Final Thoughts: Season at a Crossroads

The SEC carries a conference mantra: it just means more. That's especially true down the stretch when teams are vying for bowl position and national relevancy.

Many focus on the top group of Georgia, Alabama, and LSU. All are in the limelight, competing for CFP berths. While that's an impressive accomplishment, the conference has other teams fighting for landmarks.

South Carolina and Florida are attempting to rise above mediocrity. The Gamecocks (6-3) finished one game above .500 last season, an encouraging but not dominant start. They can take the next step with a win but fall back to square one with a loss.

Meanwhile, Florida (5-4) hopes to continue a consistent month. They don't have all the players necessary to execute their scheme, but they are building each week toward efficiency.

This is a loser leaves town matchup, where both sides could entire new domain with a convincing victory. The players know the importance of improvement, and reflecting on the scoreboard is the best affirmation.

Head coach Shane Beamer continually preaches living in the moment. The Gamecocks are focused on Florida and only Florida; they aren't letting outside noise affect their perception of this contest.

Several players confirmed they let the talk get to them following the Texas A&M win. The nation fell in love with new-look South Carolina, but they disappointed expectations against Missouri.

That loss served as a slap in the face that should wake them up. According to reports, they had a productive week of practice and are looking forward to proving themselves again.

You Might Also Like:

Join the community:

Follow Evan Crowell on Twitter: @EvanVCrowell

Follow Andrew Lyon on Twitter: @ALyon_SC

You can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the top right-hand corner of the page. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook @GamecocksDigest & follow us on Twitter at @GamecocksDigest.

Add us as a preferred source on Google