Week three of our Opponent Previews takes us to the first non-conference matchup of the season. The Gamecocks face an East Carolina University team that is in the midst of its own coaching change. The Pirates are perennially one of the most prolific party schools in the country, but things have been anything but fun and games in Greenville, North Carolina since Ruffin McNeil was unexpectedly shown the door at the end of last season.
Normally, the outcome of this game, against a team that has struggled more than just a teeny bit since joining the AAC two seasons ago, would be a non sequitur, but something in the matchup this year smacks of, "oh boy we're gonna be down at halftime and pull out a weird four-point game, aren't we.