COLUMBIA, S.C. — In the span of roughly 90 minutes Saturday night, South Carolina continued Florida's frustrating month of November and in the process, gave head coach Shane Beamer his first signature win in dominating fashion.
The 40-17 victory was the Gator's third consecutive loss and it moved Carolina to 5-4, one win away from becoming bowl eligible.
Beamer has already made an effort to head off any letdowns or lack of focus on the part of a team that has received its share of criticism after losses to Tennessee and Texas A&M.
The rookie head coach has been around enough to know that one big win can be a springboard to greater things or a slippery slope to a letdown. Whether it's spending too much time thinking about potential bowl destinations or reflecting on the win over the Gators, anything less than full focus on Missouri could lead to a less than inspired performance. But Beamer made sure to address the potential pitfalls early in the week and will continue to do so as needed as the team prepares for the trip to Missouri.