The Halftime Report: South Carolina Vs. North Carolina

South Carolina's Football team is heading into the locker room with a 17-14 halftime deficit against UNC. What took place in the first half?

Both South Carolina and North Carolina are heading into the locker room with the Tar Heels currently carrying a three-point halftime advantage. So far, the Gamecocks have rode the struggle bus on both sides of the ball in terms of trying to establish a rhythm in this game. What all happened in the first half?

Quarterbacks Are Trading Blows

While the time of possession is skewed slightly towards the Tar Heels, Drake Maye has shown so far why he's considered one of the best quarterbacks in the country. Maye hasn't had any big completions as far as explosive passes, but he's made the right plays consistently, been accurate with the football, and has helped North Carolina get out of a jam on several occasions.

Spencer Rattler has also been extremely efficient when given a chance, but issues with the ground game and inconsistent pass blocking has put the Gamecocks in multiple 3rd and long situations, making it difficult for South Carolina to give their star quarterback a chance to showcase his skillset.

Situational Defense Is Lacking

There's some good news and bad news as far as Clayton White's defensive unit is concerned. The good news is that the defense hasn't allowed many explosive plays from the Tar Heel offense. The bad news is that North Carolina has found multiple ways through Maye's legs and a lackluster Gamecock pass rush to keep their offense on the field, and have converted on six of their eight 3rd down attempts so far. Sterling Lucas and Travian Robertson have both rotated several linemen in and out of the game, and Clayton White has dialed up some exotic blitzes, but nothing has worked so far.

The Gamecocks' offense has done well so far in the passing game, but finding some more balance on the ground would help take some of the pressure off of Rattler. For the defense, they simply have got to find a way to get off the field when they get opportunities to do so. 

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