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What to know/How to watch: South Carolina

Kyle McAreavyby: Kyle McAreavy4 hours agoKyle_mcareavy
NCAA Football: Vanderbilt at South Carolina
Sep 13, 2025; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer walks off the field following their loss to the Vanderbilt Commodores at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

We’re onto Week 4 and the start of SEC play for Mizzou. Next up is a matchup with South Carolina. Here are some basics to know going into the matchup.

Basic Game Info

  • Where: Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium
  • When: 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20
  • TV: ESPN
  • Radio: Tiger Radio Network

South Carolina (2-1, 0-1 SEC) team stats

  • Schedule so far: Beat Virginia Tech, beat South Carolina State, lost to Vanderbilt.
  • Points per game: 23.0 (tied 95th in country)
  • Points allowed per game: 17.33 (43rd in country)
  • Total yards per game: 303.0 (116th in country) 
  • Total yards allowed per game: 309.7 (49th in country)
  • Passing yards per game: 193.0 (92nd in country)
  • Passing yards allowed per game: 202.0 (62nd in country)
  • Rushing yards per game: 110.0 (117th in country)
  • Rushing yards allowed per game: 107.7 (47th in country)

Mizzou (3-0, 0-0) team stats

  • Schedule so far: Beat Central Arkansas, Kansas and Louisiana.
  • Points per game: 51.67 (8th in country)
  • Points allowed per game: 15.67 (39th in country)
  • Total yards per game: 587.0 (4th in country)
  • Total yards allowed per game: 200.7 (5th in country)
  • Passing yards per game: 284.667 (26th in country)
  • Passing yards allowed per game: 100.0 (5th in country)
  • Rushing yards per game: 302.3 (5th in country)
  • Rushing yards allowed per game: 100.7 (37th in country)

Players to know

LaNorris Sellers, QB

It’s still unsure if Sellers will play this week after exiting last week’s game against Vanderbilt with a concussion.

If he doesn’t play, South Carolina will likely turn to Luke Doty to handle quarterback duties.

Sellers was receiving Heisman hype coming into the season after an astounding redshirt freshman season where he produced 2,534 passing yards 18 air touchdowns and another 674 rushing yards and seven scores.

But the first three games haven’t been kind to Sellers. He is just 29-of-45 (64.4 percent) passing for the season for 431 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. He’s run the ball 24 times for 45 yards and one score.

Sellers is filled with talent, as Mizzou fans saw as he led the Gamecocks to a last-second win against the Tigers last season. But so far this year, the South Carolina offense hasn’t afforded him the opportunity to shine.

Other offensive players

Rahsul Faison/Oscar Adaway, RBs

Last year, the Gamecocks turned to Raheim “Rocket” Sanders to handle running the ball. And this year they turned to an even older back in Rahsul Faison who transferred from Utah State and is 25 years old.

In his seventh year of college ball, Faison had to fight the NCAA to allow him eligibility. He won and has led the South Carolina run game through three games.

Although that lead back role has led to just 27 carries, 135 rushing yards and one touchdown for an average of 45.0 yards per game.

Adaway operates the other end of a split backfield, garnering 22 carries for 86 yards and a score.

Faison isn’t much of a receiving threat, garnering four catches for 1 yard through three games. Adaway has three catches for 25 yards.

Nyck Harbor, WR

For comparison, Harbor is talked about in South Carolina circles the way Marquis Johnson is talked about in Mizzou circles.

He is faster than anyone else on the field, so just throw it up and he’ll go get it.

He’s done that so far this year with seven catches for 165 yards (23.6 average yards per catch is first on the team). He has one touchdown.

Harbor is likely where some deep passing issues might arise for the Tiger secondary if Mizzou hasn’t gotten its defensive backfield communication down.

Defense

Dylan Stewart, EDGE

There was a question if Stewart would be able to play the full game against Mizzou after being ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct against Vanderbilt. South Carolina coach Shane Beamer said Sunday the SEC reached out and told him Stewart was good to play the full game.

So the Tigers will have to deal with one of the best defensive ends in the country this week.

Stewart already has two sacks, four quarterback hits and 4.5 tackles for loss, all while racking up 13 tackles and a batted pass.

Stewart was a unanimous Freshman All-American last year as a true freshman. His sophomore season is on track to be even better.

Bryan Thomas Jr., EDGE

Another solid pass rusher, Thomas has only had one sack land through three games, but he leads the Gamecocks with six QB hits and has a forced fumble. He’s second on the team with two tackles for loss and has nine total stops.

He had 4.5 sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss last season as a rotational pass rusher, but was stuck low in a loaded room. Now he’s got the opportunity to start and get on the field consistently for the first time.

Fred “JayR” Johnson, LB

Johnson appeared in all 13 games last season as a true freshman. Now he’s a true sophomore and has already amassed 15 tackles, an interception and a batted pass. He’s second on the team in stops. 

He’s the Gamecocks starter at middle linebacker now and should be an important guy to keep an eye on.

Click here to discuss the matchup with South Carolina in our story thread.

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