Two of the country’s most inconsistent and disappointing teams square off Saturday with both still chasing bowl eligibility, as South Carolina visits the Swamp to face Florida. Kickoff is scheduled for noon ET with television coverage on the SEC Network.
How to watch South Carolina vs. Florida: Game guide, TV/streaming, odds
Someone’s bowl dreams are going to take a serious hit Saturday. Here’s how to watch it.
Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
After a 3-3 start featuring a triple overtime win over Kentucky and 29-point home loss to Missouri, the Gators stunned everyone with a decisive win over Georgia. They followed their Cocktail Party victory with an equally dominant performance against Vanderbilt last week, beating the Commodores by 24. A win Saturday could lock up bowl eligibility for Florida even before the Gators host Eastern Kentucky next week and would likely lock down a winning record.
South Carolina started the season in the top 10 and widely considered a favorite to win the SEC East, but an opening night loss to Texas A&M portended a season of difficulty. The Gamecocks have lost four of their last five games by a total of 18 points, including an overtime defeat at Tennessee on November 1.
At just 2-5, South Carolina is guaranteed to suffer its first losing season in the SEC since 2009 and will need a win against Florida or Clemson just to reach bowl eligibility.
How to watch, listen, and stream
Game time: Noon ET
TV: SEC Network
Radio: South Carolina can be heard on the Gamecock Sports Network; Florida radio is courtesy of the Gator Sports Network.
Online streaming: WatchESPN
Our blogs on these schools
The numbers
Rankings and records: Florida enters Saturday at 5-3 overall and 4-3 in the SEC. South Carolina is 4-5 overall and 2-5 in the conference. Both teams are playing their conference finales, and neither is ranked.
Vegas: Florida is a seven-point favorite, with the over/under set at 57.5 points, per OddsShark.
Weather forecast: Sunny, with gametime temps in the high 60s.
Two things at stake
Besides head coach Will Muschamp’s job, Florida has a legitimate chance at a four-game winning streak -- its first since late 2012 -- and while the Gators are out of the SEC East race, a winning conference record would be a small step forward from last year’s disastrous campaign.
A loss would make any path to bowl eligibility extremely difficult for South Carolina. The Gamecocks would need to beat South Alabama next week, then take down current No. 19 Clemson on the road just to reach six victories and give themselves a chance at a bowl trip.
One big matchup
Matt Jones vs. South Carolina's front seven: Jones, a junior tailback from Seffner, Fla., has been the key to Florida's success this season. The Gators have won every game that Jones has broken 42 yards rushing and lost all three in which he failed to meet that mark.
Jones’ 25-carry, 192-yard performance against Georgia allowed Florida to post 38 points despite not even attempting a serious passing offense. The best news for the Gators? South Carolina is last in the SEC and 110th nationally in rushing yards allowed, conceding more than 220 yards per game on the ground.
Further reading
Garnet and Black Attack covers South Carolina, while Alligator Army has all the Florida information you need.
See More:
