Ole Miss, South Carolina buckling under weight of close calls

March 6, 2026 - 21:17

The relentless grind of the Southeastern Conference is beginning to show its teeth, with the Ole Miss Rebels and South Carolina Gamecocks exhibiting signs of strain. Both programs, harboring postseason aspirations, are buckling under the cumulative weight of a season defined by excruciatingly close calls.

For Ole Miss, a promising campaign has been marred by narrow defeats that have slipped through their fingers in the final moments. These aren't blowout losses, but heartbreakers—games decided by a single possession where a critical stop or a clutch play was just out of reach. The psychological toll of these near-misses is becoming evident, shaking the team's confidence in tight situations.

Similarly, South Carolina finds itself in a parallel struggle. The Gamecocks have been competitive in every outing but have repeatedly fallen short when the margin for error disappears. Whether it's a late turnover, a special teams miscue, or an inability to close out a fourth-quarter lead, the pattern is one of self-inflicted wounds at the worst possible time.

This trend raises serious questions about each team's resilience and late-game execution as the season progresses. In the brutal landscape of the SEC, learning to win close games is not a luxury; it's a necessity. For both the Rebels and Gamecocks, the challenge is clear: they must reverse this troubling trend quickly, or risk seeing their seasons defined by what might have been. The pressure to finally convert these close calls into victories has never been higher.