Why The First Four Weeks Will Tell Us A Lot About South Carolina's Football Team
South Carolina's Football program is no stranger to tough schedules because they play in the SEC and end every regular season with their annual rivalry matchup against the Clemson Tigers. This season, however, is more difficult than even the Gamecocks are used to, and it won't be long before Shane Beamer's squad has their mental and physical toughness tested to the fullest extent.
In just the first four weeks of the season, South Carolina is taking on the No. 21 North Carolina Tar Heels, the No. 6 ranked Furman Paladins (FCS), the No. 1 ranked Georgia Bulldogs, and the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Each game will tell us a lot about the overall makeup of the South Carolina Gamecocks in 2023.
In the North Carolina game, Gamecock fans will find out quickly if the Carolina secondary, a unit that lost Cam Smith and Darius Rush this past offseason, can contain an elite-level quarterback in Drake Maye. Should South Carolina leave Charlotte with a victory, they'll be tested the following weekend against Furman regarding their overall preparation and ability to be where their feet are in the moment.
In their matchup against the Georgia Bulldogs, Carolina will get to test themselves against what's currently the standard in College Football. Beamer and his staff will better understand the gap between them and their SEC rivals. When they take on the Bulldogs from the SEC West in Mississippi State, the Gamecocks will have to prepare themselves for a team that will look to establish an advantage in physicality early, which could test them considering the opponent they play the week prior.
Each one of the Gamecocks' first four opponents will bring a unique test. If Shane Beamer and his team find themselves on the winning side of things for most of this stretch, it could be a strong indication of what South Carolina could accomplish in 2023.
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