SEC Preview: Mississippi vs. South Carolina

A good Thursday night game this week as Ole Miss plays South Carolina.
AP: What’s at Stake
The Rebels rise’ to the top five. Wins over Memphis and Southeastern Louisiana were nice, but Mississippi expects to receive a stronger test in the Southeastern Conference opener against the Gamecocks. Rebels QB Jevan Snead can also cement his place as the league’s second-highest profile quarterback with a big game. South Carolina won a Thursday night showdown against an SEC upstart two years ago over No. 8 Kentucky. However, the Gamecocks have lost six straight to ranked opponents since. Coach Steve Spurrier is anxious for his team to turn a corner.

Key Matchup
Mississippi QB Jevan Snead vs. South Carolina LB Eric Norwood: Snead and the Rebels were fresh off their landmark victory at The Swamp last season when South Carolina came to town. But Snead lost a fumble and threw an interception in that one as Ole Miss squandered a 14-3 lead to lose 24-17. Norwood, the Gamecocks’ senior defender and the SEC’s active sack leader, has been a Thursday night marvel in his career. Two years ago, Norwood returned two fumbles for touchdowns against Kentucky. Earlier this year, Norwood had five tackles and keyed South Carolina’s defense in a 7-3 win at North Carolina State.
(read the entire preview embedded in this post on the site.)