South Carolina got Dylan Stewart back on the field Saturday night, but the star defensive end still didn’t make it to the finish line in the Gamecocks’ 41-34 loss to Mississippi State.
On Sunday, Shane Beamer cleared up the situation: Stewart’s early exit wasn’t injury-related in the moment, but his back was clearly an issue by the fourth quarter. Beamer said the staff had planned for Stewart to play 15 to 20 snaps in his season debut after he missed the first two games with a back injury, and that’s about where the night ended.
"Nobody can question his want to last night because he was throwing his body around," Beamer said on Sunday, when asked for clarity on why Stewart couldn't play late. "That back wasn't feeling great in the fourth quarter. We got a lot of football left, and we had gotten out of him what we wanted to get out of him, particularly early in the game."
Stewart’s first game action since November 2025 was limited, but he was active when he was on the field. Pro Football Focus charted him for 14 snaps in the loss to the Bulldogs (3-0, 1-0), including six against the run and eight against the pass. He finished with one tackle and a quarterback hurry.
Officially, Stewart was credited with one tackle for a loss of one yard and two quarterback hurries.
Beamer said the plan never really changed.
"That was the number we had determined going into the game from a conditioning standpoint and health standpoint," Beamer said. "That was really where we were.
If we got out there and felt like he could do a little bit more, he would, we would. He played, whatever it was, right around that number.
The kind of injury that he had, that's wear and tear."
South Carolina, now 2-1 and 0-1 in conference play, heads to Alabama on Saturday. Kickoff at Bryant-Denny Stadium is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN.
In Other News...
South Carolina Fans Had To Sit Through One More Brutal Moment
South Carolina fans have already had plenty to stew over after watching Mississippi State erase a 16-0 deficit and leave Columbia with a 41-34 road win. The Gamecocks built a fast lead, but Kamario Taylor kept the Bulldogs alive with a sharp passing performance, hitting 18 of 26 throws for 251 yards and four touchdowns, while Fluff Bothwell added 115 rushing yards to help fuel the comeback.
The on-field collapse was painful enough, but the broadcast added one more awkward moment for the home crowd. ESPN cameras caught a couple in the stands arguing, and the scene quickly started circulating online, turning an ugly afternoon into the kind of game South Carolina fans will remember for more than the final score. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolina Heads Into Alabama Week With One Big Injury Concern
South Carolina left Starkville with more than a 41-34 loss to Mississippi State, and the injury list may end up shaping the conversation heading into Alabama week as much as the result itself. Defensive tackle Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy, defensive back Gerald Kilgore, linebacker Shawn Murphy and running back Jabree Coleman all did not finish the game, but the early indication is that none of those issues are expected to linger long-term.
The bigger concern is edge rusher Dylan Stewart, who managed only 14 snaps before his back injury flared up again. There is some encouraging news around the roster, though, with offensive lineman Carter Miller, cornerback Vicari Swain and tight end Maurice Brown II expected back for the next game. Even so, South Carolina will spend the week sorting through a defense that took some hits at a time when the schedule is only getting tougher. [Read more 🡒]
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The rotation also included safety JZavien Currence, who was on the field for 29 snaps and finished with four tackles, along with other first-year contributors such as Julian Walker and Sequel Patterson. For a team trying to sort out depth and reliability as league play begins, the freshman usage in Starkville offered an encouraging early sign, even if the larger picture is still coming into focus. [Read more 🡒]