Coastal Carolina’s 45-40 loss at Georgia Southern last Saturday evening was disheartening on several levels. First, the Chants (6-4, 5-2) lost a winnable game to a team that has had a frustrating and difficult season. That game was there for the taking.
Second, Coastal lost difference-making quarterback Samari Collier to a knee injury late in the first quarter, which was every CCU fan’s worst nightmare. Apparently though per head coach Tim Beck, the injury isn’t as serious as once thought and he may be back before the season is over. I also understand he is trying to get another year of eligibility and hopefully that can happen for him and for the Chants.
Third, it was extremely disappointing to see the “Soul Collectors” defense allow so many yards and big plays in this game, after they had done the job reasonably well during Coastal’s 5-1 stretch in conference games.
Finally, the loss eliminated any chance Coastal had of winning the East Division title and playing for the SBC championship. A tough night indeed.
So where do the Chants go from here? Clearly the next two games will be as challenging as any Coastal has faced all season. This Saturday, CCU will travel about 140 miles to the west to take on South Carolina in a game originally scheduled for 2020 but moved to this season when all the schedule changes took place during the pandemic.
Does Coastal have a chance in this one? Maybe, but the talent difference will be significant, and the question is would CCU’s best be enough to win this game if South Carolina is at, or reasonably close to, their best. The answer I come up with every time is “no it wouldn’t be” unless the Gamecocks come out flat and disinterested in this game.
This is not meant to knock our guys or program, but facts are facts and if South Carolina plays reasonably well, they will win. The Chants have talented players, but not the kind of talented players, or in number, the Gamecocks have. That’s just reality.
Case in point: former CCU WR Jared Brown, who in 2022-23 was an absolute game-breaker and all-conference player in Conway, hasn’t been a factor in two seasons for South Carolina. I wish he’d have stayed with us.
However, the Gamecocks (3-7, 1-7 SEC) are coming off a devastating loss themselves, one where they lost a 27-point halftime lead, on the road, against #3 Texas A&M. That loss ostensibly knocked them out of bowl eligibility, so how motivated and interested will that team be Saturday afternoon? Where will their heads be?
If they come out half-stepping, turning the ball over, playing poor defense and overlooking the Chants, Coastal has to be ready to take advantage of those opportunities. In that scenario, Coastal absolutely can win this game.
One of the lone bright spots in Statesboro was the play of Tad Hudson, who stepped in when Collier went down and directed an offense that continued to move the ball and put points on the board. For Coastal to have any chance whatsoever, assuming we don’t have Collier for this game, Hudson has to protect the football and get it into the hands of the playmakers who have emerged this season.
The Coastal defense will have to tackle extremely well, force a couple of turnovers and not get torched like they did last week. Hopefully the breakdowns that took place against Georgia Southern are corrected this week in practice.
Special teams need to be special, convert all opportunities, not get beaten on a return or allow a block and maybe pop a return themselves, just like last week.
The first two trips to Columbia have been ugly to say the least. Coastal’s 2013 team went there 10-1 and ranked in the Top 10 of FCS and got routed 70-10 by what may have been Steve Spurrier’s best team. Honestly, the Chants were just looking to get out of there intact for the upcoming playoffs and there was never any competitive aspect to that game.
In 2018, CCU opened the season in the capital city and again fell behind quickly, eventually losing 49-15. The Gamecocks scored TDs on four of their first 5 possessions and put away the Chants by halftime.
What will Saturday bring? History perhaps? It’s Coastal best opportunity so far to knock them off, but without Collier and a defense that was extremely shaky last week, I’m not hopeful. Just being honest. That said, I hope I’m eating crow, or garnet chicken, in this column next week!
CHANTS UP!
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