MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The NFL might be beckoning sooner than later, Wisconsin sophomore running back Melvin Gordon is focusing on Capital One Bowl opponent South Carolina and star defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.No. 19 Wisconsin (9-3) will face No. 8 South Carolina (10-2) in the Jan. 1 game in Orlando, Fla.”They’re a really good team,” said Gordon, who has put NFL thoughts aside until after the game. ”Obviously, they’ve got probably the No. 1 draft pick on their team. They’ve got some other guys up front that you can’t overlook that I think are great as well. We’ve got it in for us and it’s going to be an exciting game.”The speedy Gordon leads the Badgers in rushing with 1,466 yards, averaging 8.1 yards per carry with 12 touchdowns. He teams with senior James White, who has rushed for 1,337 yards and 13 touchdowns. White also is the team’s second leading receiver with 37 catches for 292 yards, and Gordon has one catch for 5 yards. Both Gordon and White were second-team All-Big Ten selections.”I think you’d be hard pressed to find a better duo in the country,” Wisconsin running backs coach Thomas Hammock said. ”Week in and week out, they do it consistently. I’m looking forward to having one more game with those guys.”Gordon expects a stiff challenge from the Gamecocks’ defense, which also includes tackle Kelcy Quarles.”It’s big to come out and establish the run,” Gordon said. ”We’ve got to establish the tempo. We’ve got to come out swinging. We can’t get behind the chains against these guys. They’re a really good team. They’re not ranked No. 9 in the nation for no reason. There’s a reason they’re playing in this bowl, just like us. We’ve just got to attack them. …
Continue Reading: Wisconsin’s Gordon focusing on South Carolina
