No, Spencer Rattler can’t play for South Carolina in Duke’s Mayo Bowl
By John Buhler
South Carolina football fans may want Spencer Rattler to suit up for the Gamecocks in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl vs. North Carolina, but here is why that cannot happen.
Spencer Rattler committing to Shane Beamer’s South Carolina football program sent shockwaves throughout the college football world on Monday night.
Beamer had been at Oklahoma prior to getting the South Carolina gig. With Rattler transferring out of OU after three years in Norman, the move to the on-the-rise SEC East team makes sense. South Carolina massively overachieved this year to be bowl eligible, but the Gamecocks could have been a few wins better with even replacement level quarterback play. Rattler is a massive step up.
Though he is all Spurs Up these days, here is why Rattler cannot suit up for South Carolina vs. the North Carolina Tar Heels in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl at the end of the month.
Have received a lot of emails and DMs this morning about Spencer Rattler's eligibility at South Carolina for the Mayo Bowl.
— Brad Crawford (@BCrawford247) December 14, 2021
NCAA rules prohibit a player suiting up for two schools in the same season. And a bowl game counts as the same season.
Why Spencer Rattler cannot suit up for South Carolina in Gamecocks bowl game
It stinks, but it is reality. The NCAA prohibits players from suiting up for two different teams in the same season. While bowl season is a totally different animal than the regular season, they are still part of the same college season. Even if Rattler only knows a 10th of the South Carolina playbook, he would be better than whatever the Gamecocks have trotted out there at quarterback this year.
Though Rattler could have turned pro after this year, he has three years of eligibility left if he wants to completely reinvent himself at South Carolina. Ultimately, Rattler may play a year or two for Beamer in Columbia. As for if he can take the Gamecocks program over the top, they still play in the same division as Georgia. However, he is the most talented quarterback in the SEC East.
Nobody is happier about Rattler not being able to play in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl than Mack Brown, Sam Howell and the rest of the North Carolina football team.
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