NCAA Football
2012-08-30 - South Carolina at Vanderbilt
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
United States: College Football
Thursday 30 August 2012 - Kick Off 7pm ET
Midnight (British Time)
Preview
It's been a long few months since the National Championship Game, but once again we are at the beginning of a new road. This is a big game between two SEC East Conference teams as the South Carolina Gamecocks travel to Vanderbilt to take on the Commodores with the Gamecocks one of the favourites to be playing in the SEC Championship Game later on in the season.
South Carolina had never won 11 games in a single season before in their entire history, but managed to do that last season. It was also the first time they had got to double digit in wins since 1984 and has raised expectations that the Gamecocks are ready to challenge the very best in this Conference.
The Gamecocks haver also been ranked in the pre-season top 10 for the first time in their history and are returning one of the better Defenses in the country, while their star Marcus Lattimore is back and ready to run the ball up to 30 times a game.
There has been a change in Defensive Co-Ordinators in the off-season, so the players will be learning a new scheme, but the idea is that Lorenzo Ward wants to generate more pressure on the opposition Quarter Back and he does have a spectacular front seven that can make a real impact in games.
Vanderbilt have really been struggling in the SEC in recent seasons and they have finished with a 3-21 in the last three seasons, the worst in the entire Conference. However, the Commodores have some confidence coming into this season with 15 starters back from last season as well as the way they played in their last 7 games of the 2011/12 season.
In that stretch, they played Georgia, Arkansas and Florida close, although losing all of those games, while earning a Conference win over Kentucky. Vanderbilt were only 2-6 in the SEC last season, but that was double the wins of the previous 2 seasons.
Jordan Rodgers can be a dual-threat from the Quarter Back position, but the Gamecocks are one of the best Defenses against the run and the pressure will be on the younger brother of Green Bay's Aaron. Rodgers has to surpass the 50% completion rate from a year ago if Vanderbilt are to improve again this season.
Head to Head
South Carolina have won the last 3 in a the series against Vanderbilt and they have only given up 10 points in the last 2 meetings.
The Gamecocks have now improved to 17-4 against the Commodores, while Steve Spurrier is 17-2 against them as a Head Coach.
South Carolina have covered the spread in the last 2 games in the series, while they are 3-1 against the spread in their last 4 games in Vanderbilt.
Other Interesting Trends
Vanderbilt are 7-1 against the spread in their last 8 games at home.
However, they are just 1-4 against the spread in their last 5 games as the home underdog given between 3.5 and 10 points.
South Carolina are 4-1 against the spread in their last 5 games as the road favourite.
Prediction
I am going to back the South Carolina Gamecocks to cover the spread in this game for the following reasons:
First, they have dominated the recent head to head in the series and the Gamecocks are one of the favourites to win this Division of the SEC.
Second, the Gamecocks do have one of the better Defenses in the SEC and they can put the clamp down on Vanderbilt who won't be a surprise team as they were down the stretch last season with South Carolina preparing for them all Summer.
Third, the spread is currently under a touchdown and that looks a little short considering what is expected of the two teams this season.
Fourth, Vanderbilt did cover the spread as the home underdog in all 3 games last season, but they had previously been 1-8 in that spot.
The Pick :
Vanderbilt 10-20 South Carolina
