North Carolina @ South Carolina preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 13, 2007 ) South Carolina 21, North Carolina 15

South Carolina has never received the amount of preseason publicity that's flooded its way this summer, putting the No.7 Gamecocks in the national conversation heading into their season opener Thursday against visiting North Carolina. South Carolina is at an all-time high in the preseason polls thanks to one of the country's premier players in junior Jadeveon Clowney, who was voted the nation’s top defensive end last season and finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy balloting. South Carolina also returns starting quarterback Connor Shaw, who has never lost at home as a starter for the Gamecocks.

North Carolina also returns a talented quarterback in senior Bryn Renner, who has thrown for more than 3,000 yards each of the last two seasons. Renner also welcomes back his No. 1 target in wide receiver Quinshad Davis, a South Carolina native who set freshman school records last season for receptions (61) and receiving yardage (776). Protecting Renner’s blind side will be 6-7, 305-pound left tackle James Hurst, while redshirt freshman Jon Heck won the starting job at right tackle. Both figure to be tested all night against Clowney, who recorded 13 sacks last season.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: South Carolina -11.

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (2012: 8-4, 5-3 ACC): The Tar Heels are looking to bounce-back from a down year defensively. They were ranked 10th out of 12 teams in the ACC after allowing 32.9 points during conference play. The unit will be boosted by seven returning starters, led by defensive end Kareem Martin, a second-team all-conference selection last season.

ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA (2012: 11-2, 6-2 SEC): One of Shaw’s top targets will be junior wide receiver Bruce Ellington, who’s also the starting point guard for South Carolina’s basketball team. Look for tight end Rory Anderson to get plenty of looks over the middle: he has averaged 20.9 yards a catch during his first two seasons with the Gamecocks. South Carolina also features an experienced returning secondary, but lost five senior linebackers to graduation.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. South Carolina is the highest-ranked opponent North Carolina has faced since 2005.

2. South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier is 22-1 all-time in season openers, the loss coming against South Carolina while Spurrier coached Duke in 1989.

3. North Carolina coach Larry Fedora opened the 2010 season against South Carolina as coach of Southern Mississippi.

PREDICTION: South Carolina 28, North Carolina 20