Game Times, Networks Set for First Two Football Contests

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Game times and television networks have been announced for the first two games of the South Carolina Gamecocks’ 2023 football season, the Southeastern Conference office announced today.

South Carolina will open the third season of the Shane Beamer Era at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte on Saturday, Sept. 2, by taking on the North Carolina Tar Heels. Game time has been set for 7:30 pm ET and the contest will be televised nationally on ABC.

North Carolina leads the all-time series between these two neighboring flagship state universities by a 35-20-4 count, but the Gamecocks have won four of the last five and seven of the last nine contests, dating back to 1988. South Carolina posted a 38-21 win the last time the two teams met, which was also in Charlotte for the 2021 Duke’s Mayo Bowl. The last three meetings between the two Carolinas have taken place at Bank of America Stadium, with the Gamecocks winning twice.

South Carolina is opening the season at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium for the fifth time. The Gamecocks defeated East Carolina in 2011, North Carolina in 2015 and NC State in 2017, before falling to UNC in 2019 in the previous four season lid-lifters at BOA Stadium. The Gamecocks are 4-2 all-time at BOA Stadium, splitting a pair of bowl games in addition to the four previous season openers.

The Gamecocks’ home opener is set for Saturday, Sept. 9, when the Furman Paladins make their way to Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia. Game time has been set for 7:30 pm ET and the contest will be streamed on ESPN+/SECN+.

Carolina owns a 28-20-1 advantage in the all-time series with the Paladins and have won 13 of the last 14 meetings dating back to 1950. The Gamecocks posted a 41-10 win over Furman on Oct. 18, 2014, the last time the two teams met. Furman plays in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision as a member of the Southern Conference.

The Gamecocks finished the 2022 season with an 8-5 overall mark, including a 4-4 record in the SEC. They were ranked 23rd in the final poll by both the Associated Press and the AFCA Coaches. North Carolina logged a 9-5 record a year ago, including a 6-2 mark in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Tar Heels dropped their final four games to finish the season unranked. Furman posted a 10-3 mark a year ago, including a 7-1 mark in the SoCon. They reached the second round of the FCS playoffs, where they lost to Incarnate Word.

On Tuesday, the Gamecocks’ SEC opener, scheduled for Sept. 16 in Athens against the Georgia Bulldogs, was announced as a 3:30 pm kick and will be televised nationally on CBS.

South Carolina 2023 Football Schedule
Sept. 2 –  North Carolina (at Charlotte) – 7:30 pm, ABC
Sept. 9 – vs Furman – 7:30 pm, ESPN+/SECN+
Sept. 16 – at Georgia  – 3:30 pm, CBS
Sept. 23 – vs Mississippi State –  TBA
Sept. 30 – at Tennessee – TBA
Oct. 14 – vs Florida – TBA
Oct. 21 – at Missouri – TBA
Oct. 28 – at Texas A&M – TBA
Nov. 4 – Jacksonville State – TBA
Nov. 11- vs Vanderbilt – TBA
Nov. 18 – vs Kentucky – TBA
Nov. 25 – vs Clemson – TBA