Big East throws USC a changeup
South Carolina has known its bowl destination for nearly a week.
Now the Gamecocks know their opponent. Really.
After most projections had USC facing Pittsburgh in the Papajohns.com Bowl, the Gamecocks learned Sunday they will face UConn on Jan. 2 in Birmingham, according to a source close to the situation.
USC has a news conference set for 6:30 p.m., although an official announcement from the bowl could come sooner.
After Pitt lost to Cincy Saturday 45-44, it was widely reported that the Panthers likely were headed to Birmingham.
But the Panthers have accepted a bid Sunday to the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte, where they are expected to face North Carolina. There was concern about how many fans Pitt would take to Charlotte.
But apparently the Charlotte decision-makers believed UNC would sell enough tickets to what they believed was an attractive matchup.
UConn and USC, both 7-5, have never met. The Huskies were a Division I-AA program for much of their history, and were formerly coached by ex-USC assistant Skip Holtz.
6 Comments to “Big East throws USC a changeup”
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USC football beat writer Joe Person has covered the Gamecocks since the start of the 2002 season. He's been on the college football beat since 1993. 
A lousy bowl city. A lousy bowl. Now a very unattractive bowl opponent.
That isn’t to say UConn won’t put up a great fight. I mean it’s just a dud of an opponent.
If we beat them- big deal- we should have beat them will be the perception.
We lose to them- it would be a devasting loss.
Well, I’d have rather played an ACC opponent, but I’m looking forward to this game!
There’s an odd link to UConn vis Skippy Holtz, they’ve lost their five game by a total of what, 15 points? Sounds like a pretty good team to me!
I will be there, cheering for the Gamecocks!
Well, now that we’re playing UConn, my fears are this: they’re riding on a high after beating teams; especially after that stabbing death.
And this is exactly what I fear is bad for the Gamecocks: it’s that UConn has this overridding desire to win simply because and as a result of the recent death of a UConn student…
Gamecocks have a lot to get ready for; and they don’t have any recent deaths on the campus (that I know of) to play their hearts out. Maybe they could do it for ‘Cocky,” or do it for all the deaths that happen on campuses all accross this great nation of ours. Lets win for just the sake of winning a game then.
And regarding the PAPA JOHN’S pizza issue (That it’s basically some of or maybe even THE worst pizza you can purchase): thanks for the two blog entries concurring with my sentiments regarding the aweful pizza.
And whether you’re from New Jersy, NY, LA, S. Carolina, or somewhere in Vietnam, any human being that walks the earth can tell you: this pizza shouldn’t be on the market. Any four year old can personally cook their own pizza which would be a million times better that Papa John’s pizza.
Someone should start a class action suit agains Papa John’s claiming that this pizza is so bad that it resulted in emotional distress and anxiety, as well as a nervous breakdown.
Gregory
I’m just glad we’re going to a bowl; we are by no means entitled to it. I think people who gripe and nitpick ignore the fact that getting bowl eligibility is not a given, especially in a conference like ours.
I think this will be a good matchup. Pitt would have been great, but having a better chance of winning the bowl is more important to me. Looking forward to it.
Birmingham is only a 4 – 4.5 hour drive, and it’s a 2PM game. Let’s get down there in mass and support the Cocks! I’m glad it’s not Shreveport.
[...] be a lot less meaningful than the last time Spurrier coached a game in Birmingham.3. Carolina was expecting to get a matchup with Pitt, but that failed to materialize.4. According to this notes column, Spurrier joked that he put [...]