The South Carolina Gamecocks are looking to win an 11th game for the first time in a season in school history, but in order to do that, they will have to beat the NCAA football betting lines in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando against the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
The Huskers are getting an entirely new taste of bowl games this year, as they have never been eligible for a game like this one against an SEC foe. They had a successful first year in the Big Ten, and in spite of the fact that they were largely smashed in the majority of their road games, they have played one of the most brutal schedules in the country. Nebraska has played against nine bowl eligible teams its last 10 games.
For the second straight season, QB Taylor Martinez has appeared to take some steps backwards as the season has worn on. He threw for 1,973 yards and rushed for 837 more this year, but he just doesn't quite have the ability yet to go against these elite level defenses from the SEC. RB Rex Burkhead carried the ball a whopping 260 times this season, and he led the team with 1,268 yards and 17 total TDs.
It has been an interesting year to say the least for the Gamecocks as well. They booted QB Stephen Garcia off of the team a few months ago and lost RB Marcus Lattimore to an ACL injury in October, yet they were still able to go 10-2, losing to the Auburn Tigers and Arkansas Razorbacks.
QB Connor Shaw has shown some real promise. He threw for 1,218 yards and rushed for 483 more, totaling 19 TDs in his limited action. RB Brandon Wilds, another youngster in this offense, ran for 486 yards and three TDs in Lattimore's absence.
It has been a tough year for WR Alshon Jeffrey. He only has 45 receptions, 614 yards and seven scores in his junior season, and that is a far cry from the 88 grabs for 1,517 yards and nine TDs he had as a sophomore. He can still do a lot of damage though, and don't think that Head Coach Bo Pelini doesn't know that his Black Shirts really need to be aware of what he can do in space.
The Capital One Bowl betting lines feature the Cocks as two point favorites. The 'total' is set at 46 at 5Dimes.com
