Gamecocks Open SEC Play Against Bulldogs Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina (2-0) remains home for the third consecutive week to open SEC play against Mississippi State (2-0) on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 4:15 p.m. (ET) with Matt Schumacker (pxp), Aaron Murray (analyst) and Taylor Davis (sideline reporter) on the call for the SEC Network broadcast.

Gamecock Hall of Fame quarterbacks Todd Ellis (35th season) and Tommy Suggs (54th season) will be on the call for the Gamecock Sports Radio Network statewide. Ellis will handle play-by-play duties while Suggs will serve as analyst for the broadcast. Chet Tucker will be on the sidelines, his fourth year as a part of the radio broadcast team.

It’s another sellout, the 19^th straight at Williams-Brice Stadium, which adds to a program record that dates back to the 2023 season. The Gamecocks’ sellout streak is the eighth longest active sellout streak in the country.

The Gamecocks have won 8-of-9 against the Bulldogs in the series dating back to 2000 with a 5-0 record at home. The two teams last squared off on Sept. 23, 2023 at Williams-Brice Stadium, a 37-30 victory by South Carolina.

The Gamecocks are seeking the program’s first 3-0 start since the 2012 season.

QUICKLY
The 133rd season of South Carolina football is officially underway as the Gamecocks opened the season with a pair of blowout victories over Towson (45-9) on Sep. 12 and Kent State (57-0) on Sept. 5 at Willimas-Brice Stadium. The 57 points scored against the Golden Flashes were the most in a season opener in program history. The 57-point margin of victory was also the most in a season opener in program history, surpassing a 53-0 win over Erskine on Sept. 19, 1938. The Gamecocks 102 combined points scored in their first two games are their most since 1980 (scored 110 points in games 1 & 2). Head coach Shane Beamer, who is in his sixth season as head coach, has his team 2-0 for the fourth time in his tenure. His 33 wins in his first five seasons from 2021-2025 trail only Joe Morrison (37) and Steve Spurrier (35) for the most victories in program history through a head coach’s first 63 games.

SUPER SWAIN
All-SEC punt returner Vicari Swain cemented his name in the record books vs. Towson (Sept. 12) with two punt returns for touchdowns, the fourth and fifth of his career at South Carolina. He broke a 55-year old school record previously held by Dick Harris (1969-71) for the most career punt return touchdowns. Swain got loose for 58 yards with 9:37 to go in the first quarter and broke away for 45 yards with 3 seconds left in the third quarter to break Harris’ long-standing program record. Since 1995, only 32 players have recorded multiple punt return TDs in the same game. Swain is the ONLY player on that list to do it twice (had two punt return TDs in a 38-10 win over SC State last season). He’s currently No. 2 in the SEC with six returns for 152 yards (25.3 average) thru two games. He was named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week for the third time in his career on Monday. His five career punt return TDs are T-3rd most in SEC history.

GROUND GAME (#RTDB)
The Gamecocks rushed 41 times for 416 yards (9.9 avg) against the Tigers on Sept. 12, the third-most rushing yards in a single game in program history. Matthew Fuller (125) and LaNorris Sellers (119) eclipsed the century mark and the Gamecocks had three touchdown runs of 50-yards or more for the first time in program history (Sellers – 58, Fuller – 55 & Isaiah Augustave – 55). Thru two games, South Carolina leads the SEC and ranks No. 3 nationally in rushing offense averaging 341.5 yards on the ground behind only Army (394.0) and Navy (376.0). The Gamecocks’ 8.5 yard per carry average leads the nation, just in front of Georgia (8.2). Under Beamer, Carolina is 13-1 when rushing for 200 or more yards.

GAP INTEGRITY
Under sixth year defensive coordinator Clayton White, South Carolina has allowed just one touchdown in the first two games of the season. The Gamecocks are T-1st in scoring defense with Penn State, allowing just 4.5 points per game. Carolina ranks No. 8 in total defense, allowing 191.0 yards per game. Against Towson on Sept. 12, the Gamecocks allowed just 21 rushing yards, the fourth-fewest single game rushing yards allowed in program history.

