Shane Beamer isn’t buying the idea that South Carolina’s rushing numbers should come with an asterisk.
Through two games, the Gamecocks have piled up 683 rushing yards and are averaging 341.50 yards on the ground per game. Both figures rank No. 3 in college football, trailing only Army and Navy, the programs most associated with run-first football.
That surge has come in back-to-back blowouts - a 57-0 win over Kent State and a 45-9 victory over Towson - and the opposition has fueled plenty of skepticism. But Beamer pushed back hard on the notion that South Carolina’s early offensive success should be discounted.
“I think we’ve got a hell of a running game, and regardless of who we’ve done it against the last two weeks, there’s no grain of salt,” Beamer said. “You don’t run the ball for 405 yards and say, ‘Eh, 405, but it was Towson.’ ... 405 is 405, I don’t care who you’re playing.”
That 405-yard outing against Towson was a monster by any standard. It was the best rushing performance of Beamer’s tenure and the third-best in program history.
Beamer said Tuesday he’s eager to keep leaning on that part of the offense the rest of the way. That’s a notable shift from last season, when South Carolina sat near the bottom of the SEC in rushing offense at No. 14 with 118.06 rushing yards per game. It took the Gamecocks six games in 2025 to reach the same rushing total they’ve already banked in just two weeks this season.
After the Towson game, Beamer sounded almost amused by what the stat sheet showed.
“I’m not used to looking at the stat sheet and seeing 405 yards rushing on there,” Beamer said after the win over Towson. “...
I know our record’s really good around here when we run the ball effectively, and we’ve been able to do that in two games, which I like. Certainly got to continue to.
I like where we are through two games and the production that we’ve had.”
South Carolina’s offensive line has been central to that jump, and Beamer praised that group Tuesday. But the next test is a much stiffer one.
Mississippi State brings a defense that has been hard to move so far, ranking No. 5 in the SEC and allowing just 151 rushing yards this season. Last week, the Bulldogs held Minnesota to 13 rushing yards in a win, with defensive coordinator Zach Arnett steering the operation.
“Not enough people are talking about their defense, in my opinion,” Beamer said Tuesday. “Zach Arnett’s as good as there is when it comes to coordinators. He makes it really, really difficult on opposing offenses to run the ball, especially, and this year is is no different.”
Saturday at 4:15 p.m. on SEC Network will be South Carolina’s first real test of the season. If the Gamecocks can bring even a slice of their early ground-game production with them, they’ll be in good shape.
In Other News...
Mississippi State Could Expose The Truth About South Carolina Fast
South Carolina has opened the 2026 season with the kind of start that makes it hard not to look ahead, piling up a 102-9 combined score through its first two games. The next stop is Mississippi State, a team that just handled Minnesota in convincing fashion and looks much more capable of asking questions the Gamecocks have not yet had to answer.
For a South Carolina team that has cruised so far, this is the first real chance to see whether the early dominance is the product of a true contender or just a favorable beginning. The timing matters, too, because Alabama, Kentucky and Florida are waiting on the other side of this one before the bye week, so what happens against Mississippi State could shape the tone of the stretch run in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolina Has An Awkward Sideline Subplot Fans Will Notice
There will be a little extra family intrigue on the sideline when South Carolina meets Mississippi State, because offensive coordinator Kendal Briles is set to line up opposite his brother-in-law, Jeff Lebby, on the other side. It is the sort of coaching matchup fans do not usually get in an SEC game, and it comes with some built-in familiarity because the two have already crossed paths as opposing coordinators before.
This will be the fourth time Briles and Lebby have coached against each other, even as both have acknowledged the family connection without letting it overshadow the job at hand. For South Carolina, it adds another layer to a game that already carries the usual conference stakes, with the wrinkle that one of the more interesting chess matches may be happening before the ball is even snapped. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolina Heads Into Mississippi State With Big Availability Questions
South Carolinas first SEC availability report of the 2026 football season gave the teams trip to Mississippi State an immediate layer of uncertainty, especially along the offensive line and at quarterback. Offensive lineman Jacarrius Peak and defensive end Dylan Stewart were listed as probable, while center Carter Miller landed in the questionable category and quarterback Lucian Anderson was ruled out.
Wide receiver DJ Black and tight end Maurice Brown II were not included on the report, leaving a few more moving pieces to monitor as the Gamecocks try to sort through injuries and availability heading into conference play. The SECs weekly reporting system is designed to keep those status calls public, and South Carolina will have to continue navigating that process as it manages personnel and prepares for the Bulldogs. [Read more 🡒]