Shane Beamer isn’t ruling out Dylan Stewart and Jacarrius Peak for the near future, but for Saturday night’s Week 2 game against Towson, South Carolina sounds like it will likely be waiting another week.
Beamer said Tuesday that both players were on the practice field in full pads, yet he also described them as “extremely doubtful” to suit up against Towson. That’s a clear step back from any real optimism for this weekend, even if the door still appears open for the Sept. 19 matchup with Mississippi State in Columbia.
Stewart’s situation has lingered since a back injury that first surfaced midway through last season. Peak, meanwhile, is working his way back from a knee injury he suffered while playing basketball at a team bonding event in February. Peak missed spring practice and also sat out South Carolina’s season-opening blowout win over Kent State, with Stewart missing that opener as well.
The best-case reading from Beamer’s comments is that both players could be on track for the SEC opener in Week 3. That’s been the expectation, though not a guarantee, and getting both back against the Bulldogs would give South Carolina a major lift.
Peak’s return would matter immediately in the trenches. According to 247Sports, he was South Carolina’s highest-rated transfer in the 2026 class.
Stewart’s value is just as obvious on defense. Last season, he finished with 19 solo tackles, 4.5 sacks and 3 forced fumbles, production that would change the look of the Gamecocks’ pass rush the moment he steps back onto the field.
South Carolina is trying to recover from last year’s 4-8 finish, and getting two key contributors back on either side of the ball would be a welcome development as the season moves forward.
In Other News...
Mississippi States Offensive Line Just Gave Fans A Needed Reason For Hope
After a rough stretch that left plenty of questions around Mississippi State, the Bulldogs at least found one part of the operation that looked steady in the 62-13 win over Louisiana-Monroe. The offensive line set the tone from the start, giving the offense a clean pocket and helping the ground game roll to 345 rushing yards, the kind of production that can make everything else feel a little easier.
For a team that needed a confidence boost, the blocking up front was the most encouraging part of the day. D.J. Chester drew attention among the linemen, and his play fit the broader theme of a unit that looked more coordinated and more physical than it had in recent weeks, even if the real test will be whether it carries over when the competition gets tougher. [Read more 🡒]