South Carolina football is coming off a heartbreaking 36-33 home loss to LSU. Now comes a tune-up game in which they can bounce back.

The Gamecocks are set to host Akron, their second mid-major opponent of the season. The Zips are well-coached and creative, but they are not particularly talented.

SOUTH CAROLINA VS. AKRON GAME, TV INFO

Who: South Carolina (2-1) vs. Akron (1-2)

Where: Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, S.C.

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday

TV: ESPNU

VEGAS ODDS, POINT SPREAD

The Gamecocks are 27.5-point favorites against the Zips, according to the Action Network. The over/under is 46.5 points.

LAST MEETING, TRENDS

The Gamecocks won the last and only meeting between the teams, a chilly 28-3 victory in a cold and wet game in 2018 that was played in December as a makeup when a hurricane canceled an early-season contest.

STATE OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS

South Carolina let one slip away Saturday, blowing a 17-0 lead to LSU and losing late in an avalanche of mistakes and ill-timed penalties. The Gamecocks were painfully close to pulling off a 2-0 start in conference play.

The offense showed more potential, with more than 350 yards of explosive plays. The defense had some good moments but seemed to wear down and struggle with tackling down the stretch. The offensive production came despite QB LaNorris Sellers missing half of the game with an ankle injury.

Missing the chance to get to 3-0 means Shane Beamer’s team will still need to pull one SEC or Clemson upset to reach a bowl game. Had they won last week, they’d be in pole position to make the postseason and almost guarantee minimal uncomfortable questions in the offseason.

State of the Akron Zips

In Year 2 under Joe Moorhead, the Zips are trying to make progress after consecutive 2-10 seasons. They took a pair of brutal losses (outscord 101-23 by Ohio State and Rutgers) before topping FCS Colgate.

Moorhead, a former ace Penn State offensive coordinator and failed Mississippi State head coach, has been scheming things up to take most advantage of what he has. His quarterback, Ben Finley, bounced back from getting knocked out of the Ohio State game and torched Colgate. The defense plays hard and gets after it, but they were at such a talent disadvantage the first two weeks that the numbers were ugly.

Life for the Zips program is always going to be difficult and an uphill battle. Since returning to Division 1-A/FCS in 1988, they’ve posted only eight winning seasons and played in three bowls.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers: In less than a half of work, Sellers had some moments against LSU. The second-year player hit a few nice passes and broke off a 75-yard run before tweaking an ankle. He’ll probably be fine for the Zips and could probably use a game where he can slow down a bit.

South Carolina RB Rocket Sanders: The former Arkansas star started the season slowly, then got lathered up against LSU. He posted 143 yards, including a 66-yarder. The Zips give up 5.9 yards per carry to power conference opponents, so Sanders might have a chance to feast.

South Carolina DE Kyle Kennard: The LSU game featured a lot of positives for the veteran pass rusher, but he also committed a (controversial) penalty that took a potential game-icing score off the board. He’s already been terrorizing offensive linemen, and Akron has a decidedly struggling pass protection situation.

Akron QB Ben Finley: After stints at N.C. State (where his brother starred) and Cal, Finley has finally found a place in a lineup. He just got hammered by Ohio State, but he finally got going with 358 yards and four scores vs. Colgate.

Akron DE C.J. Nunnally: A quick and tough defensive end at 6-foot-3, 240 pounds, Nunnally can be a dangerous pass rusher for the Zips. He’s already got a sack and 1 .5 tackles for loss after posting seven and 13.5 last season.

WILMINGTON, N.C. – Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight formed off the Southeast U.S. coast on Sunday and is expected to become Tropical Storm Helene early this week.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said the system formerly known as Invest 95L is now being called a potential tropical cyclone so that it could issue tropical storm alerts along the Southeast coast.

HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER

Where is Potential Tropical Cyclone 8?

Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight is located a couple hundred miles off the Southeastern U.S. coast.

WHAT IS A POTENTIAL TROPICAL CYCLONE?

Where are watches and warnings in effect for Potential Tropical Cyclone 8?

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Edisto Beach, South Carolina northward to Ocracoke Inlet, North Carolina.

WHAT TO DO WHEN HURRICANE OR TROPICAL STORM WATCHES AND WARNINGS ARE ISSUED FOR YOUR TOWN

What is the forecast for Potential Tropical Cyclone 8?

Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight is likely to bring gusty winds, heavy rain with the potential for flash flooding, coastal flooding and dangerous beach conditions to portions of the Southeast and mid-Atlantic coasts over the next couple of days, the NHC warned. It could become a subtropical or tropical storm in the next day.

Computer forecast models show a widespread swath of 2-5 inches of rainfall, with locally higher amounts possible mainly east of Interstate 95. This includes the coastal communities of Myrtle Beach in South Carolina and Wilmington and Morehead City in North Carolina. 

NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center has highlighted northeastern South Carolina, eastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia for potential flooding on Monday.

A general 1-3 inches of rain is still expected in inland cities such as Raleigh and Charlotte in North Carolina and even Richmond in Virginia.

WATCH: HURRICANE ERNESTO’S SWELL CAUSES NORTH CAROLINA HOUSE TO COLLAPSE INTO OCEAN

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Rough seas to result in rip currents, beach erosion

The formation of the potential tropical cyclone brings an increased threat for rip currents, and the potential for additional coastal erosion. 

The coastline around North Carolina’s Outer Banks and southeastern Virginia is highly susceptible to rough seas, as evidenced by swells created by Hurricane Ernesto that were over 1,000 miles away. 

WHEN IS THE TYPICAL LAST HURRICANE STRIKE ON THE US COAST?

Waves triggered by the once-Category 2 hurricane caused flooding along North Carolina Highway 12, the main thoroughfare through the islands. At least one abandoned home collapsed into the ocean.

Following the collapse, parts of Cape Hatteras National Seashore were off-limits to swimmers due to concerns about debris in the water.

So far, authorities have given no indications that the surf produced by Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight will outdo the swells of Ernesto or claim any more homes, but the local National Weather Service office in Morehead City, North Carolina, has issued various advisories for beachgoers and boaters, warning about the rough conditions.

KERSHAW COUNTY, S.C. (FOX Carolina) – The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said an earthquake was reported near Elgin, South Carolina on Saturday.

According to the USGS, the earthquake had a magnitude of 2.1 and a depth of 3 kilometers. It hit 4.2 miles southeast of Elgin at 1:46 p.m.

The agency mentioned that it was also 20.3 miles northeast of Columbia.

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