Brad Crawford, a staff writer for 247Sports, recently released his updated bowl projections following week 14’s results. Crawford has remained adamant that the Mountaineers will be making the trip to compete in the Autozone Liberty Bowl on New Year’s Eve. However, with so much shake up going on in the SEC standings, their opponent has changed almost weekly.
This week, Crawford has West Virginia pinned up against one of the worst teams in the Southeastern Conference. South Carolina, who only recently completed their coaching search, is projected to make the trip to Memphis to take on the Mountaineers in late December. The Gamecocks wrapped up their 2020 season on Saturday with a 41-18 loss to the Kentucky Wildcats. After firing Will Muschamp in November, the team finished with an abysmal 2-8 record.
Though South Carolina’s record certainly doesn’t garner a bowl invite, the NCAA’s ruling that all teams are bowl eligible in 2020 will put them in the postseason. According to multiple sources, the team would consider accepting a bowl invite despite their poor record.
The Mountaineers and Gamecocks have met twelve times before, with West Virginia holding a 7-4-1 advantage.
