Akron @ South Carolina preview

South Carolina coach Will Muschamp mentioned before the season he would like for his Gamecocks to spend this week practicing, with the hopes of being in Saturday’s SEC championship game in Atlanta. Instead, the Gamecocks will host Akron on Saturday in a matchup announced earlier this month - giving South Carolina a 12th regular-season contest after its Sept. 15 game with Marshall was canceled due to Hurricane Florence.

While the destination is the Gamecocks’ home in Columbia, S.C., some 215 miles east of where Alabama and Georgia will meet for the conference title, Muschamp still sees plenty of positives in opening December with a game. “Our goal is to go to Atlanta, and to go to Atlanta, you’ll be practicing this time next year,” Muschamp told reporters Tuesday. Even though it fell to second-ranked Clemson 56-35 last week, South Carolina brings plenty of momentum into Saturday after quarterback Jake Bentley passed for 510 yards and five touchdowns against a Tigers defense allowing just 14 points per game. The Zips, who upset Big Ten West champion Northwestern earlier this season, has lost four in a row after last week’s 49-28 defeat at Ohio.

TV: Noon ET, SEC Network. LINE: South Carolina -30

ABOUT AKRON (4-7): The Zips also sought a 12th game to round out their schedule after the Sept. 1 contest at Nebraska was canceled due to lightning. Quarterback Kato Nelson has passed for 2,151 yards and 15 touchdowns (four last week), wide receiver Andre Williams has six touchdowns and 49 total receptions, and linebacker John Lako leads the team with 118 tackles. Akron is sixth nationally with four defensive touchdowns, but has scored 17 points or fewer in six games.

ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA (6-5): Bentley is tied for third in the SEC with 24 passing touchdowns and sixth in passing yardage at 2,754. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel caught 10 passes for 210 yards and three touchdowns against Clemson, giving him 849 yards receiving (fifth in the league) and nine scores (tied for fourth). South Carolina has won three of its past five games, including a 49-9 non-conference victory over Chattanooga on Nov. 17.

EXTRA POINTS

1. South Carolina failed to convert twice on fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line against Clemson, yet still finished with five touchdowns on 11 possessions.

2. The Gamecocks are sixth in the SEC in total offense at 445.3 yards per game, finishing last week with 600.

3. South Carolina currently is being considered for several bowl games, including the Gator Bowl, Belk Bowl and Music City Bowl.

PREDICTION: South Carolina 48, Akron 14