Your first chance to make a college football bet on an ESPN televised game is on the first day of the season on Thursday, September 2nd. South Carolina is a two-touchdown favorite in college football betting as they host Southern Mississippi.College football bet odds might be a little high on the Gamecocks in the opener. Really, is anyone going to bet Southern Miss when they are playing at South Carolina against Steve Spurrier’s Gamecocks? Most gamblers will take South Carolina which is why the line is high. It is the first-ever meeting between the two schools.
South Carolina: Why is the South Carolina football team getting so much respect? They finished last season at 7-6 and had a pathetic offense that was 102 in the nation. That has been the problem for Spurrier’s teams. They have been rotten on offense. And Spurrier is supposed to be an offensive guru. The Gamecocks have Stephen Garcia at quarterback and he is inconsistent. He threw for 2,862 yards and 17 touchdowns with 10 interceptions last season. The offense does have Alshon Jeffery, Kenny Miles and newcomer Marcus Lattimore. South Carolina’s top tight end Wesley Saunders may not play in the opener. The defense is why the Gamecocks win games. They were third in the SEC last season and 15th in the country. They return 7 starters from last season so they should be good. Spurrier has said that this is the best group of players he has had at South Carolina but Spurrier has completely underachieved at the school so that means nothing.
Southern Miss: Southern Miss is expected to win Conference USA this season and the Golden Eagles have some talent. They return two good quarterbacks in Austin Davis and Martevious Young. The backfield looks solid with V.J. Floyd and Desmond Johnson and the Eagles have a great receiver in DeAndre Brown. Eight starters return on defense for Southern Miss so they could give South Carolina’s overrated offense some trouble.
Take the Points: The public will take South Carolina but Spurrier’s teams are doing well to score 14 points let alone cover that type of spread. Southern Miss is not only good enough to cover the college football betting odds, they could win this game.