Vanderbilt is mired in a funk. The Commodores have lost four straight games after a 3-0 start to effectively waste the goodwill of a home victory over then-No. 18 Kansas State. Vandy, once standing on the outskirts of the top 25, will have to rally just to be bowl eligible in 2017.
Beating South Carolina on the road would go a long way to righting that ship, but it won’t be easy. The Gamecocks’ rebuild has been solid this fall, as USC has beaten North Carolina State, Arkansas, Missouri, and Tennessee en route to a 5-2 start. They’ve only lost one game at home, but the fact that was against a Kentucky team with a below-average offense offers some hope for an upset.