COLUMBIA, S.C. - With the ever quote-conscious Lou Holtz at the helm, South Carolina will be serving up large quantities of the "one game at a time" mantra for the rest of this season.

In fact, at his weekly press conference earlier this week, Holtz let the magic phrase slip out twice. Assistant Skip Holtz said it twice also. Whether or not the mentality will stick with the players remains to be seen, but looking too far ahead could be dangerous for the Gamecocks.

After Saturday's game against No. 25 Mississippi State, only two home games remain. Seven of South Carolina's final eight opponents appeared in bowl games in 1999. Four of those teams are currently ranked in the top 25. Included is trips to third-ranked Florida and 11th-ranked Clemson. While the challenge offers the South Carolina a chance to prove itself, it also sets them up to fail.

Prior to the season, Holtz said he constantly reminded his players how they were one of a handful of teams that could go from, "worst to first." But now, that motivational technique is long gone.

"No, I try not to remind them of how bad we were last year," Holtz said. "That was more during the offseason. Now we have our goals and objectives and when we're done, if we've won enough games, you can do certain things. If not, you can't.

"The one question that I have is if we're going to be good enough. There's no doubt about our players working hard, playing hard and wanting to win. It's an easy team to coach with intangibles. But the question is if we are good enough."

South Carolina's fast start has many of the players believing they are good enough to be this year's Virginia Tech. But to keep this success up against ever-improving competition, a lot of things must happen. For one, South Carolina must stay healthy. Last year, injuries decimated the roster, with Holtz using 17 different offensive lineman and six quarterbacks. The result was an offense that ranked among the nation's worst.

With the new no-huddle, spread-out, timing-based attack, continuity in the starting lineup is key.

"When certain things come together and the offense stays healthy, we are capable of some very good things," quarterback Phil Petty said.

On defense, South Carolina must improve the pressure they put on the quarterback and tackle better. Against an inferior Eastern Michigan team, the Gamecocks had no sacks. The only times they gave up any big plays were when someone slipped through their hands. The defense also needs to continue creating turnovers. Five interceptions of Georgia quarterback Quincy Carter keyed the upset over the then ninth-ranked Bulldogs.

The flip side of all this, though, is that the team has yet to play its best complete game and still sits 3-0, fresh off a 41-6 victory.

"We went back and looked at the tape, and it wasn't like we really even played that well," center Philip Jones said. "There's a lot of room for improvement."

South Carolina's biggest challenge is improving its special teams. Though the returns are solid with the speedy Derek Watson back, the Gamecocks are 3 of 5 on field goals, including a missed chip shot from 23 yards away.

Their punting has been so inconsistent that Holtz used Ryan Brewer, a backup tailback and return specialist, to kick against Eastern Michigan.

Holtz is concerned that when the Gamecocks play a team like Mississippi State, who excels in the special teams, it will be a difficult disadvantage to overcome. He used the analogy that if both teams were to stop each other on defense, Mississippi State would still march down the field and score field goals through the yards it would pick up in the kicking exchanges.

"I don't know what we can do about that," he said. "We don't kick well or punt well. But luckily our protection and coverage has been good."

Somehow, one has to believe Holtz will figure out a way. After all, he's taken a football program that many didn't think could win and has them 3-0. Now comes the challenge of raising that bar one notch higher and winning against the SEC's elite.

If it doesn't happen this year, the future is bright, as the young Gamecocks have just eight seniors on their two-deep roster.

"The main concern I have is making a little bit of progress and people thinking it is more than we really have," Holtz said. "We're going to make it eventually, but right now, we might not be as good as some people make us out to be."

Wayne Drehs is a staff writer at ESPN.com.