A season ago, that problem was the bane of the South Carolina football team’s defense, something that had a powerful impact on the way it operated and to a degree on how the team functioned.
The 2017 Gamecocks ranked 76th nationally in third-down defense, and that number was far worse before smothering Michigan in the bowl game. It meant opponents got long drives with regularity. It meant the offense wasn’t on the field as much. It made USC into a slower-paced team than they’d planned.
This season, USC ranks fourth nationally, allowing opponents to convert just 25 percent of third downs.