The South Carolina Gamecocks (2-1) play the Akron Zips (1-2) in Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday, Sep. 21 at 12:o0 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
The Gamecocks are coming off a three-point loss at the hands of LSU, 36-33.
Meanwhile, the Zips beat Colgate last week after dropping their first two games of the season.
South Carolina enters this Week 4 contest as a -28 favorite on thespread, while thetotal sits at 45.
So, where's the betting value here? Let's dive into my South Carolina vs Akron prediction for Saturday's Week 4 college football matchup below.
Akron Zips vs South Carolina Gamecocks Prediction
- South Carolina vs. Akron Pick: Akron +28
My Akron-South Carolina best bet is on the Zips spread with the best line currently available at FanDuel, according to our live NCAAF odds page.
Akron vs. South Carolina Odds, Spread, Line
| Akron Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+25.5 -110 | 41.5 -110 / -110 | +1800 |
| South Carolina Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-25.5 -110 | 41.5 -110 / -110 | -4000 |
- Akron vs. South Carolina Point Spread: Akron +25.5 · South Carolina -25.5
- Akron vs. South Carolina Total: Over/Under 41.5 Points
- Akron vs. South Carolina Moneyline: Akron ML +1800 · South Carolina ML -4000
Akron Football vs. South Carolina Football Preview
Akron Zips Betting Preview: Establish the Run
Akron enters this game fresh off their first win of the season, a 31-20 win over Colgate. That victory followed two blowout losses to Big Ten opponents (52-6 to Ohio State and 49-17 to Rutgers).
The Zips turned the game around after digging themselves a huge hole. They fell behind 17-0 to Colgate before scoring 28 unanswered points over the next two quarters.
Looking back at the Zips' first three games, the one area they have been able to find success has been on the ground, and it essentially came in their game at Rutgers. As a team, Akron ran the ball 25 times for 156 yards in that game, including a 73-yard run by Jordon Simmons — he's averaging 6.4 yards per carry on the season.
Rush Success is the only category Akron grades out favorably in, ranking 58th nationally. That may be something they can exploit against South Carolina, as the Gamecocks rank just 88th in Rush Success Rate allowed, their weakest category defensively.
Last week, South Carolina gave up 132 yards and three touchdowns on the ground to LSU, allowing three different Tigers to run for a carry of 10-plus yards. The Gamecocks' previous opponents, Kentucky and Old Dominion, also topped 100 yards on the ground.
Akron's task will be to establish the run and avoid negative offensive plays. Junior quarterback Ben Finley has thrown for 549 yards on the season but has three interceptions to go along with his five touchdowns.
South Carolina Gamecocks Betting Preview: Injury Issues
South Carolina enters this game with the difficult task of shedding the disappointment from last week's close loss to LSU. The Gamecocks led for much of that game in a packed house following College Gameday festivities. Still, they ultimately fell three points short thanks to some questionable calls and an injury to their star quarterback.
That injury still looms large, as LaNorris Sellers is questionable for this game. Robby Ashford took over for Sellers when he went down against LSU, but Ashford looked extremely uncomfortable throwing the football. He only attempted four passes, completing two of them, compared to 11 rush attempts for 11 yards total.
The Gamecocks' start to the year has been inconsistent. They dominated Kentucky in Week 2, looked the part against LSU in Week 3 before the late loss, and struggled against a lesser opponent in Week 1. They needed a late touchdown run from Sellers to sneak past Old Dominion with a final score of 23-19.
The advanced metrics are ugly for the South Carolina offense, as it ranks outside the top 100 in both Rush Success Rate and Pass Success Rate.
South Carolina averages 29 points per game, which makes a spread this large a little bit scary, given the injury concerns.
Defensively, the Gamecocks rank 24th nationally in Pass Success Rate allowed, which will be key to their chances of creating separation on the scoreboard. If they can generate a few turnovers, they can take the pressure off of their banged-up offense.
But if Akron is smart, the Zips will commit more to the run game, as that is South Carolina's defensive weak spot and the only noticeable strength of the offensive attack.
South Carolina vs. Akron Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how South Carolina and Akron match up statistically:
Akron Offense vs. South Carolina Defense
 | Offense | Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 58 | 88 | |
| Line Yards | 123 | 73 | |
| Pass Success | 112 | 24 | |
| Havoc | 120 | 14 | |
| Finishing Drives | 130 | 57 | |
| Quality Drives | 117 | 69 | |
South Carolina Offense vs. Akron Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 114 | 116 |  |
| Line Yards | 124 | 94 | |
| Pass Success | 122 | 117 | |
| Havoc | 134 | 121 | |
| Finishing Drives | 97 | 128 | |
| Quality Drives | 110 | 128 | |
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 123 | 126 |
| PFF Coverage | 116 | 10 |
| Special Teams SP+ | 58 | 57 |
| Middle 8 | 75 | 114 |
| Seconds per Play | 28.0 (72) | 28.6 (90) |
| Rush Rate | 46% (116) | 69% (11) |
How to Bet My Akron vs. South Carolina Pick
This is a strange spot for South Carolina.
It is a bit of an emotional letdown following last week's College Gameday loss, and it's also their final game for a while that doesn't come against a ranked team. The Gamecocks have a Bye next week before facing Ole Miss, Alabama and Oklahoma.
Given the Sellers injury, the sandwich spot on the schedule, and their inability to create separation against Old Dominion back in Week 1, this feels like far too many points for an underdog that should be able to find success on the ground.
I'm betting that the Zips will cover comfortably.
Pick: Akron +28
How to Watch Akron vs. South Carolina
| Location: | Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, SC |
| Date: | Saturday, Sept. 21 |
| Kickoff Time: | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | ESPNU |
College Football Betting Trends for South Carolina-Akron
- Akron is 1-2 SU and ATS.
- South Carolina is 2-1 SU and ATS.
- Akron is 3-0 to the over.
- South Carolina is 1-2 to the under
Akron vs. South Carolina Weather
