South Carolina will appear in the 16th bowl game in school history - and the seventh in the last decade - when they take on Florida State in the Chick-fil-A Bowl on New Year's Eve at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. What will happen when the Gamecocks and Seminoles kick it off at 7:30 p.m.? Here are five predictions for the game:

1. The Largest Lead For Either Team Will Be No More Than 10 Points: Statistically, these two teams are as even as you can be going into a game. In nearly every meaningful category, they are separated by only a few spots in the national rankings. Start with the records. Both teams are 9-4. USC has scored 416 points this season while FSU has scored 413. USC has made 266 first downs, FSU 256. Both teams are converting about 49 percent of third down opportunities. USC is averaging 155.5 yards rushing per game, FSU 167.8. USC has completed 231 passes for 3,063 yards, FSU 238 passes for 2,848 yards. And on and on. When happens when two fairly equal teams square off? You typically get a close, hard-fought, back-and-forth game and that's what I believe will happen here.

2. Florida State Will Record Fewer Than Three Sacks: Without question, Florida State's biggest weapon on defense this season has been a devastating pass rush led by defensive ends Markus White and Brandon Jenkins. But USC has faced productive pass rushers all season. So, while the aforementioned FSU duo is talented, life in the SEC on a week-to-week basis exposes USC to quality players at all positions. The tackle duo of Kyle Nunn and Hutch Eckerson has performed admirably in the second half of the season and limited their mistakes. Overall, USC has allowed 28 sacks in 13 games, a sharp decrease from last season. The pass protection has clearly improved, as FSU will find out on New Year's Eve.

3. Marcus Lattimore Will Outrush the Entire Florida State Team By Himself: How much validity does the adage 'All For One Will Always Beat One For All' still have? A lot. But few teams in the country rely as much on one running back as USC does with Lattimore. His total of 1,198 yards is well over 50 percent of the Gamecocks' total rushing yards. Steve Spurrier knows USC must establish the run early in this game and patiently stick with it because if they don't, it will open the door for FSU's pass rushers to accumulate some impressive numbers as far as sacks and lost yardage is concerned. Florida State doesn't rely on just one guy in their ground game. Instead, they have three rushers who share the football. Lattimore has posted some huge numbers in some of USC's biggest games this season. 10 wins on the line? Lattimore will show up.

4. Garcia Will Set A New Single Season Completion Percentage Record: USC QB Stephen Garcia has completed 205-of-315 passes (65.1 pct) for 2,816 yards and 20 touchdowns in 13 games. The single season school record is 67.1 percent by Steve Taneyhill in 1995. Garcia needs to complete better than 70 percent of his passes in the Chick-fil-A Bowl to have a chance to catch Taneyhill's mark. Opponents are completing 58.3 percent of their passes (257-of-441) against the Florida State secondary and averaging 221.2 yards per game in 2010. Clearly, FSU's young secondary (redshirt freshman and two sophomore are among the four starters) appears vulnerable. Is there anybody capable of guarding Alshon Jeffery? I doubt it. It could be pitch-and-catch for Garcia and Jeffery all night.

5. USC Will Win The Time of Possession Battle: Sometimes, winning the time of possession means little. But in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, it could mean a lot. As long as Lattimore is able to crank out some tough yards, the Gamecocks should control the clock. That's important because FSU is 7-0 on the season when they hold a TOP advantage and 2-4 when they don't. Virginia Tech enjoyed a 10 minute advantage in the SCC Championship game and, not surprisingly, pulled out a 44-33 win. FSU has won the TOP possession just once in their last six games and that came against offensively inept Florida on Nov. 27. FSU's only two wins on the season when they've lost the TOP battle came against Clemson and Maryland. Suffice it to say USC is significantly better than those two clubs.

BONUS PREDICTION: USC will score at least one defensive touchdown. The Gamecocks' defense has scored at least one TD in four of the last five games, marking the most defensive scores by USC in a single season since joining the SEC in 1992. They'll do it again on New Year's Eve.

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