Bio Blast: South Carolina Gamecocks

A swing game has arrived for the Kentucky football program in Week 5. This one is against the same opponent we’ve seen many important fork in the road games occur against in the past. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

We found out on Tuesday that the yearly Kentucky-South Carolina series is not going away when the SEC shifts to a nine-game conference model without divisions. That means that Saturday night’s meeting at Williams-Brice Stadium likely won’t be the last huge swing game in this series.

This is a big game for both sides. The winner has a path to a potential positive season. The loser could be looking at a very, very long year. It’s another big game week in the Bluegrass.

KSR is taking our first close look at Shane Beamer‘s fifth team in Columbia.

Star quarterback isn’t getting much help

There was a lot of buzz for South Carolina entering the 2025 season. The Gamecocks started the year ranked No. 13 in the AP Preseason Top 25 Poll following a 9-3 regular-season in 2024 that included six consecutive wins with victories over Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, Missouri, and Clemson to end the year before falling to No. 20 Illinois in the Citrus Bowl. That momentum carried into the offseason for one big reason.

LaNorris Sellers returned at quarterback.

The redshirt sophomore led an explosive South Carolina offense last season with 2,534 passing yards (65.6% completion rate, 8.5 yards per attempt) to go along with 852 non-sack rushing yards and 25 total touchdowns. Expectations were top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and Heisman Trophy entering 2025. Sellers feels like a lock to be a first-round pick but that huge season is not occurring.

The second-year starter has 733 passing yards (64.4% completion rate, 10.0 yards per attempt) to go along with 95 non-sack rushing yards with five total touchdowns to start the season. Sellers has made some real strides with ball security and the big plays are still there (8-of-14, 307 yards, 4 touchdowns on throws of 20+ air yards). Unfortunately, the supporting cast seems to have taken a major step back.

Offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains left for the Appalachian State head coach job and Shane Beamer promoted senior offensive assistant Mike Shula to offensive coordinator. The former Alabama head coach (2003-06), Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator (2013-17), and New York Giants offensive coordinator (2018-19) spent 17 seasons in the NFL before returning to college football in 2024. The early results have not been promising.

• Points Per Drive: 1.50 (No. 104 overall)
• Success Rate: 38.3% (No. 110 overall)
• Yards Per Play: 5.34 (No. 101 overall)
• EPA/play: -0.06 (No. 106 overall)
• Third Down Conversion Rate: 29.79% (No. 126 overall)
• Red Zone Touchdown Percentage: 37.5% (No. 130 overall)

South Carolina has scored just seven offensive touchdowns through four games. The run game has been ugly with tailbacks Rahsul Faison and Oscar Adaway III producing 233 yards on 4.0 yards per rush. The offensive line has been a big problem and is dealing with injuries. This has led to true freshman Shedrick Sarratt Jr. playing starter’s snaps at left guard. The Gamecocks made a personnel change at center last week and could play Saturday without multiple starters. Meanwhile, a go-to guy has not emerged at receiver but Nyck Harbor and Vandrevius Jacobs have produced explosive plays.

This South Carolina offense played its best game of the season against Missouri but that was mostly because of Sellers. The Gamecocks are struggling to run the football, have been boom or bust in the passing game, are consistently falling behind the chains, and are struggling to finish drives when scoring opportunities arrive.

The Gamecocks look like one of the worst offenses in the SEC despite having a first-round talent at quarterback.

Some individual star power on defense

Defensive coordinator Clayton White has been with Shane Beamer since the beginning of his South Carolina tenure. After posting an average 53.3 defensive finish in ESPN’s SP+ rankings over his first three seasons, The Gamecocks took a big leap in 2024 finishing No. 13 in SP+’s final rankings. They got there because of star power.

The Gamecocks lost five draft picks of that defense but have some top-end defensive talent again on the roster in Columbia.

Dylan Stewart (17 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 14 pressures) is now in his sophomore season and remains one of the best edge rushers in college football. Texas A&M defensive tackle transfer Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy (10 tackles) has played excellent football in his first season in Columbia. NC State cornerback transfer Brandon Cisse (15 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 3 pass breakups, forced fumble) was a big recruiting win in the portal who has made an instant impact. Bryan Thomas Jr. (12 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, sack, forced fumble, 13 pressures) has given the defense another edge winner opposite Stewart. Jalon Kilgore is a highly productive multi-year starter at nickel.

South Carolina’s Dylan Stewart is a terrifying pass rusher … and he’s only a sophomore. Stewart had 51 pressures as a true freshman last year. pic.twitter.com/iXoqjL4nLC

— Bobby Football (@Rob__Paul) August 31, 2025

South Carolina appears to have taken a step back on this side of the football after ranking in the top 20 in yards per play allowed, takeaways, and red zone touchdown percentage last season. However, there is still some clear star power on this side of the football that can help the Gamecocks flip a game at any moment.

Beamer Ball is real in 2025

Shane Beamer is a coaching legacy. Part of that legacy is great special teams play. After Frank Beamer’s Virginia Tech teams made a living off flipping games in the third phase, South Carolina has put a huge emphasis in the kicking game. Former NFL special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis is running the show as the Gamecocks are dangerous in the kicking game once again.

Starting cornerback Vicari Swain has seven punt returns this season. Three have been returned for touchdowns.

Breed: Different pic.twitter.com/0I5syG22c0

— South Carolina Football (@GamecockFB) August 31, 2025

The return touchdown against Virginia Tech in Week 1 that won South Carolina the game occurred after Beamer declined a penalty that forced the Hokies to re-kick. Swain responded in Week 2 by returning two to the house against South Carolina State in a game where the Gamecocks struggled mightily on offense. The third phase can win this team games.

Do not be surprised if you see aggressive punt block attempts, fake punt tries, or even onside kick attempts on Saturday in a big spot for the Gamecocks. South Carolina enters Saturday ranked No. 18 nationally in net punting average (45.0), has speedster wide receiver Nyck Harbor back on kickoff return, and will not kick it in the endzone on kickoff in an effort to try and win field position with coverage. However, Carolina is just 4-of-6 on field goal attempts this year. That could be a weakness.

You have to be ready for anything and everything in the kicking game when facing South Carolina.