South Carolina Gets Chance To Examine Landscape

The Gamecocks have been so focused on executing week after week that they've forgotten to contextualize themselves.

College football doesn't allow much breathing room. Coaches, players, and fans are dialed in on the next game, next series, and next play. It's one of the endearing things that makes the sport special, but also creates tunnel vision.

Few teams properly contextualize themselves within the landscape, but South Carolina's bye week gives them a chance to do that. They know exactly who they are: a scrappy team on the rise with solid coaching.

However, they don't know where they fit into the general equation. The SEC is extremely clustered after last weekend, so there's benefits to sitting this week out. Here are some marquee matchups the conference has to offer on Saturday.

• Vanderbilt @ Georgia
• Alabama @ Tennessee
• LSU @ Florida
• Mississippi State @ Kentucky

The Gamecocks still must play many of the teams listed here. They've already taken on Georgia and Kentucky, so those games should serve as clear indicators. The SEC East race is beginning to heat up; Tennessee is the clear favorite to finish No. 2, but their game against Alabama could swing the tide.

Weird things happen in situations like this. None of these teams know who they are, including Georgia and Alabama. There generally are several trap games when things are this tight in-conference; having a bye this week affords South Carolina an opportunity to assess things internally and externally.

They catch Texas A&M at an unfortunate time in their schedule; the Aggies also have a bye and are coming off a close loss to the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide. While A&M has notable flaws and questionable coaching, they are a solid squad, one that the Gamecocks won't get a look at before playing.

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