South Carolina landed in the lower half of the SEC’s preseason media poll, but the Gamecocks didn’t exactly treat the result like a surprise.
When the votes came out mid-morning in Tampa, Fla., the reaction in Columbia was basically to keep moving. South Carolina was projected 11th in the league’s predicted order of finish, a spot that fits with the range the media has given the program in recent years. The Gamecocks were picked fifth last year and ended up tied for 13th, then were slotted 13th in 2024 before finishing tied for third.
At SEC Media Days, coach Shane Beamer pointed to the makeup of this year’s team as a reason he likes where things stand.
"I think with this group, they've been a very mature group since they came back in January. There's a lot of older guys on our team that have been around, and they know what they want to get done," Gamecocks coach Shane Beamer said at SEC Media Days. "They've been very intentional about their work since January, and for us, it's just continuing to work and stack days and just keep trying to get better and better each day, but I like the way that this group is working and proud of where they are right now."
Georgia was picked to win the SEC, with Texas second. The league’s media has correctly selected the champion only 10 times since 1992.
South Carolina had one player land on the preseason All-SEC first team: edge rusher Dylan Stewart. His availability for Sept. 5 is still in question, though Beamer has said Stewart has been progressing as he’s been updated on the edge rusher’s health throughout the summer. Receiver Nyck Harbor was named to the third team.
The full predicted order of finish placed South Carolina behind Missouri and ahead of Auburn, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Mississippi State and Arkansas, with Georgia, Texas, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, LSU, Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Florida all ranked above the Gamecocks.
In Other News...
One South Carolina Departure Could Loom Over Camp From Day One
Preseason camp is about to give Shane Beamer his first real look at a South Carolina roster that still has plenty to sort through, even with the 2026 season already on the horizon. There are fresh faces worth watching on both sides of the ball, including wide receiver Nitro Tuggle and defensive back Gerald Kilgore, while the defense enters camp with the kind of turnover-making reputation that has helped keep the Gamecocks competitive when the offense has been a work in progress.
The bigger question, though, may be how much of last seasons roster churn the staff can absorb before it becomes a problem. South Carolina already knows it will have to replace important production from the transfer market, and the offensive line is once again shaping up as a unit that could keep changing as camp unfolds. If the front five keeps shifting and the departures hit as hard as expected, the first few weeks of practice may say a lot about how steady this team can be once the games start. [Read more 🡒]
Nyck Harbor Just Set The Tone For South Carolinas Season
Nyck Harbor arrived at SEC Media Days looking every bit like a player ready to carry more than just his own workload into South Carolinas season. The junior wide receiver talked about the growth he has made since last year and the responsibility that has come with it, saying he stepped into a leadership role as soon as the season ended. For a Gamecocks offense that will need steady voices as much as explosive plays, Harbors presence matters beyond the stat sheet.
Harbor also made clear that South Carolina is leaning into the idea of being overlooked, using the lack of national attention as fuel rather than frustration. He said the teams mindset is built around hard work and embracing the underdog label, and that message has already started to shape the tone around the program. Even a small off-field detail, like the broken glasses he explained at Media Days, fit the larger picture of a player who seems comfortable setting the tone for what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
National Voice Just Turned Up The Pressure On Shane Beamer
Pat Fordes latest read on South Carolina football puts a sharper edge on the 2026 conversation around Shane Beamer, with the Sports Illustrated senior writer laying out a wide range of outcomes for a program that still has to prove it can climb back into steadier territory. Forde pointed to the Kendal Briles hire as one of the central variables in that equation, along with the need for better play on both sides of the ball if the Gamecocks are going to move forward instead of treading water.
The offense, in particular, has to take a real step, with LaNorris Sellers needing his best season and the run game and protection in front of him both needing to clean up their issues. South Carolina also has to keep its defensive front disruptive, especially with Dylan Stewart part of that pressure package, because the margin for error around Beamer is getting thinner as the program heads into a season that will say plenty about where it is and where its going. [Read more 🡒]