The Next level

[Cockfan720]

It seems that here as of late many of our sports teams are on the brink of REALLY special things, but we just aren't able to take it to the next level. Especially since Steve Spurrier's arrival our program has been on the verge of many HUGE wins, but haven't been able to close the deal. Some of the bigger ones have been:

2005 vs. Georgia (FINAL: 15-17); in the game we had a missed FG, touchdown called back, missed two point conversion, and allowed UGA to convert a 3rd and 22 with under 5 minutes on the UGA 8 yard line. IMPACT: Winning this game would've been huge. Looking back on the 2005 season, we finished 2nd in the East (behind UGA). We would've been in Atlanta with a win in Athens.

2005 vs. Clemson (FINAL: 9-13); in the game we had Clemson on the ropes in the 4th quarter with a 9-6 lead. Clemson converted on 1st and 39 in the 4th quarter to take the lead 13-9. Following that, Blake Mitchell threw an interception in Clemson territory on South Carolina's final offense drive. IMPACT: This game would've completed a 6 game winning streak by USC and guarunteed the Gamecocks an Outback Bowl or Peach Bowl invite. Instead we got the Independence Bowl.

2005 vs. Missouri (FINAL: 38-31); After leading 28-7 in the 2nd quarter the Gamecocks essentially stopped playing. A Missouri rally was sparked when Blake Mitchell through an interception in the end zone with 20 seconds to go in the second half. A touchdown would've given the Gamecocks a 35-7 lead. Missouri went on to outscore the Gamecocks 24-3 in the second half. South Carolina also missed an opportunity to tie it up as Blake Mitchell through an interception in Missouri territory. IMPACT: Winning this
game would've improved the Gamecocks to 8-4 on the season and most likely a top 25 appearance in the final polls for the first time since 2001.

2006 vs. Auburn (FINAL: 17-24); Auburn (ranked #2 by the AP) came into Columbia a HEAVY favorite. In the game, Kenny Irons rushed for TDs twice on 4th and Goal situations. Auburn also recovered an onside kick and converted twice in situations of 3rd and 14+ yards. Jared Cook also dropped what would've been the game tying touchdown pass with under 5 minutes to go in the 4th quarter. IMPACT: This game was played on national TV on a Thursday night in Columbia. Beating #2 would've been awfully sweet. It was just one of the 4 SEC games that USC lost by a TD or less in 06.

2006 vs. Tennessee (FINAL: 24-31); South Carolina started the game of horribly giving UT 14 free points. The first of which was on a tipped up pass by Syvelle Newton. It was intercepted and returned for a TD. USC then tipped up what could've been an INT. right into a UT receiver's hands in the end zone for another TD. We rallied back however to a 17-14 lead in the 3rd quarter. South Carolina's special teams and defensive blunder's were too much in the 4th quarter though as the Vols won by a TD 31-24. IMPACT: Gameday was in Columbia for this one and would've given USC their second consecutive win over the Vols for the first time in history. It also would've given USC a 6-2 record and a top 25 appearance.

2006 vs. Arkansas (FINAL: 20-26); South Carolina started this game off horribly. The most sour point in this game is Arkansas's hail mary TD with 0:02 left in the 1st half. Arky already had the lead 16-6 and USC's two defenders tipped a ball up that should've just been batted down. The result was a 23-6 defecit at half time. The Gamecocks battled back however. They pulled within 6 with a beautiful pass and catch from Blake Mitchell and Sidney Rice. Then with 9 minutes to go in the 4th quarter, USC had the chance to take the lead, but Blake Mitchell threw an interception at the Arkansas 34 (on a play with a wide open Sidney Rice). Arkansas converted on 3rd and 8 and 3rd and 10 on the final drive of the game to run out the clock. IMPACT: It was another close game we lost to by a top 15 team (the third of the year). Would've made the Gamecocks 6-3 had we won.

2006 vs. Florida (FINAL 16-17); This game will go down in infamousy as the "three blocked field goals game." Florida blocked an extra point and two field goals in this game. USC also kicked a GOOD 55 yard FG a fracture of a second too late in this game and was forced to punt. On USC's final drive, Blake Mitchell completed a pass to the Florida 7 but it was called back due to a penalty. USC was forced to kick a FG. It was blocked. IMPACT: It was just another close game that USC couldn't win. The Gamecocks could've upset the soon-to-be national champs in the swamp. The Gamecocks had more yards and less turnovers than the Gators but couldn't kick FGs.

2007 vs. Vanderbilt (FINAL 6-17); Well, this has to be the worst game I've ever been to. The Gamecocks got to the Vandy 17, 13, and 9 yard lines all on different drives in this game and only managed 6 points out of it. The Gamecocks also turned it over four times (including 3 int's). IMPACT: South Carolina was heavily favored at 6-1 and #6 in the country coming into this game. The team came out COMPLETELY FLAT and it showed.

