South Carolina’s trip to Clemson gives the Gamecocks a shot at something they’ve already done twice in Memorial Stadium under the current stretch: leave with a win. They beat the Tigers there in 2022 and 2024, though Clemson got the upper hand in Columbia this past season.
The Tigers are coming off a 7-6 year in 2025 and went 4-4 in ACC play before their season ended with a 22-10 loss to Penn State in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. Even with that uneven finish, Clemson was picked to place fourth in the ACC behind Miami, SMU and Louisville heading into 2026. Dabo Swinney’s team opens the new season with LSU in Baton Rouge.
Offensively, Clemson is moving into a new quarterback era after three seasons of Cade Klubnik. Christopher Vizzina is back for his fourth year in the program and appears to be the favorite to win the job, with freshman Tait Reynolds also in the mix. Vizzina’s lone start last season came against SMU, and he made the most of it, completing 29 of 42 passes for 317 yards and three touchdowns.
The Tigers also have a new look in the backfield after Adam Randall, their leading rusher in 2025, left for the NFL following an 814-yard, 10-touchdown season. Gideon Davidson is expected to step into a bigger role after rushing for 260 yards on 60 carries as a freshman, and Clemson added SMU transfer Chris Johnson Jr., who ran for 479 yards and four scores last season.
At receiver, Clemson does bring back a dangerous pair in T.J. Moore and Bryant Wesco Jr.
Moore finished first on the team with 837 receiving yards, while Wesco was third with 537. The Tigers will need to account for the loss of Antonio Williams, a third-round pick by the Washington Commanders.
Tristan Smith and Tyler Brown are two more names to watch, with Smith posting 239 yards on 24 catches in 2025 and Boyd putting up 79 receptions for 752 yards and four touchdowns over the last three seasons. Christian Bentancur is also back at tight end after a sophomore season that produced 20 catches, 215 yards and three touchdowns.
Up front, Clemson has to replace offensive tackle Blake Miller, the No. 17 overall pick by the Detroit Lions.
Defensively, the turnover is heavy. Peter Woods, T.J. Parker and DeMonte Capehart are all gone from the defensive line after being selected in the NFL Draft, and the Tigers also have to replace cornerback Avieon Terrell and linebacker Wade Woodaz, both of whom are off to the NFL.
Still, there are some important pieces back. Sammy Brown returns after leading Clemson with 106 tackles, and he added five sacks and an interception. Jeremiah Alexander is back at linebacker as well after finishing 2025 with 36 tackles.
On the edge, Will Heldt is coming off a strong season that included a team-high 7.5 sacks and 47 tackles, while Jaheim Lawson returns on the other side after posting 3.5 sacks last year. Inside, Amare Adams and Vic Burley are back, and JUCO transfer Andy Burburija plus Colorado transfer London Merritt could factor in too.
The secondary has a headliner in Ashton Hampton, who is back as one of the top cornerbacks in the country after recording 45 tackles, eight pass breakups and one interception. Clemson also has a strong candidate for the other corner spot in Penn State transfer Elliot Washington II, who had 53 tackles and nine pass breakups in three seasons with the Nittany Lions.
At safety, the Tigers must replace Khalil Barnes, who returned to his hometown to play for Georgia. Old Dominion transfer Jerome Carter III, Southern Miss transfer Corey Myrick and Ronan Hanafin are in the mix for those openings, with Hanafin coming off a 64-tackle season.
Special teams should have some continuity. Nolan Hauser is back at place kicker after hitting 17 of 21 field goals, including 8 of 9 from 40 to 49 yards.
Jack Smith returns at punter after averaging 41.4 yards per kick and placing 22 inside the 20. Clemson will need a new kickoff returner after Randall’s departure, while Wesco handled most of the punt return work in 2025.
In Other News...
LaNorris Sellers Isnt South Carolinas Only New Voice This Season
LaNorris Sellers is back as South Carolinas lone returning captain, and the quarterback is naturally expected to be the face of the program again as the Gamecocks move deeper into the season. But the leadership picture around him looks different this fall, with the coaching staff pointing to a growing group of players who are beginning to speak up and set the tone on both sides of the ball.
On defense, Gabe Brownlow-Dindy, Gerald Kilgore, Shawn Murphy and Peyton Williams have drawn notice as emerging voices, while Brady Hunt and Maurice Brown have stood out on offense. The staff believes more leaders will surface as the season goes on, which matters for a team trying to build more than just one clear centerpiece in the locker room. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolina Has Linebacker Stars But One Camp Concern Lingers
South Carolinas linebacker room enters fall camp in a far better place than most groups on a defense still sorting through depth chart questions. When practice begins Aug. 7, the Gamecocks will lean on three experienced starters in Justin Okoronkwo, Fred Johnson and Shawn Murphy, giving the staff a seasoned core as it starts shaping the roster for the Sept. 5 opener against Kent State.
The bigger issue is what comes after that top trio, and that is where camp will carry real weight. The staff is giving younger players a long look to see who can grow into useful depth and offer the kind of versatility a defense needs over the course of a season, with AJ Holloway, Jamian Risher Jr. and Donovan Darden all in the mix to make their case. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolina Has A Linebacker Battle That Could Matter Fast
South Carolinas linebacker room looks set up with a familiar core heading into camp, but the real intrigue is in how the depth chart sorts itself out behind the top three returners. Defensive coordinator Clayton White has pointed to Jamian Risher as the current front-runner for the fourth spot, a nod to both his experience and his grasp of the defense as the Gamecocks prepare to open preseason work.
August 7 brings the start of camp, and the early practices will give a first look at how firm that pecking order really is. With the top of the room already in place, the fourth linebacker job feels like one of those roles that can shape special teams, rotations and, eventually, snaps that matter when the season starts to tighten. [Read more 🡒]