PASSING:
Auburn's Newton leads the SEC in passing efficiency and has thrown for 2,224 yards and 24 touchdowns. Newton does a good job of spreading the ball around. Auburn has six receivers with 10 or more receptions, led by Darvin Adams (41) and Terrell Zachery (36). Tight end Phillip Lutzenkirchen has been a go to guy in the red zone. Of his 12 catches, five have gone for touchdowns.
South Carolina's Garcia has matured into a solid, SEC caliber quarterback after some early growing pains. This season, Garcia has completed 65.9 percent of his passes for 2,646 yards, 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions. His decision making has improve dramatically and while not in Newton's league as a runner, is capable of pulling it down and getting yardage in critical situations. Garcia throws to a solid group of receivers, led by Alshon Jeffery, 75 receptions for 1,351 yards and eight touchdowns. Jeffery had eight catches for 192 yards and tow touchdowns the last time the two teams played.
PASS DEFENSE
Auburn's secondary has struggled all season, and the Tigers are last in the SEC in pass defense.
South Carolina has ranked at or near the bottom of the league in pass defense for most of the season, although Gamecock's Spurrier says secondary play has been the most improved area of the team during the past half of the season.
RUNNING GAME
Newton is the leading rusher in the SEC, and the Tigers are by far and away the best rushing offense in the league, averaging 291 yards per game. Teams that manage a way to slow Newton's running sitll have to deal with tailbacks Mike Dyer and Onterrio McCalebb. Those two have combined for 1,619 yards and 14 touchdowns. Auburn's offensive line has four seniors with lots of experience and is one of the best in the country.
Freshman tailback Marcus Lattimore has been a difference maker for South Carolina. He's second in the league behind Newton in rushing (101 ypg) and has scored 17 touchdowns, one fewer than Newton. South Carolina has an average group of running backs outside of Lattimore.
RUSHING DEFENSE
South Carolina has the SEC's top defense against the run, allowing less than 100 yards per game. However, that didn't seem to help the last time the two teams met. Auburn rushed for 334 yards early in the season.
Auburn is second to South Carolina in run defense (108 ypg) and did a great job of stopping Lattimore in the last meeting. Lattimore finished with 33 yards on 14 carries and the Gamecocks were held to 79 yards on 28 carries. Again, this game was played back in September.
KICKING GAME
Auburn ranks second in the league in kickoff coverage, while South Carolina is next to last in returns. Beware of Gamecocks return man Bryce Sherman, a former sprinter on the track team, if he ever hits the open field. South Carolina ranks seventh in the league in kickoff coverage.
Auburn has struggled all season with its punting game, alternating between Ryan Shoemaker and Stephen Clark. The Tigers are last in the SEC, averaging 34.7 yards per punt. The good news for Auburn is that they have punted fewer times than any team in the conference.
South Carolina's Spencer Lanning, who handles all of the kicking duties, is fifth in the league, averaging 43.7 yards per punt.
FIELD GOALS
Auburn senior Wes Byrum, the school's career scoring leader, has made 11 of 15 field goals this season with a long of 48 yards.
South Carolina's Spencer Lanning has made seven of eleven field goals this season with a long of 49 yards.
SUMMARY
The kicking game could very well be a difference maker in this game. Field position will often determine who wins a game like this. Beware of Auburn's punt team. It is probably the weakest part on the team.
Good luck with whoever you root for today. Should be one heck of a game.
Auburn's Newton leads the SEC in passing efficiency and has thrown for 2,224 yards and 24 touchdowns. Newton does a good job of spreading the ball around. Auburn has six receivers with 10 or more receptions, led by Darvin Adams (41) and Terrell Zachery (36). Tight end Phillip Lutzenkirchen has been a go to guy in the red zone. Of his 12 catches, five have gone for touchdowns.
South Carolina's Garcia has matured into a solid, SEC caliber quarterback after some early growing pains. This season, Garcia has completed 65.9 percent of his passes for 2,646 yards, 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions. His decision making has improve dramatically and while not in Newton's league as a runner, is capable of pulling it down and getting yardage in critical situations. Garcia throws to a solid group of receivers, led by Alshon Jeffery, 75 receptions for 1,351 yards and eight touchdowns. Jeffery had eight catches for 192 yards and tow touchdowns the last time the two teams played.
PASS DEFENSE
Auburn's secondary has struggled all season, and the Tigers are last in the SEC in pass defense.
South Carolina has ranked at or near the bottom of the league in pass defense for most of the season, although Gamecock's Spurrier says secondary play has been the most improved area of the team during the past half of the season.
RUNNING GAME
Newton is the leading rusher in the SEC, and the Tigers are by far and away the best rushing offense in the league, averaging 291 yards per game. Teams that manage a way to slow Newton's running sitll have to deal with tailbacks Mike Dyer and Onterrio McCalebb. Those two have combined for 1,619 yards and 14 touchdowns. Auburn's offensive line has four seniors with lots of experience and is one of the best in the country.
Freshman tailback Marcus Lattimore has been a difference maker for South Carolina. He's second in the league behind Newton in rushing (101 ypg) and has scored 17 touchdowns, one fewer than Newton. South Carolina has an average group of running backs outside of Lattimore.
RUSHING DEFENSE
South Carolina has the SEC's top defense against the run, allowing less than 100 yards per game. However, that didn't seem to help the last time the two teams met. Auburn rushed for 334 yards early in the season.
Auburn is second to South Carolina in run defense (108 ypg) and did a great job of stopping Lattimore in the last meeting. Lattimore finished with 33 yards on 14 carries and the Gamecocks were held to 79 yards on 28 carries. Again, this game was played back in September.
KICKING GAME
Auburn ranks second in the league in kickoff coverage, while South Carolina is next to last in returns. Beware of Gamecocks return man Bryce Sherman, a former sprinter on the track team, if he ever hits the open field. South Carolina ranks seventh in the league in kickoff coverage.
Auburn has struggled all season with its punting game, alternating between Ryan Shoemaker and Stephen Clark. The Tigers are last in the SEC, averaging 34.7 yards per punt. The good news for Auburn is that they have punted fewer times than any team in the conference.
South Carolina's Spencer Lanning, who handles all of the kicking duties, is fifth in the league, averaging 43.7 yards per punt.
FIELD GOALS
Auburn senior Wes Byrum, the school's career scoring leader, has made 11 of 15 field goals this season with a long of 48 yards.
South Carolina's Spencer Lanning has made seven of eleven field goals this season with a long of 49 yards.
SUMMARY
The kicking game could very well be a difference maker in this game. Field position will often determine who wins a game like this. Beware of Auburn's punt team. It is probably the weakest part on the team.
Good luck with whoever you root for today. Should be one heck of a game.