South Carolina is trying to dodge the classic post-upset hangover.
The Gamecocks just took down then-No. 11 Tennessee on a last-second field goal, and now the question is whether they can keep that momentum from turning into a flat follow-up against Oklahoma on Oct. 31 at 4:15 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
That’s the danger some around the SEC call the “SEC flu” - the letdown that can show up right after a signature win. South Carolina starting offensive lineman Nolan Hay said the team is aware of it.
"I know that there's this thing going around called the SEC flu or something with having a big win and then coming around and laying an egg," Gamecocks starting offensive lineman Nolan Hay said Oct. 27.
South Carolina enters the road game at Oklahoma with a 4-3 overall record and a 2-3 mark in the SEC after beating Tennessee 27-24 on Oct. 24. The Gamecocks already have one recent example of handling a big stretch the right way: they beat Florida 38-19 on the road, then followed that up by beating Tennessee after an open date.
Coach Shane Beamer said he doesn’t want to see Tennessee become the emotional peak of the season.
"We can't let that be the highlight of the season," Beamer said. "It would be really disappointing and a shame if that's the highlight of the year, Saturday night against Tennessee."
Beamer also said he wasn’t interested in unpacking the “SEC flu” label too much.
When asked about his own definition of the SEC illness, coach Shane Beamer smiled and said he didn't want to elaborate, and added, "You can ask me again after the game."
Still, he made clear he understands the trap and believes his team has already shown signs it can avoid it.
"I'd like to think we didn't succumb to it between Florida and Tennessee," Beamer said. "I get we had an off week in between but ... it's something that I'm aware of, our players are aware and it's something we've challenged ourselves to combat this week."
The pattern around the conference is easy to spot. Ole Miss beat LSU at home and then lost big on the road to unranked Florida the next week.
Georgia knocked off Alabama on the road and then fell at home to unranked Auburn a week later. Tennessee came in after beating Alabama at home, then lost to unranked South Carolina on the road.
Hay said the Gamecocks see themselves as different.
"But we're a very mature group. We're not like that," Hay said.
"We all just had a mentality of you got to get better. It's a new week and it's all about us at the end of the day."
South Carolina’s players are already looking at the Oklahoma game as the next step, not a hangover test. Cornerback Judge Collier said the current stretch has a familiar feel to last season, when South Carolina followed a road win and an open date with a victory over the No. 11 team in the country before closing the year with a six-game SEC winning streak and a career-best 9-4 finish for Beamer.
"It's going in that direction," cornerback Judge Collier said when asked if it feels like 2024 right now. "That's the goal. One week at a time, one play at a time."
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Oklahoma Is Bracing For South Carolina At Full Strength
South Carolina heads to Norman on Saturday afternoon for just the second meeting in program history, and the Gamecocks arrive with some momentum after beating Tennessee last week. Oklahoma is coming off a win at Mississippi State, but Brent Venables and offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle made it clear this is the kind of matchup that gets their attention, especially with South Carolina showing it can stress opponents on both sides of the ball.
The Sooners are preparing for a complete challenge, from the Gamecocks offense to a defense that has been tough to sort out. With playmakers on both sides of the line of scrimmage, South Carolina gives Oklahoma a chance to find out how it handles a physical SEC opponent that has plenty working in its favor right now. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolina Faces A Brutal Test To Keep Its SEC Push Alive
South Carolina heads to Norman on Saturday for a tricky SEC road test against Oklahoma, with kickoff set for 4:15 p.m. The Gamecocks are carrying the momentum of a win over Tennessee, while the Sooners come in off a victory against Mississippi State, setting up a matchup that carries plenty of weight for both teams as the conference race tightens.
There is still plenty around the game to monitor beyond the matchup itself, including South Carolinas injury situation, the betting market that has installed Oklahoma as the favorite, and the weather outlook for game day. For a Gamecocks team trying to keep its SEC push on track, this trip feels like the kind that can say a lot about where things are headed next. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolinas Defensive Turnaround Against Tennessee Was About More Than Halftime Speech
South Carolinas defense looked like a different unit after halftime against Tennessee, and the turnaround had plenty to do with the details that often decide close SEC games. Defensive tackle Kelby Collins and lineman Noah Clark pointed to the groups focus and effort as the difference, while Shane Beamer said the staff also leaned into a few tactical changes that helped settle things down.
The Gamecocks tightened up with more five-man pressure looks and more man coverage, and the results showed up quickly as Tennessee managed just three points after the break. It was the kind of second-half correction that can get lost in the larger story of a game, but for South Carolina it served as a reminder that the fix was about execution as much as any sideline message. [Read more 🡒]