against the #68 passing d
250 yards against the #87 passing d
210 yards against the #2 passing d (most impressive of the bunch)
150 yards against an FBS school
40 yards against the #29 passing d

I'm not say he won't have a great year but I want to see it against some better competition first.

Why does that matter? Eason hasn't proven he's legit yet either.

Edit: but for comparison since you asked.

UT:
Eason 211 2 tds
Bentley 167 2 tds

UF:
Eason 143 1 td
Bentley 213 0 tds

Missouri:
Eason 308 3 tds
Bentley 254 2 tds

Very similar numbers and I want to see more out of both of them before either is better than the other or either of them are legit. But that's just my opinion.

I was just asking, but alright