Arkansas Could Exploit South Carolina's Defense to Spoil Playoff Hopes

No. 17 South Carolina gives up 353.4 yards per game, ranking No. 64 nationally, but Shane Beamer’s team has won four straight games by holding opponents to just 19.25 points per contest.

That defensive turnaround has put the Gamecocks on the cusp of real College Football Playoff chatter, though Arkansas has a chance to exploit those holes and put South Carolina’s postseason hopes in jeopardy when the teams meet.

The Gamecocks are prone to giving up explosive plays in the passing game, allowing 28 explosive pass plays of 20-plus yards to rank No. 76 nationally. Wide receivers Chris Marshall and AJ Jordan have shown they are capable as downfield threats.

Jordan has caught 13 passes for an average of 15.6 yards per catch since being inserted into the lineup, while Marshall has caught 48 passes for 698 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Arkansas has recently accumulated 37 plays of 20-plus yards on offense, including five such plays against Auburn.

On the ground, sophomore running back Cam Settles has emerged as the Razorbacks’ leading rusher with 71 carries for 314 yards and two touchdowns. Having just achieved his initial 100-yard outing against Auburn, Settles demonstrates powerful interior running and consistently discovers daylight beyond the initial defensive wall of opponents.

South Carolina’s defense sits at No. 43 nationally against the run, surrendering 125.22 yards per contest and a mere seven touchdowns all year, a mark that ties for the sixth-lowest total across the FBS.

South Carolina’s defensive line has been among the more disruptive units in the SEC, recording at least three sacks in five of its seven conference games this season. The Gamecocks rely heavily on their defensive line to handle the offensive line in front of them, while also bringing single backer dogs under defensive coordinator Clayton White. “But they do bring single backer dogs, but they rely heavily (on D-line),” Ryan Silverfield said.

That scheme challenges offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey to help his quarterback identify pre-snap pressure and either roll the pocket or call quicker developing pass plays. Meanwhile, the Razorbacks’ offensive line has given up 23 sacks on the season, including six against Auburn, and Arkansas tackles will face a stiff test against an edge rotation led by Anthony Addison.