South Carolina’s season just took another sharp turn, and Saturday’s 27-24 upset of No. 11 Tennessee at Williams-Brice Stadium came with a finish that fit the moment perfectly.
Malik Orsan drilled a 48-yard walk-off field goal, and the Gamecocks walked out with their second straight win over a ranked opponent after beating No. 16 Florida before the bye.
That victory moved South Carolina to 4-3 overall and 2-3 in the SEC, leaving the Gamecocks two wins from bowl eligibility after what looked like a bleak situation only a few weeks ago. And the win wasn’t built on one moment alone. It was a game packed with plays and performances that revealed a lot about where this team is right now.
LaNorris Sellers delivered the kind of run that can define a player. Asked afterward by The State which was more impressive, the 20-yard, crisscrossing touchdown he had against Clemson in 2024 or his game-tying score Saturday, Sellers went with the present.
“Gotta go with tonight since it’s in the present,” Sellers said.
The answer was practical, but the play itself looked like something else entirely. Tennessee defenders had him wrapped up, one tugging at his right leg while another hit him hard, and Sellers still stayed upright long enough to reach forward and force his way into the end zone. It was the sort of sequence that says everything about his strength and stubbornness without needing much explanation.
Dylan Stewart made sure the finish belonged to South Carolina, too. With less than 40 seconds left and Tennessee moving into field-goal range, Stewart came off the edge and stripped quarterback George MacIntyre. The Gamecocks recovered, setting up the winning kick soon after.
A month ago, Stewart’s future in the program looked uncertain after Shane Beamer suspended him for what the coach described as selfish offenses during the loss to Alabama, including punching an Alabama tight end and refusing to be subbed out. But since returning, Stewart has been a difference-maker.
Against Florida, he had a sack and two forced fumbles. Against Tennessee, he made the play that mattered most in the final minute.
“Dylan has taken ownership for some of the stuff from this season and held himself accountable,” Beamer said. “That’s what I’ve been proud of. ...
It’s not just the plays he’s made the last two weeks out there on the field, but just the maturity he’s shown on the field. He’s getting held.
Sometimes he doesn’t get the call, but he doesn’t get frustrated. He’s just steady and consistent, and he’s really grown on and off the field.”
On offense, Mazeo Bennett keeps making his case as South Carolina’s go-to receiver. He led the Gamecocks with six catches for 88 yards and scored the team’s lone receiving touchdown on a screen pass he turned into a 17-yard opening score. Meanwhile, Nyck Harbor did not catch a pass, which stood out even more after his snaps were basically cut in half against Florida.
Eight Gamecocks caught passes on Saturday, and Bennett has clearly become the receiver Sellers trusts most. Over the last two games, Harbor has been targeted less, Bennett has been featured more on quick throws, the drops have decreased, and Sellers has looked more comfortable spreading the ball around. The shift is hard to miss.
Then there’s Orsan, who has turned himself into one of the most important pieces on the roster. Beamer showed his concern about the kicking situation when he went into the portal shortly after spring practices and brought in a kicker from Southeast Missouri State who had never taken a college snap. That move paid off in a big way Saturday.
Orsan, a sophomore from St. Louis, won the job over Max Kelley before Week 3 and has been excellent all season.
He is now 10-for-12 on field goals, including two makes from 50 yards or longer. After the game, he said, “I feel like I was under-recruited out of high school and that gave me a real chip on my shoulder,” and added, “I’m so appreciative (of my opportunity at South Carolina) because it’s really changed my life.”
His game-winner sent the stadium into chaos. Orsan ended up on the ground as 30,000 fans rushed toward him, and Beamer joked afterward, “We couldn’t find him”.
With Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Georgia and Clemson still ahead, South Carolina’s path now looks much different than it did not long ago. The Gamecocks may be favored in every game except the Nov. 21 matchup with Georgia, and after Saturday, the idea of eight wins no longer sounds far-fetched.
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