WILLIAMS-BRICE REIMAGINED
Phase I of the $350 million stadium renovation is complete as fans will be treated to major upgrades to enhance the game day experience every Saturday this fall. All tickets will be digital this season and fans are encouraged to arrive early. Each digital ticket will have a designated area of the stadium to enter. An interactive map has been created to serve as a central hub for all informational pertaining to game day and is available here. Fans are also encouraged to visit the Know Before You Go page on GamecocksOnline.com for Saturday afternoon’s matchup with the Bulldogs.

YOU GET A TOUCHDOWN! AND YOU GET A TOUCHDOWN! AND YOU GET A TOUCHDOWN!
After punting on the opening drive, South Carolina scored eight-straight touchdowns in its win over the Golden Flashes on Sept. 5 in the season openr. Six different players scored touchdowns for the Gamecocks marking the 15th different time that’s happened since 1995 and the fourth time under Beamer. Sophomore wide receiver Donovan Murph and sophomore transfer running back Jabree Coleman each recorded their first career games with multiple TDs. Murph had four catches for a team-high 92 yards (23.0 avg), hauling in TD receptions of 29 and 37 yards. Coleman had four carries for 77 yards (19.3 avg) with TD runs of 60 and five yards. Senior running back Isaiah Augustave, junior wide receiver Mazeo Bennett Jr., junior running back Matthew Fuller and sophomore tight end Mike Tyler each added TDs as well. Augustave and Tyler’s scores were each the first of their careers. Senior quarterback LaNorris Sellers had three TD passes and sophomore quarterback Cutter Woods added the first career passing TD of his career as well when he connected with Tyler from seven yards out with 6:24 remaining in the third quarter. Sellers’ three TDs moved him into the top-10 all-time at South Carolina with 36 career TD tosses.

WE’VE GOT OURSELVES AN OFFENSE
Under first-year offensive coordinator Kendal Briles, the Gamecock offense racked up 645 yards of total offense (367 passing, 278 rushing) against Kent State on Sept. 5, the fifth-most total yards in program history and the most in the Beamer era dating back to 2021. Carolina also had 35 first downs, which tied a program record (previously happened vs. Tennessee on 11/19/22). Carolina had over 500 yards of total offense in each of its first two games, marking the first time since late in the 2018 season the Gamecocks have had over 500 yards of offense in consecutive outings.  Under Beamer, the team has now had over 500 yards of total offense and over 200 rushing yards 13 times dating back to the 2021 season.

DONUTS FOR DINNER
The South Carolina defense pitched a shutout against the Golden Flashes in the season opener for the second time in the Beamer/Clayton White era (previously happened vs. EIU  on 9/4/21). The Gamecocks allowed just 179 yards of total offense, forced eight punts and held the Golden Flashes to 5-of-14 (35.7%)on third down.

EARN YOUR STRIPES
The Gamecocks have started 12 true freshmen in the season opener since 2009. Darius Gray earned the start at left tackle against Kent State in the season opener on Sept. 5 helping Carolina rack up 645 yards of total offense, including 278 rushing yards on 39 carries (7.1 avg). Gray was a part of an offensive line that allowed just one sack. He was the second highest graded (85.3) freshmen offensive lineman in the country via PFF in week one trailing only Georgia’s Ekene Ogboko (86.4).
2009 – Stephon Gilmore
2010 – Marcus Lattimore
2011 – Jadeveon Clowney
2014 – Bryson Allen-Williams
2014 – Al Harris
2016 – Bryan Edwards
2018 – Jaycee Horn
2019 – John Dixon
2019 – Jammie Robinson
2024 – Josiah Thompson
2024 – Michael Smith
2026 – Darius Gray

el capitán
For the first time in the Shane Beamer era at South Carolina, the team voted on its captains prior to the start of the season. In the past, individual captains have been selected on a game-by-game basis with a permanent vote at the end of the season. Fifth-year ight end Brady Hunt, junior linebacker Fred “JayR” Johnson, fifth-year defensive back Gerald Kilgore, fifth-year linebacker Shawn Murphy, senior quarterback LaNorris Sellers and fifth-year defensive back Peyton Williams were voted as captains for the 2026 season by their teammates. Sellers is now a three-time captain.

