The recruiting classes UVa has been hauling in should tell us something. I will just be glad to get them off the schedule. Clemson really should be the ones focusing on beating them - they lost 2 straight (1st one was pushoff game). Groh is a helluva coach!

Drake,

Don't get me wrong. I don't doubt for one minute that Virginia (or many teams in the ACC, for that matter) are ahead of us. I'm not selling them short at all. In fact, that's kinda my point. They ARE a tough team.......minus the positives I think you get when you play more of an intersectional type of game.

But what I am talking about here is national perception. And whether the ACC likes it or not, the media still perceives them as a basketball league, and a crappy football league. The media is wrong on that of course........but that's not the point. When it comes to things like votes in the AP poll, I feel we would get more exposure and respect beating a Big 12 or Pac 10 team than we do an ACC team. Of course, if Virginia's ranked that makes a difference I guess.......but all things being equal, I still prefer to play a team from another part of the country from one of the major conferences. Just my personal feelings......we've had a history with Virginia already. Why not play someone we've never played before?

Alabama's playing Oklahoma. Auburn's got Southern Cal. Mississippi State's playing Oregon. Tennessee has has played UCLA and Notre Dame in recent seasons. I'm not asking we play a superpower......but surely we could handle a Kansas or California.



<!--EDIT|Galactus|Apr 29 2003, 04:13 PM-->

Galactus Wrote:Drake,

Don't get me wrong. I don't doubt for one minute that Virginia (or many teams in the ACC, for that matter) are ahead of us. I'm not selling them short at all. In fact, that's kinda my point. They ARE a tough team.......minus the positives I think you get when you play more of an intersectional type of game.

But what I am talking about here is national perception. And whether the ACC likes it or not, the media still perceives them as a basketball league, and a crappy football league. The media is wrong on that of course........but that's not the point. When it comes to things like votes in the AP poll, I feel we would get more exposure and respect beating a Big 12 or Pac 10 team than we do an ACC team. Of course, if Virginia's ranked that makes a difference I guess.......but all things being equal, I still prefer to play a team from another part of the country from one of the major conferences. Just my personal feelings......we've had a history with Virginia already. Why not play someone we've never played before?

Alabama's playing Oklahoma. Auburn's got Southern Cal. Mississippi State's playing Oregon. Tennessee has has played UCLA and Notre Dame in recent seasons. I'm not asking we play a superpower......but surely we could handle a Kansas or California.

If we can't handle Kansas, Gal - I think we should try to squeak into the MEAC and switch with SC State :D



<!--EDIT|raptorcox|Apr 29 2003, 07:46 PM-->

True!

I admit my feelings are basically for selfish reasons........I could get excited about going to see USC play some team they rarely play or have never played. How often do we get the chance to see Pac 10 or Big 12 teams in person? I grew up watching the Cocks play Virginia all the time......as well as other ACC schools. YAWN......

But I remember the fun I had in the 80s when we really started playing huge intersectional games. (Well, OK.....they weren't ALL fun.....Michigan saw to that in 1985! :frown: ). But it was kinda cool seeing Michigan, Nebraska, Southern Cal, Notre Dame, Pitt, Miami (Fla.), Oklahoma State, and other schools in person! Meeting their fans is always interesting too......and getting an idea of how we're perceived around the nation.

Gal, you are so right. I would love to see us play some of those teams again.

One of my fondest memories was being in the upper deck during the ****-trojan game when the swaying started. I really would like to see us play some of the traditional football powers. Heck, even North Carolina's played Oklahoma and Texas recently. As for the Oklahoma game, Bunting said if you want to be the best, you have to learn to play with the best. Of course, since South Carolina plays in the SEC, we certainly play a lot of "the best," but I'm still all for playing tough out of conference teams.

The Georgia game stands out as critical to me. They are a top tier team in the SEC and a must win if we are to move up in the SEC east. Virginia is an excellent opponent, but Georgia is in the SEC. Plus, I live in Georgia and can't stand the ribbing I get from my in-laws (big UGA nuts) when we lose to them, so I guess it is critical for my mental well being if nothing else.

ET. Wrote:....I live in Georgia and can't stand the ribbing I get from my in-laws (big UGA nuts) when we lose to them, so I guess it is critical for my mental well being if nothing else.

Your viewpoint is understandable, but you need to understand one thing: we won't lose to UVA at home, then turn around and beat UGA in Athens. It will not happen. You'd better pull hard for us against the Cavaliers. That game will tell the tale as to whether or not this will be a gratifying year for us.

Absolutely. A loss to Virginia would be devastating.........going into Athens after such a loss is like leading us to slaughter.

Carolina,

Yep......the Heels, and several other ACC teams have played some nice intersectional games over the last 10 years. UNC also played Stanford a few years ago. Georgia Tech played Arizona, Virginia's played Michigan and Texas, NC State's played Texas and Syracuse. Even Duke has played Northwestern.....

But let me make one point clear: I'm not necessarily advocating playing TOUGH intersectional games (although, if it turns out that way, so be it)......becuase I agree that the SEC is tough enough on its own......I'm just saying ANY team from the Big 12, Big 10 or Pac 10 would do. We even played Baylor for a two year series back in the 70s in our independent days. Just something to take us out of our region for once.



<!--EDIT|Galactus|May 1 2003, 09:33 AM-->

The taters, w/o a doubt.

Galactus Wrote:Aside from Clemson?

Hey 1st! You missed this part...

Drakeman Wrote:

Galactus Wrote:Aside from Clemson?

Hey 1st! You missed this part...

I saw it but to me, this year there is no more critical game than the tater game. The losing MUST stop and it MUST stop this year.

I will play along and say the UVA game is the most critical to me after what happen last year not only the game itself, but what happened on the field after the game.

It's an absolute GIVEN that Clemson is the most important game of the year. That's why I made the clarification in the first sentence.......

UVA is just key to the momentum of the season. If we can't beat UVA at home, I don't see why in the world we would beat UGA, Clemson or any other quality team on the schedule.

I still think that Kentucky is a somewhat of a critical game for South Carolina. Kentucky should be a weak opponent, but you never can tell the way those Wildcats play. :ninja:
Tennessee is a very critical SEC game IMO, even more so than the UGa game, although you Gamecock fans might not believe me. Look where the two teams finished last year: third and fourth respectively. Also, although Tennessee fans might not want to admit it, there is a growing rivalry between the Vols and the 'Cocks. Plus, there's another reason the Vols are a critical matchup: Phil Fulmer has been known to recruit the state of South Carolina. UGa does not recruit South Carolina that much. In fact, if you took a look at where the vast majority of UGa recruits were from, you'd see that they're from Georgia. Tennessee is different and has been to known to poach recruits from the state. Tennessee used to do that to us too, until we wised up and stole their Ga. recruiter from them and then we proceeded to beat the snot out of the Vols. :saber:

That's somewhat true about Tennessee. It really would've helped, though, had we won three years ago when we had 'em beat in Columbia. We were up 14-7 and had our chances to put it away, but lost 17-14. If we had won that, we might be looking at a genuine rivalry by now.

Kentucky is always a dangerous game, thanks to their style of play. And unlike Vandy, they DO get some quality athletes up there in decent numbers, so you have to be careful with the 'Cats. For us, it's always a MUST win game, because if we slip up once against opponents we should beat, we're in major trouble versus the rest of the schedule. "Life in the SEC," eh?

1st and Goal Wrote:I saw it but to me, this year there is no more critical game than the tater game. The losing MUST stop and it MUST stop this year.

You'll get no arguments from me on that! :bluethumb:



<!--EDIT|Drakeman|May 7 2003, 12:17 PM-->