Rebels, Gamecocks carry on amid SEC's COVID troubles

Updated Nov. 12, 2020 4:11 p.m. ET

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Mississippi and South Carolina both appeared to score one big victory this week in otherwise disappointing seasons.

They meet Saturday night in Oxford, Mississippi, for one of the few Southeastern Conference games to survive the

Gamecocks coach Will Muschamp worried when he learned that Texas A&M had COVID problems after their game, a

Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin had three players under COVID protocols after an open date.

“That’s probably not all bad compared to a lot of people," Kiffin said.

Indeed, it isn't.

The Rebels snapped a three-game skid with a

They're 11-point underdogs against the Rebels, and are trying to at least temporarily quiet the critics of Muschamp & Co.

“Obviously, everybody’s got opinions, because when you don’t win, everybody hates you," South Carolina tight end Nick Muse said. "That’s just how it goes. That’s how this world is. As negative as it is, everybody has their opinion.

“No one wants to come to a game and cheer on a team that’s going to lose. That’s what we’re doing and we’ve got to fix that.”

KIFFIN THEORY

Kiffin has one theory about some teams citing numbers problems in calling off games. The SEC lets schools do that if they don't have 53 scholarship players available.

“I guess injuries are counting in those numbers that people can get out of playing,” Kiffin said. “I don’t know. Maybe some people don’t want to play. Maybe their season’s not going good. So who knows?”

COVID RESULTS

When Muschamp heard about Texas A&M having two positive tests in their football program Monday, he immediately got on the phone with Gamecocks trainer Clint Haggard to see if the Gamecocks were affected. It’s the second time this season after a game that South Carolina’s opponent had positive coronavirus tests, happening also the week following a 41-7 win at Vanderbilt last month.

QB SHUFFLE

Muschamp threw open the quarterback competition after consecutive losses to LSU and No. 5 Texas A&M where the Gamecocks were outscored 100-27. Collin Hill was a grad transfer from Colorado State who won the job in fall camp. But Muschamp said last year’s starter, Ryan Hilinski, and true freshman Luke Doty will work through the week with the winner getting the chance to start in Oxford.

“The Colorado State kid played really well at times then struggled here as of late,” Kiffin said. “These guys can run the ball really well."

RUSHING PROBLEMS

South Carolina’s rushing attack fell apart at the wrong time. The Gamecocks were among the top half of the SEC in rushing and Kevin Harris entered as the league’s third leading rusher before a 48-3 loss to

DEADLOCKED

South Carolina has won the last three meetings, but the series is deadlocked 8-8 overall. The teams have also split their six meetings in Oxford.

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AP Sports Writer Pete Iacobelli contributed to this report.

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More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

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Ryan Hilinski

Collin Hill

Nick Muse

Texas A&M Aggies

South Carolina Gamecocks