South Carolina looking to rise to challenge of first SEC road trip

South Carolina officially hits the road towards a hostile environment for the first time this season as Southeastern Conference play rolls along.

The Gamecocks opened their season in Atlanta, Georgia, at the Aflac Kickoff Game against Virginia Tech. However, head coach Shane Beamer didn’t consider that a true test of hostility.

“I think if you’re a competitor, you embrace going on the road,” Beamer said. “… We’ve basically played three home games to this point.”

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South Carolina is 1-3 in its first SEC road trips of the season under Beamer. However, that first win came just a season ago when the Gamecocks defeated the Kentucky Wildcats, 31-6.

The team still seeks its first conference win of 2025 after falling to Vanderbilt at home, 31-7.

While Beamer has historically struggled to get his Gamecocks ready to win their first conference road trip, the environments are why he loves being in the SEC.

“I’ve been in other conferences where you go on the road and there’s 20,000 people in the stands, and it stinks,” Beamer said. “That ain’t gonna be the feeling on Saturday night. And if you’re made of the right stuff and a competitor, you love that. You embrace that.”

Backup quarterback Luke Doty said that Columbia, Missouri, will be an exciting trip for the group. Saturday night kicks off the first of what will be four road trips for the Gamecocks.

South Carolina’s road games include what is likely to be a night game at LSU alongside back-to-back trips to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium and Kyle Field.

The Gamecock roster features tons of young athletes who have yet to play in a hostile environment like Farot Field. When the young Gamecocks get to Missouri, they’ll face a sold-out crowd ready for a blackout.

“We’ve got a lot of young players on our team. They’re going to be in an environment on Saturday night that they’ve never been a part of in their life,” Beamer said. “When Donovan Murph and Irmo went and played at Dutch Fork, that was a hostile environment, there’s no question about it, but it’s not going to be what he’s going to face on Saturday night.”

Preparing his guys for an SEC road trip starts with falling back on fundamentals, Beamer said. Technique and competitive spirit will play a role if the Gamecocks want to secure their first conference win on Saturday.

“We know it’ll be rocking on Saturday night,” Beamer said. We’re not going to have to do anything to motivate them because there’ll be plenty of energy and electricity in that stadium on Saturday night.”

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