South Carolina Gamecocks: Today's Top Stories

COMMODORES DON'T SEE THEMSELVES AS THE UNDERDOG AGAINST GAMECOCKS

Chris Lee, Vandysports - VU is 3-0, but hasn't played anyone like South Carolina yet. Not even close.

The Gamecocks lead the SEC in rushing with 242 yards per game, and average almost 42 points per contest. Running back Marcus Lattimore and wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, potential first-round NFL draft picks, team with quarterback Stephen Garcia to form which might be the most explosive offense VU sees this year.

"I think Marcus Lattimore is going to play well, and they're going to give him the ball enough where he's going to have statistics," Franklin said on Monday.

Coach Steve Spurrier rode Lattimore like a workhorse last week. The sophomore toted the ball 37 times for 246 yards and all three Gamecock touchdowns in a 24-21 win over Navy this past Saturday.

VU's Wilson and his cornerback teammate, Casey Hayward, have been asked to play man coverage on their receivers almost all season while freeing up other teammates to blitz. That has worked very well, except for the case of Elon's Aaron Mellette--who's almost the same size as the 6-foot-4, 229-pound Jeffery--burning the Commodores for 180 yards in week one.

Jeffery's caught 88 balls for 1,517 yards last season and has 12 catches for 212 more this year. But Franklin has emphasized all season that he's more worried about getting his team to do the things it needs to do rather than have the opponent dictate the strategy, and hinted at that again on Monday.

"Were going to play the way we play. We've got two pretty good corners, and I know they're excited about the challenge and the opportunity," Franklin said.

However, he didn't rule out showing some new wrinkles.

"Don't get one wrong: (VU defensive coordinator) Bob Shoop has a degree from Yale for a reason," he said.

Defensively, the Gamecocks are struggling, giving up 33 points per contest and allowing 372 yards per game. Navy's option rushing attack rang up 274 yards on 47 carries against Carolina. Franklin seemed to think the production was more due to what Navy does well rather than Carolina's defensive weaknesses.

Certainly, the Gamecocks have talent on that side of the ball-like Jadeveon Clowney, a defensive end who was the nation's top recruit this past winter, and All-American candidates Devin Taylor (defensive end) and Stephon Gilmore.

VU will also go on the road for the first time this season. Carolina drew 78,807 fans for this past Saturday.

Franklin said that the Commodores have been preparing for the noise since August practices, but will dial it up another few notches this week. VU will bring in extra speakers for more noise this week, and Franklin even mentioned the possibility of bringing in local bands to add more noise.

VU is a double-digit underdog to the 10th-ranked Gamecocks, but Franklin refused to play that up on Monday.

"If you ask our team we don't really see ourselves as an underdog," he said.