15th-ranked Gamecocks visit Mississippi State on Saturday seeking a sixth consecutive win in the series.
Garcia, who had previously been suspended five times during his career at South Carolina (5-1, 3-1 SEC), was -- according to a person familiar with the decision -- dismissed from the team Tuesday for failing an alcohol test. The troubled fifth-year senior had agreed to undergo periodic tests for the presence of any alcohol as a condition of his reinstatement. :scared
Shaw with a 54-3 rout of Kentucky last Saturday.
Shaw completed 26 of 39 passes for 311 yards and four touchdowns as South Carolina recorded 639 yards -- its highest total in nearly 10 years.
"They're a run-football team, power-run football team. They got a top tailback and you seem them run a lot of that spread-option offense," Mullen said. "You gotta stop the run when you play them no matter who's in at quarterback."
Lattimore, who leads the SEC with 779 rushing yards, recorded his eighth career 100-yard game last weekend with 102. He did, however, fail to find the end zone for the first time this season.
The Gamecocks haven't opened 2-0 on the road in conference play since winning their first three in 2006, and they visit Tennessee and No. 10 Arkansas following this contest.
The Bulldogs (3-3, 0-3) are coming off a 21-3 win over UAB last Saturday. With his team trailing 3-0 at halftime, Mullen turned to sophomore Tyler Russell, who completed 11 of 13 passes for 166 yards and three TDs in place of Chris Relf.
With its quarterback situation unsettled, Mississippi State will surely look to running back Vick Ballard to carry the load. Ballard, who rushed for 101 yards on 19 attempts against the Blazers, ranks second in the conference with 24 rushing TDs since the beginning of last season -- two behind Lattimore's 26.
Ballard and the rest of the Bulldogs' offense will need to be wary of Gamecocks defensive end Melvin Ingram, who is expected to be close to 100 percent after dealing with a foot injury. Ingram leads the SEC with 5 1/2 sacks.:SIB
Mississippi State has been held to an average of 12.8 points during its five-game skid versus South Carolina. The teams haven't met since 2007.
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