Each offseason, ESPN’s Bill Connelly releases his projections for where a team’s offense and defense will rank for the upcoming year. He bases these projections off of three variables.
- Returning production
- Recent recruiting
- Recent history
This year, he estimates that eight of South Carolina’s 12 opponents will field defenses that rank among the top 25 in the country. The Gamecocks, themselves, fall into this category, coming in at No. 19 on the list.
Last season, the Carolina offense matched up against six of the nation’s top 25 defenses while starting a true freshman quarterback under center.