Are you ready for some football? The Gamecocks are expected to be one of the top teams in the nation this year. Below is a detailed game by game prediciton by Mr. Victor Benton.

Well everyone, another of college football is finally back!!! Like or not, I am once again sending my predicaions for the coming year for the Gamecocks! Last year was the best year we have had in a long time, and I am looking forward to another banner year!

Last year I almost called  the year perfect, as I called for USC to lose to Auburn, Arkansas, and Florida, and although I didn't call for us to lose to Kentucky, I predicted it could be an upset for us after beating Alabama. I just couldn't pick them to beat us. So florida was the only game I was way off on, and thank goodness for that, because beating those Gator's in the swamp was so sweet!!!

Now for this year:

September 3 - East Carolina in Charlotte - This team has a very good quarterback, Dominique Davis, but not much pass that. they can put points on the board, but give up twice what they get. Marcus Lattimore will have 100 yds rushing in the 1st half. The line is; USC -20.5, but should be 28. We win 42-14.

September 10 at Georgia - As always, the game will make or break our season. Most sports folks are picking them to win the east as they have a great QB in Murray, the #4 rated Freshman Running Back in Isaiah Crowell, and a sense of urgency coming off their 1st losing season in over 15 years. I have UGA losing only  2 games all year, with the Boise St game going either way. They'll lose at Tennessee, and they WILL lose this game as well! They will be a talented team, but we have more talent and more experience.

September 17 Navy - This game scares the crap out of me! Maybe it's still a hangover from 1984, I don't know!! The real reason is, we have struggled against teams with the triple option! Hell, Wofford almost beat us a few years back! Whatever the line is, I would take Navy and the points. They will give our defense a test, but garcia will pick apart their secondary!! He could throw for over 400 yds this game!!! We will win, but will struggle to beat the spread. Take the over on points!!

September 24 Vanderbilt - For what ever reason, we always play down to Vanderbilt's talent level. This year they shouldn't have a chance, but look at the last 5 years. They have 19 starters back, but aren't very talented. Home game, no way we lose to these guys again!

October 1 Auburn - We will be 4-0 when Auburn comes to town! Payback is a bitch!! Auburn lost a bunch from last year but will still be talented. We should have won the 1st meeting last year, but got blown out in the sec title game. That hail mary touchdown before halftime killed us. USC is 17-4 at home over the last 3 years, with our loses to:#17 Arkansas last year, #1 Florida in 2009, #2 ranked georgia and #13 LSU in 2008. The cockpit has become an advantage for us, and we won't lose it here! We are now 5-0!!!

October 8 Kentucky - One more payback from last year!! Kentucky has 16 sarters back from a team that beat us,  beat Louisville, lost to Auburn by 3, played Georgia and Miss. St.  both good solid games!! We had better not have a let down here, or they could upset us again. UK would love to come into Columbia, with us ranked in the top 7 or so, and whip our butts. Not this year!!! We are now 6-0!!!

October 15  at Mississippi St. - Good team here people!! 9-4 last year with 16 starters back!! They lost by 3 to Auburn, beat Georgia, won at Florida, beat Kentucky, and lost to Arkansas in 2OT's. They have a great coach in Dan Mullen and he protects the home field. This will be our first loss of the season!!! I hope I'm wrong, but we aren't ready for a title shot just yet!!! We fall to 6-1.

October 29 at Tennessee - Another tough game here!! We are are more talented, but we have only won 1 time playing at Tennessee , and have NEVER beaten them in back-to-back years. They are real close to getting back to the Tennessee of old! One thing we have going for us is, they play Georgia, LSU and Alabama the 3 weeks before they face us and we have a bye week before playing them!! They will be beat up, and we will be well rested!! We will win, to go to 7-1!!!

November 5 at Arkansas - I hate this team!!! We always play poorly against them and have won once in the last 5 years! This will be a battle, and will go down to the wire. I have Arkansas losing only 1 or 2 games this year and we aren't one of them!! We drop to 7-2!!

November 12 Florida - Great victory last year in the Swamp for the East title, and we will need this win again to claim the east! They have a new coach, less talent, and they are playing in the Cockpit!! Nuff' said!!! We go to 8-2!!

November 19 The Citadel -  Really??!!! We are now 9-2!!!

November 26 Clemson - Even though I love USC playing in the competitive SEC, this is the ONE game I hate for us to lose!!! The last time USC won 3 in a row, I was 13 years old!!! That is 41 years people!!! Clemson will be a better team this year, although their record may not show it. I've got them going 6-6, maybe 7-5 and they won't beat us here!!!

This is our time, and a great time to be a Gamecock!!! We end the season 10-2 and we are again in the SEC Championship game in Atlanta! I don't think we will beat Alabama, but we can, and it will be a close game!! A couple more predictions: Marcus Lattimore (1300+ yds rushing, 20 td's) and Alshon Jefferey(1600 yds rec, and 15 TD's) will be 1st team All Americans, and Stephen Garcia 1st team all SEC!!! Garcia is going to make everyone forget about all his problems since coming here!! He will pass for over 3500 yds to become the all time leader in USC history! Have fun this season everybody, I know I will!!!     GO COCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Author-Victor Benton

Mr. Benton is a lifelong Gamecock fan who has weathered the good years and bad years. Never wavering in optimism or hope year by year, this time his predicitons appear to possibly be set to come true,FINALLY!