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Fairey Chevrolet Drive to Week Two: Everything you need to know ahead of South Carolina's home opener against South Carolina State

Screenshotby: Kevin Miller09/03/25kevinmillerGC
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South Carolina opened the 2025 season with a neutral-site victory in Atlanta over Virginia Tech. The Gamecocks beat the Hokies, 24-11.

This weekend, South Carolina fans will make a shorter drive to George Rogers Boulevard, as the Gamecocks have their first home game of the year on Saturday. At 7:00, Williams-Brice Stadium will host an in-state battle between USC and South Carolina State.

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Here’s what you need to know heading into week two. (GamecockCentral will release a South Carolina State preview later in the week.)

The resumes

  • South Carolina is ranked No. 10 in the AP poll and No. 11 in the USA Today coaches poll. South Carolina State, as an FCS school, is unranked in the polls. The Bulldogs were among the “others receiving votes” in multiple FCS top 25 rankings, though.
  • According to ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI), South Carolina is the No. 10 team in college football.
  • Last season, South Carolina went 9-4 and 5-3 in the SEC. SC State went 9-3 and 5-0 in MEAC play. So far this year, both the Gamecocks and Bulldogs are 1-0.
  • The Gamecocks put quarterback LaNorris Sellers, EDGE Dylan Stewart, and DB Jalon Kilgore on the preseason All-SEC squad. As the preseason favorite to win the MEAC, SC State put defensive back Jarod Washington, defensive lineman Josh Barker, and offensive lineman Roger Smith on the preseason all-conference team.

Recent news

  • South Carolina knocked off Virginia Tech 24-11 last week.
  • South Carolina State defeated Wofford 16-15 last week.
  • Fred “JayR” Johnson earned co-SEC Defensive Player of the Week, while Vicari Swain earned co-Special Teams Player of the Week.
  • South Carolina has moved into the top 10 in the AP poll for the first time since the preseason top 25 ahead of the 2014 season.
  • For the Virginia Tech game, the Gamecocks debuted a version of their black helmet with a larger Block C decal. They also continued to dispel the false notion about struggling in all black. USC won its final game of 2023 wearing the combination, then dominated a top 10 team in the only game of 2024 wearing it, and then came out on top again on Sunday.

Updates from the coaches

  • South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer spoke to the media this week.
    • During Beamer’s press conference, he revealed a few things:
      • He was satisfied with his team’s effort against Virginia Tech. However, offensively, he wants to see a little more from the offensive line and wide receivers. Defensively, Beamer wants to see a better job of limiting first down gains.
      • Beamer acknowledged that he should have had the offense go for two following Nyck Harbor’s long touchdown. Fortunately, the USC defense held, making it a moot point.
      • Defensive line coach Travian Robertson is still not with the team following a car accident. He watched the Virginia Tech game from the hospital. Jordan Dove led the defensive tackle group in the week of practice leading up to the game and (from the press box) partnered with assistant strength coach Jamil Walker and others to coach the tackles on game day. That remains the plan this week, as Robertson is also “doubtful” to return.
      • You can see everything Beamer said here.
  • The Gamecock coordinators also spoke to the media on Wednesday.
  • South Carolina State coach Chennis Berry spoke to the media this week, as well. You can see what he had to say here.
  • Nearly two weeks ago, South Carolina defensive line coach Travian Robertson was involved in a car accident. In a section of last week’s official University-issued game notes titled “Prayers to Travian,” USC said, “Defensive line coach Travian Robertson was injured in a serious car accident on Aug. 22. He is recovering but is not currently with the team.” Head coach Shane Beamer said last week that Robertson would return “soon.”
    • Jordan Dove has stepped into Robertson’s place in the interim. The Gamecocks also have Kevin Hubbard listed as a defensive line assistant, and former Georgia Tech head coach and long-time defensive coordinator Geoff Collins is on staff, too. Assistant strength coach Jamil Walker also helped out with the position group on game day.
  • South Carolina has a new offensive coordinator this season. Mike Shula, who was an analyst and assistant quarterbacks coach in 2024, has taken over for Dowell Loggains, who is now the head coach at Appalachian State.

