Back in a bowl game for the second straight season, the Miami Hurricanes will take on the South Carolina Gamecocks in the 2014 Independence Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 27.
Al Golden's fourth season at the helm of Miami didn't result in a conference title or even a run at the ACC crown down the stretch, but the Hurricanes were able to secure their second straight postseason berth in early November. With a 47-20 blowout win over North Carolina on Nov. 1, Miami recorded its requisite sixth win of the season, making it bowl eligible. Unfortunately for the Hurricanes, that would be the last win the team would record in the regular season, dropping three straight games to close out the year at a disappointing 6-6.
"We are thrilled for the opportunity to compete against a program with the tradition and talent of South Carolina," Golden said. "The 2014 Independence Bowl not only provides our program with a great matchup, but it also gives us a tremendous opportunity to improve, gain valuable practice time and postseason experience."
Miami has an all-time bowl record of 19-18 after getting routed by Louisville in last season's Russell Athletic Bowl, 36-9.
Steve Spurrier's Gamecocks had a ton of expectations coming into 2014 as one of the real contenders for the SEC crown. However, September losses to Texas A&M and Missouri left the team in a deep SEC hole, one it could not get out of. The Gamecocks also dropped league bouts to Kentucky, Auburn and Tennessee, finishing a dismal 3-5 in the SEC East. Still, the team did just enough with six wins to earn postseason consideration.
This game marks the first December bowl game for South Carolina since 2010. The team has won three straight bowls with two Capital One Bowl victories over Nebraska (2012) and Wisconsin (2014) and one Outback Bowl victory over Michigan (2013). In all, South Carolina is 7-12 in 19 previous bowl games and has been bowl eligible in each of the last 11 seasons.
These two teams have met 15 times in history, although this is the first matchup since 1987. Miami holds an 8-5-2 advantage all-time. The Hurricanes have won six straight meetings with the Gamecocks, who haven't beaten Miami since 1947.
Miami had plenty of offensive success in 2014 thanks in large part to one of the nation's most explosive tailbacks and a surprising freshman under center.
Brad Kaaya got the nod at quarterback to start the season and never disappointed, as he earned some Freshman All-America accolades. The youngster led an offense that generated over 430 yards per game. He was responsible for a good portion of that, completing 58.6 percent of his passes, for 2,962 yards and 25 TDs.
It certainly helped to have a player of Duke Johnson's caliber in the backfield, taking the pressure off. Johnson has a bright future ahead of him in the NFL and certainly showed his talents this season, rumbling for 1,520 yards and 10 TDs, on a hefty 7.0 yards per carry. Johnson was a complete back, catching 33 balls out of the backfield with an additional three TDs through the air.
More conventional pass catchers of note for Miami include tight end Clive Walford (team-high 44 receptions, 676 yards, 7 TDs) and wideout Phillip Dorsett (31 receptions, 826 yards, 9 TDs).
The Miami defense had its ups and downs this season. The team did allow a rather generous 24.3 ppg, but held foes to just 327.6 yards of total offense (14th nationally). The team was particularly stingy against the pass, allowing just 184.1 yards per game (ninth nationally).
Senior linebacker Denzel Perryman showed his pro potential as the Miami leader on the defensive side of the ball. The veteran playmaker topped the team in tackles (102), with 8.5 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 INT and 3 forced fumbles. Sophomore LB Jermaine Grace was a distant second in the tackles department with 57 stops. Senior LB Thurston Armbrister (53 tackles), paced the team with five sacks.
Miami's defense has a tough task ahead of it. Although South Carolina didn't finish with a great overall mark, the offense wasn't the main culprit. The Gamecocks averaged 33.3 ppg this year and did so on an impressive 450.8 yards of total offense. The ground game generated a decent 169.4 ypg, while the passing attack, under Dylan Thompson's charge, accounted for 281.4 ypg.
The 6-2 senior Thompson has played extremely well in 2014 and led the SEC in passing (273.3 ypg). Thompson completed nearly 60 percent of his passes, for 3,280 yards and 24 TDs.
Sophomore wide receiver Pharoh Cooper was far and away the top threat downfield in 2014, leading the team in receptions (60), receiving yards (966) and TD catches (8), en route to All-ACC honors.
Junior tailback Mike Davis is a capable ball carrier and the catalyst in the backfield for South Carolina. He finished the regular season just under 1,000 yards with 927 yards and nine TDs on a healthy 5.0 yards per carry. Fellow junior Brandon Wilds (567 yards, 4 TDs) shouldered some of the rushing burden as well.
While the offense put up a lot of points and tons of yards, the South Carolina defense relinquished the same to the opposition. USC really struggled on defense this season, allowing 31.2 ppg and 433.6 yards of total offense. The team really had a tough time against the run, yielding a horrific 214.4 yards per game, on 5.4 yards per carry. Big play weren't exactly the norm in Columbia either, with only 12 sacks and 17 takeaways over 12 games.
Sophomore linebacker Skai Moore proved to be the top playmaker on the roster, finishing with a team-high 82 tackles, to go along with three interceptions and one fumble recovery. Junior safety T.J. Gurley was a close second in tackles with 80 stops. Senior safety Brison Williams (33 tackles) topped the team with four picks.
[SportsNetwork.com]
