South Carolina’s coaches spread the credit around after the Gamecocks’ 27-24 win over Tennessee, recognizing 10 players for their work in Saturday’s victory at Williams-Brice Stadium.
Less than 24 hours after South Carolina moved to 4-3 overall and 2-3 in the SEC, Shane Beamer highlighted the staff’s players of the game and also named the scout team players of the week.
Mazeo Bennett Jr. and Nolan Hay earned offensive honors. Bennett led the Gamecocks with six catches for 88 yards and opened the scoring with the day’s first touchdown. Hay was on the field for all 69 offensive snaps at center.
"Mazeo is an absolute warrior. Nolan is playing at a really high level for us right now," Beamer said.
On defense, Noah Clark and Fred Johnson were selected. Clark finished with eight tackles, while Johnson paced the team with 14 total stops, including 10 solo tackles.
"Both of those guys did a great job last night against the run and the pass," Beamer said.
The special teams recognition went to Malik Orsan, and that one hardly came as a surprise. Orsan drilled both of his field goal attempts, including the 48-yard walk-off winner.
"Obviously, Malik coming in and making the kick that he did," Beamer said.
South Carolina also honored four scout team players on offense and defense, along with one on special teams. Sequel Patterson and Vincent Chen were the offensive scout team players of the week, Andrew Harris and Keenan Britt earned the defensive nod, and Landon Kurtz was the special teams scout team player of the week.
In Other News...
South Carolina Now Faces A Costly Williams-Brice Decision
The celebration after South Carolinas upset win over No. 11 Tennessee came with a hefty price tag at Williams-Brice Stadium. Roughly 30,000 fans rushed the field, and the surge left the Ligustrum hedges behind the north end zone badly damaged, turning a memorable night into a maintenance problem for the athletic department.
Head groundskeeper Tim Flanagan said the damage was extensive, and replacing the hedges could cost a substantial amount, with repair decisions still pending. It was the third field storm of Shane Beamers tenure, following similar scenes in 2022 and 2024, another reminder that the Gamecocks biggest emotional wins can leave a lasting mark beyond the scoreboard. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolinas Next SEC Test Just Got A Lot More Real
South Carolinas next SEC home test now has a firmer feel to it, with Texas A&M set to visit on Nov. 7 for a 3 p.m. kickoff on ESPN. The matchup lands just after the Gamecocks Oct. 31 date with Oklahoma, giving Shane Beamers team a chance to reset before another league game that figures to carry plenty of weight in the late-season race.
Texas A&M will arrive with a week off in hand, while South Carolina will be coming through a stretch that already includes recent results and the Oklahoma game on deck. In a conference schedule where every slot seems to matter a little more as November approaches, the TV window and kickoff time only sharpen the attention on what comes next at home. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolinas Newest Commit Could Answer A Big Frontcourt Need
South Carolina added another piece to its recruiting class with the commitment of Johnson, a promising interior prospect who could eventually help address a need in the frontcourt. She joins point guards Jezelle Banks and Taylor Brown as the third player in the class, giving the Gamecocks another young building block as they look ahead to future roster construction.
Johnson brings a productive high school rsum from Biloxi High School, where she averaged 14.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game as a junior. She has already cleared 1,000 career points and rebounds, and while she may need time to adjust to the college game, her size and physical tools give South Carolina something to work with in the paint. [Read more 🡒]