EXPERIENCE, EXPERIENCE, EXPERIENCE
Via Sam Khan Jr. and David Ubben of The Athletic, South Carolina has one of the most experienced teams in major college football this season ranking No. 10 amongst ACC, Big 12, Big Ten and SEC programs with career snaps played on its roster. The Gamecocks’ 2026 squad features 43,292 career snaps, 507 career starts and 1,386 career games played. Ole Miss is the only other SEC school to rank ahead of Carolina on the career snaps chart, checking in at No. 9 on the 68-team list.

KEEPING THE GANG TOGETHER
Carolina returns 32 letterwinners total this season, 13 on the offensive side of the ball and 17 letterwinners from 2025 on defense. The Gamecocks retained a number of key players in the offseason in quarterback LaNorris Sellers, EDGE Dylan Stewart, wide receiver Nyck Harbor, linebacker Fred “JayR” Johnson, defensive back Vicari Swain, running back Matthew Fuller, linebacker Justin Okoronkwo, defensive back Gerald Kilgore, linebacker Shawn Murphy, defensive back Judge Collier, defensive lineman Gabe Brownlow-Dindy, defensive back Peyton Williams, tight end Brady Hunt, wide receiver Donovan Murph and wide receiver Mazeo Bennett Jr. The 15 players listed have combined for 343 career games played and 165 career starts over the last three seasons at South Carolina.

TRANSFER HAUL
The Gamecocks’ 2026 roster welcomes a 28-man transfer class which was recently completed with the signing of fifth-year defensive back Ethan Johnson, who played in 47 career games (39 starts) at App State from 2022-25, and fifth-year kicker Ethan Sanchez, who was a Lou Groza Award semifinalist last season at Houston. Offensive tackle Jacarrius Peak headlines the portal class on the offensive side of the ball. The Valdosta, Ga. native was an All-ACC selection last season, playing in 38 career (32 starts) games in four seasons at NC State from 2022-25. A trio of players from UCF, wide receiver DJ Black, tight end Max Drag and offensive lineman Carter Miller, will contribute on the offensive side of the ball. Running back Christian Clark (Texas) and wide receiver Nitro Tuggle (Purdue) also headline some of the transfer class on the offense. Defensively, Kelby Collins (Alabama), Tomiwa Durojaiye (Illinois) and Jordan Thomas (Georgia) were added to bolster the interior of the defensive line. Collins’ younger brother, Drew (Arkansas State), and Caleb Herring (Tennessee) were added to the EDGE room. Quay’sheed Scot (Kentucky) projects to be in the mix at the nickel position on defense.

STUDENT-ATHLETES
The Gamecocks’ 2026 roster features 13 players who have already earned their undergraduate degrees: tight end Maurice Brown II, defensive back Judge Collier, wide receiver Jayden Gibson, offensive lineman Nolan Hay, tight end Brady Hunt, defensive back Gerald Kilgore, defensive back Ethan Johnson, offensive lineman Carter Miller, linebacker Shawn Murphy, linebacker Jamian Risher Jr., offensive lineman Seth Smith, defensive back Peyton Williams and EDGE George Wilson Jr. In six years under head coach Shane Beamer, Carolina has had 111 total graduates. The team’s graduation success rate is 96%, No. 2 in the SEC in that stretch. The team’s top-five team GPAs all-time have come under Beamer. Sixteen current players are set to earn their undergraduate/graduate degrees in December from the University of South Carolina.

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