Last year, freshman quarterback phenom LaNorris Sellers led the South Carolina Gamecocks to the Mayor’s Cup in an epic matchup. Now, the Missouri Tigers want payback and the Cup.
This year’s version of the Mayor’s Cup promises to be another chapter in a budding rivalry between Mizzou and South Carolina. This is a tight matchup that has gone either way since 2012, with Mizzou holding a 7-6 lead since the Tigers joined the SEC. With the rematch at Faurot Field coming up on Saturday, there are several storylines heading into this year’s edition of the rivalry.
The Tigers are entering as white hot as they did last year heading into the South Carolina game. However, for the No. 23 ranked team in the country, they enter with a completely different offensive core that currently holds the fourth highest yardage total in the nation. Transfer Ahmad Hardy, whose 462 rushing yards leads the SEC, is on fire after three straight amazing performances. Graduate quarterback Beau Pribula is in a similar boat, as he has already thrown for 791 yards in his new environment
The defense for the Tigers has the fifth lowest yards per game in the nation largely thanks to linebacker Josiah Trotter’s 15 tackles, which leads a very solid defensive core that allows 15.7 points a game. The unit allows only 100 passing yards per game, the secondary led by a safety duo of Jalen Catalon and Santana Banner who have made a no-fly zone for the foes they have faced so far this season.
Although Sellers is listed as questionable for the game this Saturday against the Tigers, he will most likely play, according to head coach Shame Beamer. Although his season hasn’t yet lived up to his preseason standards — he was a popular prediction for the Heisman Trophy — , he still can be very dynamic for a Gamecocks team that needs his production to keep themselves in games. Alongside star defensive end Dylan Stewart, the Gamecocks’ energy is rarely matched, but they have been very sloppy so far this season.
Last week, the Tigers demolished Louisiana 52-10, while the Gamecocks got smashed by Vanderbilt 31-7. South Carolina hopes to rebound in an upset win over the Tigers, while Missouri is hoping to keep themselves undefeated and start their conference play with a bang.
A rivalry game like this could very well be another classic matchup between two teams that are both eager to get back on track for Atlanta for the SEC championship. With Sellers’ status still in question and Mizzou’s desire for revenge in a blackout Faurot Field, this matchup has a lot on the line in the fourth game of the season.