Gamecocks First Football Opponent Shows USC No Respect

The USM blogger on the College Football Zealots blog network was asked the question: “What team on the schedule do you fear the most?”

Naturally, most people would think the blogger would mention the opening game against an SEC team like South Carolina. Especially since some in the media have speculated the Gamecocks might possibly contend with Florida for the SEC East title in football.

However, the USM blogger is not impressed. Nor should he be, really. He probably watched the Gamecock's bowl performance in Birmingham. If the Gamecocks play like they did in the bowl game, the talented USM football team will easily win the September 2, 2010 game in Columbia.

On July 28, 2010, Gamecock Head Ball Coach Steve Spurrier acknowledged opposing coaches think they can beat us, and opposing fans don't fear us.

The state of our football program right now is that we are not very good. We got clobbered in the Papajohns Bowl by UConn. We're in the process of trying to earn respect not only of our fans but fans all over the country. We gotta earn it. We don't need to talk about what we're going to do because in the last game we were a sad bunch of guys.

Spurrier Video (July 28, 2010).

Still, you are in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and you expect some respect from your non-conference opponent. If you are a USM fan playing an SEC team in a 2010 road opener, and you are asked, What team on the schedule do you fear the most?, that question should elicit something about the opening SEC opponent. I admit that it grates a bit when the USM blogger gives neither the Gamecocks nor South Carolina's 84,000 football fans nary a mention. Here is how the USM writer answered the question about fear:

Southern Miss has adapted an attitude of "anyone, anywhere, anytime." They have always been a school that is known for going to play the best college football has to offer. Saying that, Houston's offensive power gave USM fits last season. Without defensive adjustments, the Cougars will be a tough match-up again. Central Florida is also a difficult place to play and could decide Conference USA East this season.

So, according to this writer, USM (1-5 in 2009 road games) most fears a road game in Orlando against UCF, and a home tilt against Houston this season. Hmmmmmm.

Surprising? According to Gamecock fans living down in southern Mississippi on the Gulf Coast, more than just a few of the USM fans are opening talking big about the prospect USM whipping up on the Gamecocks.

The USM Coach Larry Fedora, an offensive genius, is similarly unconcerned about the Gamecocks or their fans. He expects USM to beat the Gamecocks down . . . and on the Gamecocks home turf. Fedora publicly and boldly made just that prediction recently.

"The first college football game of the 2010 season is us. So every college football fan in this entire country will be watching us - watching the Golden Eagles beating South Carolina," he said to a rocking applause. “And I've already told the guys when it happens, walk across the field and shake their hands like you expected it to happen.”

Clarion Ledger, Fedora plots opening upset (July 16, 2010)

Most coaches are not so brash about predicting victories over opponents, particularly road SEC opponents. Apparently, the Gamecock football program does not warrant the usual respect due an SEC opponent.

Still, Fedora's brashness was enough to raise eyebrows and questions at the Conference USA news media event last weekend. But when the press asked Fedora about his guaranteed USM victory over the Gamecocks, he responded with “a confused look.” Then, he said:

"People acted like I said something I wasn't supposed to, like I'm not supposed to expect to win," Fedora said. "We want to go up there and do a good job. So that's crazy. Our guys are working extremely hard and expect to win. I wouldn't want it any other way.""We are expecting a breakout year," Fedora said. "We're going into our third year. We've upgraded our talent level and I've got the pieces of the puzzle in place. We'll be a major player in this league."

"We're going to be much better defensively," Fedora said. "It's going to be the strength of this team. We've got guys with talent who have experience. We have young guys to back them up with a lot of talent.

"We have nine returning starters and everybody has played. They've played hundreds of snaps and they know what it feels like and they know the defense.

Clarion Ledger, Confident Fedora: 'I've got the pieces of the puzzle in place' (July 26, 2010).

It is quite humbling to your humble correspondent to realize that his favorite team cannot even generate a teeny-tiny bit of respect from the USM Head Coach.


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