South Carolina is 0-3 in the SEC, but two losses were one-score games

By Brenden Martin

South Carolina comes to Gainesville 0-3 in the SEC, and two of those losses were decided by a combined eight points. No. 16 Florida in the AP poll (4-1, 2-1 SEC) hosts the Gamecocks (2-3) Saturday at 12:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network. The record is a poor guide to how South Carolina has played.

The margins

Mississippi State beat South Carolina 41-34 on Sept. 19. Alabama won 49-18 on Sept. 26, and that one was not close. Kentucky followed on Oct. 3 with a 35-34 overtime win at Williams-Brice Stadium.

South Carolina's game notes say the Gamecocks led Kentucky 17-0 before the Wildcats scored 10 points late in the first half. In overtime, LaNorris Sellers threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Maurice Brown II for a 34-27 lead. Kentucky scored and converted a two-point try to win. According to ESPN's box score, South Carolina outgained Kentucky 458 yards to 394. The notes say two lost fumbles led to 10 Kentucky points.

Turnovers

The turnover trouble is not limited to Kentucky. According to South Carolina's game notes, the Gamecocks have eight giveaways (four interceptions and four lost fumbles) against two takeaways, a turnover margin of minus 6, or minus 1.2 a game. Opponents have scored 34 points off South Carolina turnovers, and South Carolina has scored 14 off theirs. The notes list South Carolina at 1-3 when it commits more turnovers than its opponent, and No. 130 nationally in turnovers gained.

South Carolina's flip card shows Sellers at 92 of 152 for 1,059 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions. Last season, according to the notes, South Carolina forced 22 turnovers, which led the SEC. This season it has two in five games.

Pass defense

The notes call South Carolina's run defense stout and rank its pass efficiency defense No. 125 in FBS. Opponents are 100 of 152 (65.8%) for 1,156 yards and 13 touchdowns against two interceptions, according to the notes. By GatorBait's calculation from ESPN's box scores, Mississippi State, Alabama and Kentucky combined to complete 68 of 95 passes for 895 yards.

Florida's numbers

By GatorBait's calculation from ESPN's box scores, the Gators average 46.2 points and 274.8 passing yards a game. They allow 27.2 points and 266.6 passing yards a game. Aaron Philo has completed 84 of 121 passes for 1,114 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions, according to ESPN's box scores. Florida lost 45-17 at Missouri on Oct. 3, according to ESPN.

South Carolina ranks No. 125 in pass efficiency defense and has given up 13 touchdown passes against two interceptions. The Gators gave up 45 points at Missouri, so the Florida defense has its own work to do.

What the record misses

The 0-3 mark does not tell the whole story. Two of the three losses were one-score games, and South Carolina was a two-point try from beating Kentucky. It was also beaten by 31 at Alabama. Turnovers and pass defense are the two numbers to watch Saturday.