2007 vs. Tennessee (FINAL 24-27); Another close loss in a string of heartbreakers since Spurrier's arrival. This one is the only Overtime game however. Down 21-0 at halftime it looked like the Gamecocks were on the losing end of a blow out. But a terrific second half performance from Cory Boyd, Blake Mitchell, Kenny McKinley (among others) sparked a comeback. The Gamecocks tied it up with 11 minutes to go in the 4th quarter. They took the lead 24-21 with a FG with 1:24 left in the game. Tennessee returned the next kickoff to midfield. They then fumbled TWICE (and recovered their own fumbles) on a drive to kick the game-tying field goal. In, OT the Gamecock defnese held the Vols to a FG, USC went on to fumble on the first play of OT (they did recover their own fumble however). Then Blake Mitchell overshot a WIDE OPEN receiver in the endzone for the game winning TD. Succop went on to miss a relatively short FG (for him at least). Earlier in the game USC had also failed to score after getting down to the Tenn. 4 yard line. IMPACT: This game would've put USC at 7-2 and in the driver's seat in the SEC East as they had already beaten Kentucky and UGA (and Florida already had 3 losses in conference).

2007 vs. Clemson (FINAL 21-23); South Carolina had 2 punts blocked in this game (one for a TD). Blake Mitchell also threw two interceptions in the game. USC overcame this however and rallied in the 4th quarter to take a 21-20 lead. The Gamecocks had the ball with 3 minutes to go. On 3rd and 4 they could not convert however and were forced to punt to Clemson. On 3rd and 18 Clemson completed a pass to make it 4th and 4. Stopping Clemson here would've won the game for USC. They failed to do so and Clemson went on to score a FG as time expired. IMPACT: This game would've gotten USC to a 7-5 record and the Music City Bowl. Instead the Gamecocks (after a 6-1 start in 2007), were denied a bowl trip with a 6-6 record.

Now, I know we've also won our fair share of close games (06 Clemson, 06 Wofford, 07 UGA, 05 UT, etc.) but we all know it takes a lot of luck to win the SEC and national championship (SEE the 2006 USC-UF game above), but when are we gonna start having the ball bounce our way. When are we FINALLY gonna make it to the next level??!!!?!

Sorry for the vent guys...just really pissed after our baseball team's performance today.

[lacene]

2005 vs. Georgia (FINAL: 15-17); in the game we had a missed FG, touchdown called back, missed two point conversion, and allowed UGA to convert a 3rd and 22 with under 5 minutes on the UGA 8 yard line. IMPACT: Winning this game would've been huge. Looking back on the 2005 season, we finished 2nd in the East (behind UGA). We would've been in Atlanta with a win in Athens.

In this game, after UGA scored the first TD to go up 7-0 early in the 2nd quarter, D.J. Shockley was intercepted by Jonathan Joseph for a pick-6, but Josh Brown muffed the PAT to tie the game. Brown would kick a FG later in the game, as USC took a slim 9-7 lead into the halftime. In the 2nd half, UGA scored 10 points, Succop (a freshman who was kicking our longer attempts in '05) missed a 46-yard FG. Mitchell connected with Rice for a 4th quarter TD, but because of that missed PAT in the 2nd, we had to try for the 2-pt. play to tie the game. Mitchell just overthrew an out-stretched Rice by 2 inches in the EZ on a short out, and as you say UGA ran the clock down, helped by the 3rd and 22 conversion.

USC has been blown out in more than it's share of games, but we've also lost more than our share just on playing the little things poorly, or not playing smart enough. We also had too many of these last season......

[Cockfan720]

USC has been blown out in more than it's share of games, but we've also lost more than our share just on playing the little things poorly, or not playing smart enough. We also had too many of these last season......

I think you're exactly right...we have to start playing SMART. We gave Florida 13 free points to start our game with them last year (fumbled the first play of the game and got a punt blocked after our second offensive posession). Spurrier's been preaching about it since his arrival...but we need to start playing SMART!!!

[lacene]

2007 vs. Tennessee (FINAL 24-27); Another close loss in a string of heartbreakers since Spurrier's arrival. This one is the only Overtime game however. Down 21-0 at halftime it looked like the Gamecocks were on the losing end of a blow out. But a terrific second half performance from Cory Boyd, Blake Mitchell, Kenny McKinley (among others) sparked a comeback. The Gamecocks tied it up with 11 minutes to go in the 4th quarter. They took the lead 24-21 with a FG with 1:24 left in the game. Tennessee returned the next kickoff to midfield. They then fumbled TWICE (and recovered their own fumbles) on a drive to kick the game-tying field goal. In, OT the Gamecock defnese held the Vols to a FG, USC went on to fumble on the first play of OT (they did recover their own fumble however). Then Blake Mitchell overshot a WIDE OPEN receiver in the endzone for the game winning TD. Succop went on to miss a relatively short FG (for him at least). Earlier in the game USC had also failed to score after getting down to the Tenn. 4 yard line. IMPACT: This game would've put USC at 7-2 and in the driver's seat in the SEC East as they had already beaten Kentucky and UGA (and Florida already had 3 losses in conference).