Notes on week two

  • South Carolina will play its first home game of the year on Saturday.
  • Like every contest on the Gamecocks’ home schedule, season tickets have been sold out for USC-SCSU. It is expected that the entire stadium will sell out, as well.
  • South Carolina running back Jawarn Howell was an FCS All-American at South Carolina State in 2023 before transferring to join the Gamecocks.
  • Shane Beamer’s team has not lost in nearly 11 months, dating back to a road game against Alabama last October.
  • Carolina has never lost to a non-power conference team under Beamer.

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History

  • South Carolina has never lost to SC State.
  • The most recent matchup between the two teams came in 2022. In that contest, the Gamecocks won, 50-10. That game was moved up from Saturday to Thursday because of a hurricane.

Injuries

  • During South Carolina’s game against Virginia Tech, several players got hurt. Judge Collier and JT Geer left the game and didn’t return. Collier suffered a knee sprain, and Geer appeared to hurt his arm or shoulder. Shane Beamer revealed that both are doubtful for this weekend but shouldn’t be out long-term.
  • Dylan Stewart, Myles Norwood, and Gerald Kilgore all left the game with injuries but should be fine, per Beamer.
  • Tight end Michael Smith and wide receiver Jared Brown were banged up leading up to week one. Neither player saw much action against the Hokies (Brown didn’t play at all). However, Beamer says that both players will be fine moving forward and just need to practice.
  • Senior EDGE George Wilson suffered a late fall camp injury. The transfer addition will be out “for a while,” according to head coach Shane Beamer. If the injury is deemed to be season-ending, South Carolina plans to apply for another year of eligibility for Wilson.
  • Freshman EDGE Kobby Sakyi-Prah is another fall camp injury. Beamer described him as having a “somewhat long-term” lower body issue.
  • Sophomore EDGE Jaylen Brown, junior offensive lineman Ryan Brubaker, sophomore defensive back Zahbari Sandy, and freshman defensive lineman Caleb Williams are also out with long-term ailments. Brown, Williams, and Brubaker were out for all or parts of the spring, too.

Depth chart movement for the Gamecocks

  • South Carolina posted its first depth chart of the season this week. You can check it out here.
    • Of note, the Gamecocks did not utilize any “OR” designations on this depth chart.
    • The depth chart simply mirrors the players who played the most snaps against Virginia Tech. The only exception to that is that Judge Collier is still listed as a starter despite leaving Sunday’s game early and being out this week. Everything else looks exactly as it did during the team’s first game.
    • Markee Anderson replaced Rodney Newsom at left guard in the second half on Sunday. However, Newsom is ahead of freshman Shed Sarratt (the expected starter at the position who missed the VT game with an injury) on the depth chart. Anderson is listed as the backup right guard.

How to watch/listen

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Television/Streaming

The Gamecocks and Bulldogs will not play on national television this weekend. Instead, ESPN+ will stream the in-state matchup.

The ESPN crew will include Kevin Fitzgerald (play-by-play), Charles Arbuckle (analyst), and Ashley Stroehlein (sideline reporter).

Radio

Nationally, Sirius XM will also have the game available on channel 146 or 201.

Locally, Todd Ellis (play-by-play), Tommy Suggs (analyst), and Chet Tucker (sideline reporter) will be on the call on 107.5 The Game.

Fans can also stream the radio broadcast on the 107.5 The Game app.

Local radio affiliates include:

Aiken/Augusta, GA WYBO-FM 92.9
Allendale WDOG-FM 93.5
Asheville, N.C. WZGM-AM 1350
Asheville, N.C. WZGM-FM 96.1
Camden WCAM-AM 1590
Charleston WTMZ-FM 98.9
Chesterfield WVSZ-FM 107.3
Columbia WNKT-FM 107.5
Florence WFRK-FM 95.3
Gaffney WZZQ-AM 1500
Gaffney WZZQ-FM 104.3
Greenville WROO-FM 104.9
Greenwood WCZZ-AM 1090
Marion, N.C. WBRM-AM 1250
Marion, N.C. WBRM-FM 103.9
Myrtle Beach WSEA-FM 100.3
Newberry WKDK-AM 1240
Rock Hill/Lancaster WRHM-FM 107.1
Spartanburg WSPG-AM 1400
Spartanburg WSPG-FM 98.3
Sumter WIBZ-FM 95.5
Union WBCU-AM 1460
Union WBCU-FM 103.5

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