The last time South Carolina players were this excited for a home game was Sept. 16 headed into the Kentucky game. The Gamecocks were 2-0 and preparing for their first home game of the season, and Williams-Brice Stadium was rocking.
“Everybody was just super juiced,” quarterback Jake Bentley remembered. “Guys were at the door of the locker room eight to 10 minutes before kickoff.”
That’s earlier than usual, and it seemed at the time to Bentley that that might not be a great thing. Now, South Carolina (8-3) is preparing to face No. 4 Clemson (10-1) on Saturday night at 7:30, and Gamecocks senior D.