The SEC East really started to take a turn last season when the mighty Florida Gators finally fell from the top of the division down to the rest of the pack, and the up and coming South Carolina Gamecocks finally had their day. These two will meet for the second straight season in what could possibly be considered the SEC East Championship Game.

Florida Gators @ South Carolina Gamecocks Picks & Info
Florida Gators @ South Carolina Gamecocks Date: Saturday, November 12th, 2011
Florida Gators @ South Carolina Gamecocks Location: Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, SC
Florida Gators @ South Carolina Gamecocks Spread: South Carolina Gamecocks -6.5

The Gators were really shell shocked last season when they were beaten at home by the Cocks with the SEC East crown on the line. This is going to be an incredibly important game for Head Coach Will Muschamp as he tries to restore order in Gainesville for the blue and orange. QB John Brantley had a terrible game when these two met last November, accounting for just 130 yards on 16-of-31 passing with an INT and no scores. In fact, things got so bad that Head Coach Urban Meyer decided to use plenty of Jordan Reed and Trey Burton under center. Needless to say, there is definitely a lot of sour taste in the mouths of the Gators right now that needs to be washed out.

Florida Gators @ South Carolina Gamecocks Past Games (Since 1995)
2010: South Carolina 36 – Florida 14
2009: Florida 24 – South Carolina 14
2008: Florida 56 – South Carolina 6
2007: Florida 51 – South Carolina 31
2006: Florida 17 – South Carolina 16
2005: South Carolina 30 – Florida 22
2004: Florida 48 – South Carolina 14
2003: Florida 24 – South Carolina 22
2002: Florida 28 – South Carolina 7
2001: Florida 54 – South Carolina 17
2000: Florida 41 – South Carolina 21
1999: Florida 20 – South Carolina 3
1998: Florida 33 – South Carolina 14
1997: Florida 48 – South Carolina 21
1996: Florida 52 – South Carolina 25

Head Coach Steve Spurrier did his share of beating the snot out of the Gamecocks when he was coaching Florida, but for the first time since leaving Gainesville, he was able to win a game at Florida Field against the team that he guided to national prominence. It was also the first time that the Gamecocks had ever won the SEC East, and just the second time that they had beaten the Gators since the SEC starting having a championship game. QB Stephen Garcia really needs this one though, because he was brought here to Columbia to beat the Gators and put the Gamecocks on the map. He’s still just 1-2 in his three seasons against Florida though, including getting beaten pretty badly in 2009 in Columbia. It almost seems odd that SC is the favored side in this one, but it is pretty clear, especially after watching RB Marcus Lattimore account for well over 200 total yards on the ground last season in Gainesville, that the Gamecocks do have the better of these two teams. It’s only a matter if they can exorcize the demons of history and take care of the Gators for a second straight season.

Florida Gators @ South Carolina Gamecocks Game Odds @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 7/20/11):
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Florida Gators (+6.5) @ South Carolina Gamecocks