This game was particularly frustrating, considering how dominant our team was against UT. Looking at the score, you'd never know it. UT got their 1st 2 scores on the fumble from Freddie Brown (who caught a nice 18-yard pass for a 1st down, before losing it), and on an INT from Smelley in USC's territory. In the 2nd half, USC's much-maligned defense totally shut UT and Ainge down, holding the Vols to 6 scoreless possessions to start the half that totaled -1, 5, 32, 0, 0, and 4 yards from scrimmage....all but 1 of those possessions were 3-and-out. Meanwhile, USC scores 3 TD's and a 49-yd. FG during this time to take a slim 24-21 lead. Here's the frustration:

The Gamecocks ALSO drive the length of the field to start the 2nd half and face a 1st & GOAL at the UT 4, but due to being in a big hole forego any FG attempts and use all their 4 downs attempting TD passes into the EZ, of which we come away with nothing. Then, in the 4th with the score tied at 21-21, USC AGAIN drives the field down to the UT 23, where on 1st down Davis rushing with the ball is wrapped and held up while another UT defender strips the ball from him, and it's recovered by UT. BUT, 3 plays later Ainge throws an INT to Captain. So, with the reset on the UT 30, USC moves backwards with 2 incompletes and 2 penalties, before Mitchell himself throws an INT at the UT 17. The Vols don't score, but manage to punt the ball away this time. Again, USC comes away from all that time around the UT redzone with nothing.....

SO if you count the 1st possession of the game for USC where we drive into FG range for Succop, but a 9-yd. sack of Smelley forces us to punt, that's a potential of 3 offensive possessions where the Gamecocks were either in UT's redzone or in FG range, but come away with a total of 0 points for it. 4 possessions, really, if you count the reprieve USC got after the Davis fumble, when we got the ball back again for another crack at it, but still come away with nothing.....add the Brown fumble and Smelley INT from the 1st half, and the USC-UT game was all about USC, for good AND for bad. USC out-gained UT 338-62 in the 2nd half on their field, and out-scored them 24-3. It's a shame we couldn't convert one of those other opportunities....

[Cockfan720]

This game was particularly frustrating, considering how dominant our team was against UT. Looking at the score, you'd never know it. UT got their 1st 2 scores on the fumble from Freddie Brown (who caught a nice 18-yard pass for a 1st down, before losing it), and on an INT from Smelley in USC's territory. In the 2nd half, USC's much-maligned defense totally shut UT and Ainge down, holding the Vols to 6 scoreless possessions to start the half that totaled -1, 5, 32, 0, 0, and 4 yards from scrimmage....all but 1 of those possessions were 3-and-out. Meanwhile, USC scores 3 TD's and a 49-yd. FG during this time to take a slim 24-21 lead. Here's the frustration:

The Gamecocks ALSO drive the length of the field to start the 2nd half and face a 1st & GOAL at the UT 4, but due to being in a big hole forego any FG attempts and use all their 4 downs attempting TD passes into the EZ, of which we come away with nothing. Then, in the 4th with the score tied at 21-21, USC AGAIN drives the field down to the UT 23, where on 1st down Davis rushing with the ball is wrapped and held up while another UT defender strips the ball from him, and it's recovered by UT. BUT, 3 plays later Ainge throws an INT to Captain. So, with the reset on the UT 30, USC moves backwards with 2 incompletes and 2 penalties, before Mitchell himself throws an INT at the UT 17. The Vols don't score, but manage to punt the ball away this time. Again, USC comes away from all that time around the UT redzone with nothing.....

SO if you count the 1st possession of the game for USC where we drive into FG range for Succop, but a 9-yd. sack of Smelley forces us to punt, that's a potential of 3 offensive possessions where the Gamecocks were either in UT's redzone or in FG range, but come away with a total of 0 points for it. 4 possessions, really, if you count the reprieve USC got after the Davis fumble, when we got the ball back again for another crack at it, but still come away with nothing.....add the Brown fumble and Smelley INT from the 1st half, and the USC-UT game was all about USC, for good AND for bad. USC out-gained UT 338-62 in the 2nd half on their field, and out-scored them 24-3. It's a shame we couldn't convert one of those other opportunities....

Yep, even though I wasn't there and I was at the others this year (Clemson and Vandy), that one hurts the most. Because both teams were playing for the inside track to Atlanta. Even though we had lost to Vandy, there was still a great deal of hope for us to get to Atlanta. And we blew SO many opportunities. But that's exactly what we're talking about...we played a GREAT second half (for the most part) but didn't play smart football at all in the first half. We should've rolled over UT much like Bama did the week before.:brick::brick: