Early last week, Steve Spurrier wandered down to the locker room to see what was going on. He found no one there, so he headed up to the second floor of the Crews building, where the team meeting rooms are located.

He found the South Carolina players there, together in one room conducting a players only meeting, hashing things out after a disappointing 3-3 start and wasting a pair of two-touchdown leads in the fourth quarter of the past two games against Missouri and Kentucky.

Spurrier's reaction? Whatever works.

"I came down to the locker room and nobody was in there," Spurrier said. "They were all up in the meeting room. If we play better, it was a good idea. If we don't play any better, it probably didn't mean much. It's OK for some of the older guys to say, 'Hey fellows, this is our senior year. We want to have a winning season, we want to go to a bowl game and we want to try to get this thing straightened out. So, let's all pitch in and do our part.'

"If we can practice better and play better, then it will have been a beneficial meeting."

As far as Spurrier is concerned, the players-only meeting was no big deal.

"I didn't pay as much attention to it as you (the media) did," Spurrier said. "Anytime a team loses a couple in a row the way we have (fourth quarter collapses), there is a sense of urgency."

USC begins preparations in earnest Monday afternoon for Saturday's noon kickoff against Furman. The Gamecocks struggled past the Paladins, 38-19, in 2010 and after several close calls against FCS programs since the series with Palmetto State-based schools began in 2006, Spurrier takes nothing for granted.

Furman has lost four games in a row, but extended FCS power Coastal Carolina to overtime two weekends ago before dropping a 37-31 decision in its last game.

Bruce Fowler, Vanderbilt defensive coordinator under Bobby Johnson, is in his fourth year leading the Paladins program.

"Furman is a team that has struggled a little bit this year, although in the last game they took Coastal to overtime," Spurrier said. "He (Fowler) is a solid coach. They are a very capable team. They are well-coached and play hard and play tough. Hopefully, we can put a good game together. We're looking forward to it playing at high noon."

Spurrier reiterated he prefers to put one in-state FCS school on the schedule each season instead of similarly situated schools from outside the state.

"All the in-state schools tell me before the game they appreciate us letting them play here (Williams-Brice Stadium)," Spurrier said. "They say it's a good paycheck for them and helps keep their football program going and their kids enjoy it.

"They say, 'Hopefully, one day, we're going to beat you in here.' I know Wofford has come close two or three times. It was a very competitive game the last time Furman was here. They'll be fired up and they will give us their best shot. It does keep the money inside South Carolina and it helps the smaller schools with their budgets."

NOTES

-- Mississippi State is the new No. 1 team in both the AP and USA Today Coaches polls. It is the first time in school history the Bulldogs have been ranked No. 1. The SEC has five of the top 10 teams in the country in the AP Poll: 1. Mississippi State 2. Florida State 3. Ole Miss 4. Baylor 5. Notre Dame 6. Auburn 7. Alabama 8. Michigan St 9. Oregon 10. Georgia.

-- Spurrier said he had not received any reports of "car wrecks or injuries or anything" during the weekend. "Hopefully, the guys will be back Monday with a fresh attitude ready to start the second half of the season."

-- Spurrier said running back Brandon Wilds should be ready to play against Furman, while offensive lineman Cody Waldrop is "wait and see." However, Spurrier added he had yet to meet with the trainers.

-- Spurrier noted USC has typically played well in the second halves of recent seasons: "Hopefully, we can make some improvement. I know every team in the country is trying to do the same thing, getting better in the second half of the season. We've done a pretty decent job of that in the last three years. We're going to try to do it again. Hopefully, we'll show a lot of progress this Saturday."

-- Spurrier on defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward moving upstairs to the coaches box: "We'll find out (if it works). I'm open to change just like I'm sure all of our fans are. Let's do something different. We're going to try to tackle better. If he thinks he can see better up there, that's fine. But we have to get lined up, get guys flying to the ball, get off blocks and tackle and get guys down when we hit them. Hopefully, it will pay off starting Saturday."

-- After watching college football games on Saturday, Spurrier said, "We're not the only team to play games right down to the wire. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Just like everybody else. We just have to play better and when we're in position to put a team away by two touchdowns, do it and not rely on one side of the ball carrying the weight. We believe we're going to play better and coach better. It's not all on the players. It's me and our coaching staff for another reason we're 3-3."

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