The University of South Carolina football squad returned to the Bluff Road practice fields Monday night. The Gamecocks (7-1, 5-1 SEC) are ranked ninth in this week’s BCS Standings. They are preparing for Saturday night’s top-10 matchup at No. 7 Arkansas (7-1, 3-1 SEC). Game time is set for 7:15 p.m. ET in Fayetteville’s Reynolds Stadium. The game will be televised nationally by ESPN.

Defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward indicated that he expects both cornerbacks, C.C. Whitlock and Victor Hampton, should be ready to play on Saturday. “Vic’s calf is getting better daily and C.C. will be back from his concussion,” said Ward.

Defensive line coach Brad Lawing was pleased with the defensive performance against Tennessee. “Three points. That says it all right there,” said Lawing. “They had about 35 yards rushing. Anytime you hold a team under 200 yards you’re doing pretty good. We affected the quarterback the entire night. If you get sacks, that’s great, but the whole thing is affecting the quarterback. You want sacks, but anytime you make the quarterback move in the pocket and he starts throwing the ball high or throwing the ball wide, you are affecting him.

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Melvin Ingram scores on a fake punt at Georgia

USC senior defensive end Melvin Ingram has been named a national semifinalist for both the Rotary Lombardi and the Chuck Bednarik awards.

Ingram, a 6-2, 276-pounder from Hamlet, N.C., was a first-team Midseason All-American, according to Phil Steele. He is a three-time SEC Player of the Week this season and has scored three touchdowns. He is third in the SEC in sacks and tied for seventh in the league in tackles for loss.

The Rotary Lombardi Award is given annually to the best college football lineman or linebacker. A dozen players are considered semifinalists, including four from the SEC. The Bednarik Award is given to the nation’s Defensive Player of the Year. The semifinal list includes 16 candidates, six of whom are from the SEC.