Nov. 13, 2013

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On a chilly November day the No. 11/12 South Carolina football team practiced for two hours on Wednesday afternoon. The Gamecocks (7-2, 5-2 SEC) are preparing for Saturday’s SEC Eastern Division showdown with the Florida Gators (4-5, 3-4 SEC).

The Gamecocks hope to have redshirt freshman center Cody Waldrop available for Saturday’s game. Waldrop has been hampered by foot and ankle injuries for much of the season. “My plan is to play him,” said offensive line coach Shawn Elliott. “I don’t know if he’ll start right now. He looks good physically. He’s just getting back into the rhythm.” Elliott said he would play the best center available. “If Cody gets his snaps back and his timing and everything, then certainly I feel he’s probably has a little more strength than Clay (Stadnik) does right now. But they’re both good football players. We’ll go with whoever has the best snaps. That’s the number one thing.”

Elliott knows that the Florida defensive line will be one of the best his team has faced this season. “I think it’s the strongest defensive front. I think Missouri was quicker, but strength-wise with (Florida’s) interior tackles, they present a big problem. They’re strong, physical-type players.”

“They’re a typical Florida defense for the most part,” echoed wide receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. “They’ve got a lot good players. We’ve got to play well and execute. They play a lot of man, press you up, get in your face. It will be a fun one-on-one matchup most of the day for most of the guys.”

Spurrier Jr. knows better than to overlook a Gator team that comes in with a 4-5 record. “It’s unusual (that they are 4-5), but it’s still Florida and it’s still a big game. It means a lot. It means a lot in the conference. We’re excited to go play these guys.”

The Gamecocks will practice again on Thursday afternoon.

Saturday’s game at a sold out Williams-Brice Stadium (80,250) is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. ESPN2 will have the national television broadcast with Joe Tessitore and Matt Millen in the booth and Maria Taylor working the sidelines.