Spurrier says QB Shaw’s shoulder will be re-evaluated Wednesday

The Gamecocks are 2-0 after Saturday’s 48-10 win over East Carolina, and they moved up from No. 9 to No. 8 in the Associated Press poll, while holding steady at No. 9 in the coaches’ poll.

This Saturday night against Alabama-Birmingham, the Gamecocks will try to win their fourth straight game as a top-10 team, dating to the final game of last season. They have never won four straight as a top-10 team, and entering this season, they were just 9-10 when in the top 10.

The ECU win made it three straight wins as a top-10 team, obviously. That had happened just once before in USC history – the Gamecocks’ first three games as a top-10 team, in 1984.

USC started this season No. 9 in both polls. Before the Gamecocks finished No. 9 last season, they hadn’t been higher than No. 10 since October 2007, when they were No. 6 and 6-1 entering a loss to Vanderbilt. USC has climbed higher than No. 6 just once – in 1984, when it was No. 2 and undefeated coming off those aforementioned three straight wins, then lost to Navy.

USC can probably beat UAB without starting quarterback Connor Shaw, especially considering how well understudy Dylan Thompson played against ECU. And the coaches are going to let Shaw take his time in recovering from a bone bruise in his right (throwing) shoulder – an injury suffered in the Aug. 30 season opener at Vanderbilt, two weeks ago this Thursday.