South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier: East Carolina equal to a Big Ten team
South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier did a little comparison of teams over the weekend, comparing new American Athletic Conference member East Carolina to a Big Ten team.
South Carolina plays East Carolina at home on Sept. 6 after opening the season against Texas A&M. The teams last played in 2012, a 48-10 victory by South Carolina.
Spurrier, who is in going into his 10th season at South Carolina, defended playing a nonconference game with a team outside of the Power Five Conferences.
"The Big Five conferences all playing each other, I don't think that makes a lot of sense, really,” Spurrier said, via garnetandblackattack.com. “Playing East Carolina is a lot tougher game than maybe picking up one of those bottom Big Ten teams, and a lot of fans around here would rather see a team that's close by."
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The Gamecocks play two other games against teams from outside the Power Five Conferences this season: FCS opponent Furman on Oct. 18 and South Alabama on Nov. 22.
- Scooby Axson
