South Carolina Gamecocks Fans Should Be Proud

Being a fan of a team who isn’t traditionally a powerhouse program can have it’s challenges. Having a sustained run of success can spoil a fan base. Not being used to expectations and then failing to meet the expectations placed on you can lead to some long seasons and frustrating years. What’s even more interesting is all of these statements apply to the South Carolina Gamecocks. Their fan base is now dealing with something they haven’t had to deal with often. They now wonder about high expectations and what to do when they are not met.

It’s not like the Gamecocks were really expected to be a playoff team, but they were at least expected to be a little more competitive. In 2015, they treated fans to blowout losses and even made a mess of some of their games by losing to teams that they should have been better than. They showed heart at times, including a hard fought loss in what was supposed to be a home game against the LSU Tigers. Due to flooding in Columbia, South Carolina, it would turn out that this wouldn’t be a home game at all as it would be moved to Baton Rouge.

On their final game of the season, the Gamecocks would give their old foes, the Clemson Tigers, all they could handle, though. In a game no one predicted they would win (many projected a blowout), the Gamecocks pushed the top ranked Tigers to the limit. They’d ultimately suffer a loss; but after everything this team has suffered through this season, no one should expect them to hang their heads being on the wrong end of a five point margin.

This team is a long way from those teams that won 11 games in back to back years; but heading into next season, there will be hope. Now fans wait to see who the head man will be. Who knows? Rumor is some fans have already been clamoring for Les Miles. Nothing so far gives that any validity, but  I’m sure the Gamecock faithful would love to have him. Whoever they hire, he would inherit a team that has the capability of being something special.

Geoffrey Knox is a Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow on Twitter @gq_4_eva, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google+ and Linkedin.