Critics, Gambling Sites Unfairly Low on South Carolina
After a promising 2022 season which saw the Gamecocks turn in an 8-5 record, the feeling leaving the season was that more was to come in 2023. However, many betting sites and online sportsbooks don't feel as optimistic as the Gamecocks.
Many major sites have given South Carolina either low odds or a low win total. Draft Kings, for example, set the Gamecocks' total 2023 wins over/under at just 6.5, a game and a half under what the Gamecocks achieved this past season. BetMGM has given the Gamecocks +10000 odds to win the SEC, which is tied for ninth with Kentucky, Arkansas, Missouri, Florida, and Vanderbilt. Once again a shock considering the Gamecocks finished sixth in the SEC and ended the season ranked.
Much of the reason for the hesitancy surrounding the Gamecocks were the numerous off-season departures the program experienced, such as running back MarShawn Lloyd, and tight end Jaheim Bell, along with three of their five offensive line starters moving on. Though those losses were significant to the team at one point, the roster has been reconfigured, making their departures seem less important now.
Given the momentum Shane Beamer and the rest of the coaching staff have been building over the past year, predicting the Gamecocks taking a step back seems a bit unfair to the team. The Gamecocks are returning one of the best QB/WR duos in the country with Spencer Rattler and Antwane Wells and also added true freshman Nyckoles Harbor, who has the tools to be a stud the moment he steps foot on campus in Columbia.
The additions the Gamecocks made via the transfer portal this offseason are another reason to feel optimism heading into the season. Guys like running back Mario Anderson, tight end Trey Knox, tight end Joshua Simon, and linebacker Jaron Willis all have the potential to be high-impact players for the Gamecocks.
Factoring in all of the new faces in Columbia, combined with the time the team has had to gel, it's hard to imagine they perform worse than they did last season. College football is unpredictable, and anything can happen, but predicting the Gamecocks to lose less than 6.5 games seems like a foolish bet.
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