Everything Shane Beamer said during the 2025 SEC Football Schedule Reveal show

South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer joined the SEC Network’s 2025 SEC Football Schedule Reveal show on Wednesday. Here is everything he said.

Joined now by the head coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks, Shane Beamer. Coach, thank you so much for joining us. I know we have to start with that August 31st game against Virginia Tech, a place that holds a very special place in your heart. What’s that going to be like for you emotionally?

Yeah, it’ll be different. There’s no question about it. That game was scheduled, I believe, when I got the job here at South Carolina. It was already on the books then and knew it was coming. But it’ll be exciting. Obviously, a place with great memories that my dad and what he did there.

I’m sure there’s going to be quite a bit of talk over the next eight, nine months leading up to that game, but it’ll be fun. Got a lot of great friends there. Brent Pry was a graduate assistant on the coaching staff when I was a player at Virginia Tech and got a ton of respect for their program.

It’ll certainly be different hearing that Virginia Tech fight song and seeing a lot of maroon and orange along with a lot of garnet and black in the stands that day.

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When you look back at the 2024 schedule, obviously some newer opponents as it relates to South Carolina with LSU and Ole Miss. Now you go on the road to Death Valley, to Oxford. When you look at what faces you in 2025, what are some of the things that stand out to you?

Challenging. That’s just what life is in the SEC. It’s challenging for us every year, Alyssa, just because we play Clemson at the end of the season. We’ve got Virginia Tech, another Power Four team at the beginning of the season, and then as always, a really, really, really challenging SEC schedule.

The thing that jumps out, there’s a lot that jumps out, but certainly, this year because of the schedule, we know that next year is the same, just the locations are flipped. It was a very former SEC West-heavy schedule. That’s basically what the month of October is, if I’m not mistaken. It’s like Ole Miss, LSU, Alabama, Oklahoma, four in a row there in the middle of the season as well.

That will be challenging, some challenging road spots. But just like last year or this past season, our fans were so excited to go visit Norman, Oklahoma and Tuscaloosa, Alabama. I know Gamecock Nation will be excited about making a trip to LSU and then going back to Oxford, which we haven’t been to since I think 2020, if I’m not mistaken.

Yeah, you mentioned that Oklahoma game. I know that was a special homecoming for you of sorts to go back to Norman. I want to put you on the spot here for a little bit because I know that you’re one of our favorites to talk to. You’ll be honest with us. What’s your least favorite place to play? If you look at that schedule, like where are you going, ‘Oh, that environment is brutal’?

Oh, man. Well, I haven’t been to LSU or Ole Miss as a head coach. Only as an assistant. I know both those places are challenging. A&M, obviously, their stadium speaks for itself as well; what a great environment, great stadium. For me, I mean, it’s just the first one. I know it’s coach speak; we’ll worry about them one at a time.

But I believe our first away game, true away game is at Missouri, which we’ve never won at since I’ve been the head coach. We went out there in ’21 and ’23 and lost. And I know Coach Drinkwitz and the Missouri Tigers, they were undefeated at home this past season. So we know that’ll be a big challenge and all of them are. Every road venue is tough.

As a head coach, I look at it when you look at hotels and logistics and how easy is it to fly in and out. And some places are a lot tougher than others. There’s no question about it, but they’re all challenging in this league.

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