No. 10 Gamecocks face road test at No. 8 Arkansas

By Pete Iacobelli

Associated Press

Published: Tuesday, Nov. 1 2011 3:10 p.m. MDT

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FILE - In this Oct. 29, 2011, file photo, South Carolina's Dylan Thompson (17) and head coach Steve Spurrier, right, look on during warm-ups before an NCAA college football game against Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn. South Carolina has the biggest test it's faced all year in trying to repeat as the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division champs when they take on No. 8 Arkansas on Saturday, Nov. 5.

Wade Payne, File, Associated Press

Summary

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier hopes his Gamecocks were paying attention after last year's lost to Arkansas.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier hopes his Gamecocks were paying attention after last year's lost to Arkansas.

Spurrier was so impressed with Arkansas he all but shut down practice for two days after the Razorbacks' 41-20 victory and made the Gamecocks watch the tape over and over again.

He'll find out how much his team learned Saturday when the 10th-ranked Gamecocks (7-1, 5-1 Southeastern Conference) meet the eighth-ranked Razorbacks (7-1, 3-1).

Spurrier says he admired Arkansas' ability to pass and make crucial defensive stops. The Gamecocks will need some of both if they want to remain in control of the SEC Eastern Division.

South Carolina is tied with No. 18 Georgia and holds the tiebreaker but Spurrier and his players know they can't slip up down the stretch.

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