Florida hasn't won a game in more than a month, putting both its postseason hopes in jeopardy and, potentially, the fate of its head coach. The Gators hope to salvage what remains of their season in Columbia on Saturday, but they face long odds. Part of the reason for those odds -- the loss of seven starters for the season. Linebacker Antonio Morrison was the most recent to go down, though the Gators could also be down to third-string quarterback Skyler Mornhinweg.
How to watch Florida vs. South Carolina: Preview, TV schedule, odds and more
Here is all the information you need to catch the game between the Gators and Gamecocks.
Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
The Gamecocks are coming in on a two-game winning streak, including a thrilling overtime victory at Missouri at the end of October. The Gamecocks have looked vulnerable defensively at times this season, but considering the way Florida is playing these days, that may not prove to be an issue this week. Plus, the Gamecocks might be playing their best football of the season.
The numbers
Rankings and records: At 7-2 (5-2), South Carolina is No. 10 in the BCS standings, No. 11 in the AP Poll and No. 12 in the Coaches’ Poll. Unranked Florida is 4-5 (3-4)
Vegas: South Carolina opened as an 11-point favorite. The over/under opened at 42.
Weather: A high of 73 and low of 54 in Columbia.
Three names to know
Mike Davis -- The South Carolina running back leads the SEC with 1,058 rushing yards, and he’s scored on the ground 10 times. He’s gone over 100 yards in all but two games this year
Solomon Patton -- The Gators need somebody to step up and help them out of their offensive funk if they want to have a shot against South Carolina, and a better effort from Patton would be a start. Patton, the team's leading receiver, has had few opportunities to make a difference recently.
Connor Shaw -- Shaw battled through injuries to put together a good 2013 season -- while he isn't throwing for a ton of yardage every week, he has thrown just a single interception in 194 attempts. He is completing 62.9 percent of his throws and has connected on 18 scores.
Two things at stake
Florida’s four-game skid took them out of the SEC East race, leaving the Gators to scrap for bowl eligibility. If they are unable to upset South Carolina, things on that front don’t look good -- they’ll get win No. 5 against Georgia Southern, but they close out the year against Florida State. The pressure on Will Muschamp is rising, and a losing season could put an end to his tenure in Gainesville. (This appears unlikely after Florida AD Jeremy Foley’s endorsement this week, but who knows.)
South Carolina needs help to climb back on top of the East, but it is at least theoretically possible for now. The Gamecocks can forget all about that with a loss here, though.
How to witness
TV: ESPN2, 7 p.m. ET (Joe Tessitore, Matt Millen, Maria Taylor)
Online streaming: WatchESPN. Xfinity subscribers can watch the game here.
Further reading
For complete coverage, visit Gators blog Alligator Army, Gamecocks blog Garnet And Black Attack along with SEC blog Team Speed Kills.
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