The market continues to pour on the love for the Tigers: we are favored by SIXTEEN AND A HALF this week over the 'Cocks. Lest you forget, this is the #12 (AP, #14 Coaches) team in the country. Hopefully that alone will be enough to prevent us from looking ahead two more weeks to the Florida game on October 6th.

Be sure to check in with SBN's South Carolina Blog Garnet and Black Attack all week for Gamecocks news and notes. Be sure to check out his postgame notes from the South Carolina State game this weekend, in which he slaps his team with a 'D' grade for their performance. Evidently Blake Mitchell has not inspired confidence yet: The Advocate quotes Steve Spurrier saying "I guess [Mitchell]'s going to take us as far as we're going to go." Not the most confidence-inspiring statement...

Meanwhile, according to local coverage, the 'Cocks' offensive line was "abused" by S.C. State. Awfully similar (re QB and the OL) to the way the Hokies looked coming into Baton Rouge; here's hoping one of SC's lineman goes off running his mouth this week too! (Not that Mr. Dorsey or anyone else needs the bulletin board material.) Of course the pollsters don't see any of this, just the 38-3 final score, so naturally the 'Cocks moved up a couple spots this week. Perhaps Vegas' skepticism is indeed well-founded.

Perhaps that spread shouldn't be so high, as it looks more and more like Early Doucet will be out with a pulled groin. On the plus side, all signs point to GO for Matt Flynn this week.

I really wish Steve Spurrier would go back to the old days of talking trash. I guess it's more difficult when you're not winning games by eleventy-three points (that's only in Sparta). Instead, we get this:

Boo. Talk some shit, Steve.