Feb. 25, 2013

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The 2013 football season opener between the South Carolina Gamecocks and North Carolina Tar Heels will be played on Thursday, August 29, it was announced today. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN from Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia. Game time will be announced at a later date.

The August 29 contest will mark the 56th meeting on the gridiron between the two schools and the first since 2007. North Carolina holds a 34-17-4 lead in the all-time series, but South Carolina won that last meeting in Chapel Hill by a 21-15 count, and has won four of the last five contests, dating back to 1988. UNC holds a 14-9-1 advantage in games played in Columbia.

The Gamecocks are very familiar with Thursday night games on ESPN. Since head coach Steve Spurrier took over the program in 2005, Carolina has played 10 Thursday night ESPN contests. Carolina is 8-2 in Thursday night tilts under Coach Spurrier, including a 5-1 record at home and a 3-1 record on the road. The Gamecocks are a perfect 6-0 in season openers on Thursdays under the HBC.

THURSDAYS WITH STEVE
09/01/05 UCF* W 24-15
08/31/06 at Miss State* W 15-0
09/28/06 Auburn L 17-24
10/04/07 Kentucky W 38-23
08/28/08 NC State* W 34-0
09/04/08 at Vanderbilt L 17-24
09/03/09 at NC State* W 7-3
09/24/09 Ole Miss W 16-10
09/02/10 Southern Miss* W 41-13
08/30/12 at Vanderbilt* W 17-13

*-Season Opener