Gamecocks crack Top 25

COLUMBIA — Steve Spurrier was meeting recruits on Sunday and hadn’t heard the latest bit of good news: South Carolina is back in the Top 25.
“Did not know that,” he said with surprise.
The Gamecocks were the final team voted into the latest AP poll, one day after a 38-14 win over South Carolina State, a Football Championship Subdivision team. Spurrier hopes the rankings are the latest thing his young team can build on.
“We don’t make too big a deal out of it,” Spurrier said. “But it’s good we’re in. It’s better than not being in.”
Spurrier finally saw that South Carolina (4-1, 1-1 SEC) could gain yards through its passing game on Saturday. The Gamecocks had three touchdown passes in the second half, two by Stephen Garcia to Moe Brown, and a 20-yard throw from backup Reid McCollum to freshman Alshon Jeffery.
“We’re still not a great passing team,” Spurrier said, “but Stephen really had a good game. He really bounced around. After a shaky start, we were actually pretty decent throwing the ball.”
From Spurrier, that’s a rave review.
Told of his coach’s comments, Garcia, who also rushed for a touchdown, joked, “I guess I played good then.”
Even after South Carolina’s landmark win over then No. 4 Mississippi — the Gamecocks had never beaten a top 5 team at home — Spurrier sounded downright disappointed with his offense’s continued problems scoring.
Spurrier settled for three field goals on South Carolina’s first three trips inside the Ole Miss 10, and wondered aloud when the Gamecocks would be the efficient, on-target passing team that he’s coached so often in the past.
Spurrier and his staff spent the nine days between games teaching, refining and drilling the offense to increase production. That training will be crucial as the Gamecocks enter a stretch of six straight SEC games that will determine the length of their time in the poll.
The stretch begins next Saturday at home against Kentucky, which is 0-16 against Spurrier and losers of nine straight to South Carolina. After that comes a trip to No. 3 Alabama.
On defense, South Carolina will be without starting cornerback Akeem Auguste for the next two games — he missed the S.C. State game as well, Spurrier said. Auguste was on indefinite suspension by the university for violating policies.
“Hopefully, Akeem can get his act together,” Spurrier said. “We’ll see how that works out.”
That might be his approach to the offense as well, especially after the performance against South Carolina State.
“It was a good win,” Spurrier said. “We’ll enjoy it today and put it behind us tomorrow.”