Why South Carolina Matches Up Perfectly Against Vanderbilt

Why the South Carolina Gamecocks matchup perfectly against Vanderbilt.

Sep 14, 2024; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks edge Kyle Kennard (5) celebrates after a fourth down stop against the LSU Tigers in the third quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images / Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Why the South Carolina Gamecocks matchup perfectly against Vanderbilt.

The South Carolina Gamecocks are coming off of a massive win against the Texas A&M Aggies to hand them their first conference loss of the season. They now are tasked with playing against Vanderbilt this weekend, a team that has been a huge surprise in the SEC. The Commodores continued to win in conference play, and provide a unique matchup against defenses, but the Gamecocks might have the perfect recipe for success this weekend.

Part of the reason why Vanderbilt has given opposing defenses issues this year is because they run an option-styled offense. It's something that defenses are not accustomed to seeing and therefore can create some matchup issues. However, South Carolina possesses one of the best defensive fronts in the sport and that will go a long way this weekend in helping them stop quarterback Deigo Pavia and the Commodore's offense.

Kyle Kennard and Dylan Stewart have been massive bright spots on defense for the Gamecocks, and they will have to play a major role on Saturday. Containing the edge and winning upfront is required to slow down Vanderbilt offensively and South Carolina has continued to do that this season against just about every single opponent they have faced.

South Carolina has the fourth-most sacks and the 11th-most tackles for loss in the country this season due to how disruptive their defensive front has been this season. If that trend continues this weekend, then they will likely have a lot of success in stopping Vanderbilt's offense. The Commodores rank 13th for time of possession in the country this season, so getting stops and quick stops are crucial when playing them, and South Carolina certainly has the personnel to do that this weekend.

You Might Also Like:

• South Carolina's Shane Beamer Gives an Honest Opinion About the SEC
• South Carolina Football Schedule: Ranking Gamecocks' Remaining Opponents
• South Carolina's Defensive Dominance: By the Numbers

Join the community:

• Follow Fisher Brewer on Twitter: @USCTalk
• Follow Alex Joyce on Twitter: @AlexJoyceSI
• Follow Matthew Peavy on Twitter: @TheMattPeavy
• Follow Isaiah Collins on Twitter: @IsaiahCEC
• Follow Joseph Griffin on Twitter: @JosephGriffinJG
• Follow Luke Brumm on Twitter: @lukebrummcfb
• Follow USCTalk on YouTube for more video-based content: USCTalk YouTube

You can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the top right-hand corner of the page. Also, be sure to follow us on X at @GamecocksDigest and on Facebook!