COLOMBIA – The numbers indicate that they will receive an invitation. Sporting director Ray Tanner says he will accept.
Whether South Carolina Gamecocks really play this game of bowling is the question that will be answered in the next two weeks.
“It would be a great opportunity for us to try to get on the right track to end the season. Obviously, we have challenges to face with testing and protocols and everything, and we’re a little thin anyway, but the other teams are also going through this, ”said Tanner on a sports radio show last week. “But while we are talking tonight, our intentions are to bring our players back and be prepared and ready to go. As long as we have no problems with the numbers, we would play a game of bowling. “
It wouldn’t be a surprise for Gamecocks to reject the idea of playing in a bowl this year. Virginia, Boston College, Pittsburgh, Georgia Tech and Stanford have already done so.
The USC dressed 53 stock market players for the end of the regular season a week ago, and just this week saw receiver Shi Smith, striker Ernest Jones and striker Sadarius Hutcherson declare their intentions to enter the NFL draft while reserve defender Shilo Sanders entered the transfer portal.
In addition, it has been such a miserable year that most fans would probably be happy to just let this end quietly.
But Tanner has always taken care of the student-athletes in his care. He will hear what they want to do and a few weeks ago they said they would like to play if they had the chance. The team reported to Columbia on Monday for a COVID test and a team meeting, and more players are expected to arrive on Tuesday. The test will continue to be administered, leaving the actual game in question until the start of the game.
So, where and when can Gamecocks play?
The most likely locations appear to be the Gasparilla Bowl (26 December, Tampa), the Birmingham Bowl (1 January) and the Gator Bowl (2 January, Jacksonville). Everyone is close enough to drive (assuming fans are allowed) and everyone is viable to get enough practice in Columbia before leaving.
The SEC has nine vacancies to fill for 13 teams, after LSU has declared that it will lose its postseason as part of the self-imposed punishment while under investigation by the NCAA. These bowls will be distributed after the College Football Playoff and the Six New Year’s bowls have been chosen. Four SEC teams – Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Texas A&M – are designed to play in these games. If that happens, there will be nine SEC teams remaining for nine bowl slots.
If one of these teams is left out of the College Football Playoff or New Year’s Six bowls, that would leave 10 SEC teams for nine bowl slots, and Vanderbilt without a win would be the odd team, since all other teams have at least two wins.
“You probably feel very confident about the rise of the SEC, what, three or four teams?” Said Tanner. “That said, the likelihood of us playing a bowl is great. We are certainly not a block, but if we manage to bring these teams together, we will have many bowl slots that we are affiliated with at the Southeast Conference. “
The chances of a sold-out South Carolina team winning a bowl are high, and new coach Shane Beamer will not coach Gamecocks if they play. But there is a financial consideration.
The SEC bowl agreement ensures that each participating school will receive at least $ 1.05 million, plus travel allowance, if the bowl game has revenues with a balance of less than $ 1.5 million. The money each school receives increases if the bowl revenue increases (a CFP participant can release more than $ 2 million).
Any money left over from immediate payments is placed in a pot and divided into 15 shares, one for the SEC and the other for schools.
The conference would certainly not despise the USC or retain its share of that revenue if the Gamecocks declined an invitation, but the pot would not be as full if that bowl game was declined. Every penny counts, as USC is facing an estimated $ 58 million deficit due to COVID and had a semi-unexpected purchase of several million (purchase from coach Will Muschamp).
The biggest reason for this, however, is that the team wants to play. Despite the bad year, despite losing six games in a row, Gamecocks want to play.
If they can, they will.
Follow David Cloninger on Twitter @DCPandC.