The paths Notre Dame and South Carolina every took to reach within the Dec. 30 Gator Bowl have been traced with similarities, but they have been divergent in their very own methods as effectively. The online result’s a pair of groups with matching 8-4 information which are simply two spots aside at No. 19 (South Carolina) and No. 21 (Notre Dame) within the pre-bowl School Soccer Playoff rankings.

Each groups began with a 1-2 document and every had a loss to an eventual CFP semifinal participant in its first three video games. The Irish opened their season with a 21-10 loss to present No. 4 Ohio State, whereas the Gamecocks misplaced 48-7 to reigning nationwide champion and present No. 1 Georgia in week three.

Every group had what turned out to be a confounding early loss on its resume. The early goodwill {that a} shut loss to the Buckeyes led to was offset by Notre Dame’s 26-21 dwelling loss to Marshall the subsequent week.

The switch laden Thundering Herd would lose their subsequent two and 4 of their subsequent six video games after knocking off the Irish, however they completed their season 8-4 with a four-game profitable streak and can face UConn within the Dec. 19 Myrtle Seaside Bowl.

“After beginning off the season 0-2, being a first-year head coach, you have been making an attempt to do no matter it takes to win,” Irish head coach Marcus Freeman recounted this week. “However then you definitely began constructing on momentum and bettering.”

South Carolina’s week two 44-30 loss to then No. 16 Arkansas appeared “high quality” sufficient on the time, however the Razorbacks stumbled to a 6-6 general document with a 3-5 end within the SEC (although nonetheless ok for a Liberty Bowl berth towards Kansas).

“It didn’t begin off the best way we needed, dropping to Arkansas and Georgia within the first three weeks,” South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer mentioned of the 1-2 begin. “We weren’t aggressive towards Georgia. However our guys simply stored working and stored getting higher.”

The Gamecocks scored 50-plus factors in every of their subsequent two wins over Charlotte and South Carolina State, however these have been hardly true exams of what they might have to be to outlive within the SEC. That check got here in an Oct. 8 highway sport at No. 13 Kentucky.

South Carolina gained 24-14 for its first convention win of the season to assist propel it to a 7-2 document over its final 9 video games.

“That was a pivotal level for us,” Beamer mentioned this week. “South Carolina hadn’t gained in Lexington in I imagine it was 10 years. We went up there towards a nationally ranked Kentucky group that was coming off a troublesome loss to Ole Miss. To win that evening in the best way that we did was big for us.”

The Gamecocks overcame a pair of early turnovers towards the Wildcats to get their first win over a ranked group in almost two calendar years. Their first highway win over a ranked group in almost three full seasons. They closed the season with wins over top-10 groups Tennessee and rival Clemson in again to again weeks.

South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler turned in his two greatest video games of the season in these consecutive wins. The Oklahoma switch totaled 798 passing yards with eight passing touchdowns and yet another TD on the bottom in these victories.

“I did take a pair minutes to peek on the simply the offense versus Clemson after which clearly watch a little bit little bit of the Tennessee sport,” Freeman mentioned Sunday evening in his Gator Bowl press convention. “He is particular. Their offense is explosive. I have never watched a lot of their protection but however they’ve an explosive offense and it is all all of it begins with their quarterback.”

Even with the 2 huge wins to shut the season, South Carolina didn’t have a clear spring to the season’s end line. The Gamecocks fell to each Missouri and Florida, who every completed their seasons with 6-6 general and 3-5 SEC marks.

Notre Dame appeared to have its personal season righted after the early Marshall loss, by rattling off consecutive wins over California, North Carolina and BYU in consecutive weeks.

Backup quarterback Drew Pyne shook off a jittery first half towards the Golden Bears to finish higher than 70% of his passes with eight landing throws in that three-game stretch. Pyne was bolstered by a working assault that got here to life by averaging 222 yards within the three-game streak, nevertheless it all got here crashing down within the Oct. 15 16-14 loss to Stanford.

Freeman appeared within the mirror at his personal management, but additionally appeared to participant management to maintain your complete season from sinking after what might have been an entire plunge into the abyss after the loss to a Cardinal group that solely gained yet another sport the remainder of the season.

“We had a loss to Stanford and it was (the) potential for our leaders to assist us regroup,” Freeman remarked. “The teaching workers did an amazing job of setting the plan and the requirements, however our leaders type of actually took the lead and helped us enhance.”

Notre Dame ran off 5 consecutive wins after the Stanford loss. The excessive factors have been wins over No. 16 Syracuse and No. 4 Clemson in succession. Even a 35-32 win over Navy had potholes from half to half, however a 44-0 Senior Day dismantling of Boston School smoothed issues earlier than a disappointing 38-27 loss to rival USC to shut the common season.

“We talked about it being the bumpy highway,” Freeman mentioned of the trail of his first season that led to the Gator Bowl. “It wasn’t how we foresaw it because the season began, however the potential to enhance week after week, after wins and losses, was the problem that I had as the pinnacle coach for this group. To complete this season off with the chance to play South Carolina, we’re extraordinarily excited.”

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