Kentucky can play spoiler and derail Shane Beamer's South Carolina tenure
Kentucky has an opportunity to twist the knife Saturday night at Williams-Brice Stadium. The South Carolina football program is vulnerable. Will Mark Stoops be able to deliver a knockout blow?
“It has zero influence on me on what happens to them, none. I don’t think our team either.” Stoops said Kentucky is simply focused on improving their own bowl placement, but the cost of doing business could ultimately cost Shane Beamer his job.
Mr. November
Now in year three of Shane Beamer’s tenure at South Carolina, each year the program has taken a step forward under his watchful eye. He cleaned up a mess with a surprising 40-17 win over Florida that sent Mullen to unemployment and paved the way to a Duke’s Mayo Bowl win. Beamer turned the late-season momentum into a nickname the following year.
South Carolina shocked the world by derailing Tennessee’s College Football Playoff hopes with a 63-38 win in the penultimate game of the regular season. The following week the Gamecocks beat Clemson 31-30, South Carolina’s first win over the Tigers in a decade. The 8-4 finish was the program’s best regular season since 2017.
This year Mr. November has a pair of wins already in the eleventh month of the Gregorian calendar. He only had a pair of wins in the previous two months.
Losing Record on the line for South Carolina
South Carolina must win out to become bowl eligible. It’s abundantly clear the program has undergone a back-slide in year three — the results are the results. But a strong finish for a .500 record can provide a life preservation of sorts, especially if those wins are against rivals. You can argue Kentucky and South Carolina aren’t rivals, but those two will be paired up as annually in the new 16-team SEC schedule.
A loss on Saturday to Kentucky would take away postseason football in the Palmetto State. That’s a powerful thing. It’s the kind of dip that coaches don’t survive.
Zach Arnett snapped Mississippi State’s 13-year bowl streak. Ask Gene Chizik or Bryan Harsin how Auburn fans felt once the postseason was out of reach. Jimbo Fisher is $76 million richer a year after his losing season at Texas A&M.
Even if Beamer wins these final two games to finish 6-6, South Carolina fans will be restless this offseason, just as Kentucky fans will grow restless with Mark Stoops if the Cats finish 6-6. There’s a big difference between restless and demanding a change. It’s hard for a coach to survive a losing season in the SEC. They may not kick him to the curb right away, but that seat can become awfully toasty in no time.
Revenge Factor for Kentucky
Beamer’s lifespan in the league is probably not at the forefront of the mind of Dane Key. The Kentucky wide receiver was officially visiting South Carolina when the Wildcats made their last trip to Williams-Brice Stadium. The rising blue chip talent may or may not hav received a Facetime from the winning locker room. Once it was time for him to suit up in this game, he had to watch Beamer dance in the other locker room at Kroger Field.
Not only did Kentucky lose to South Carolina at home in 2022, they did it a week after they were ranked No. 7 and a penalty away from winning on the road against a Top 25 Ole Miss team. South Carolina took the wind out of the Wildcats’ sails, then danced on the season’s grave while wearing sunglasses.
Kentucky has an opportunity to exact revenge with even harsher consequences. Cruel and unusual punishment is on the table this Saturday night at Williams-Brice Stadium.
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