South Carolina gets back to Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday with a little pressure and a lot to clean up.
The Gamecocks are 2-2 and carrying a two-game skid into their Week 5 matchup with Kentucky, a conference game that comes after the 49-18 loss at Alabama. Shane Beamer’s team will try to steady itself in an afternoon kickoff at home, where the mood has shifted fast after a promising start.
Saturday’s game is set for Oct. 3 at 4:15 p.m. on the SEC Network. South Carolina opened as a seven-point favorite, but that number has fallen to 3.5 points on Draft Kings, Fan Duel and VegasInsider, which is a consensus ranking of sportsbooks.
The series has gone South Carolina’s way for a while now. The Gamecocks lead the all-time matchup 22-13-1 and have won four straight against Kentucky, including last season’s 35-13 victory in Columbia. Kentucky’s last on-field win over South Carolina was 16-10 in 2021, though that result was later vacated after Kentucky had to forfeit all 10 wins from that season following an NCAA investigation.
For South Carolina, the biggest issue remains the slide in SEC play. The Gamecocks have lost seven straight conference games dating back to last season, and the Alabama defeat only deepened the frustration.
South Carolina was down 35-3 at halftime before settling in a bit after the break. The 31-point loss was the third-worst in Beamer’s six seasons and the worst since the 41-point loss to Georgia and 32-point defeat to Florida in the 2022 season.
There’s also a roster note heading into the game: Beamer suspended DE Dylan Stewart indefinitely after a string of incidents during the Gamecocks’ loss to Alabama on Saturday.
Kentucky arrives with a different vibe under new leadership. Mark Stoops is gone after 13 seasons, and Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein has taken over the program. Stein is a Kentucky native who grew up a lifelong Wildcats fan and played college football at Louisville.
The change has brought some life to the Wildcats, who are 3-1 and have won two straight since their loss to Alabama on Sept. 12. That 3-1 start is Kentucky’s best since opening 5-0 in 2023.
Kentucky’s last outing showed just how explosive this offense can be on the ground. In the 45-21 win over South Alabama on Sept. 26, the Wildcats piled up 376 rushing yards and had three players top 100 yards: C.J.
Baxter with 149, Jason Patterson with 137 and Javonte Barnes with 100. It was only the second time in program history Kentucky had three 100-yard rushers in the same game.
South Carolina still has a few bright spots to lean on, and RB Matt Fuller is at the top of that list. The sophomore has been the Gamecocks’ most reliable offensive player, and he added another strong outing against Alabama with 19 carries for 112 yards and a touchdown. He now has 384 rushing yards and four touchdowns, good for third in the SEC, and he also leads South Carolina with 13 catches.
On defense, Anthony Addison has made the most of his chance. With Dylan Stewart out or limited during the first four games, the Sumter High grad has stepped into a bigger role and delivered.
He had another sack against Alabama, giving him a team-high three on the season. Addison also has six tackles, including three for loss, and a team-best five quarterback pressures.
Kentucky has its own defensive anchor in Jordan Castell. The three-year starter at Florida transferred in for his senior season and has already made a strong imprint. Castell leads the Wildcats with 36 tackles and two interceptions.
South Carolina’s schedule now turns quickly after Kentucky. The Gamecocks go to Florida on Oct. 10, then have a bye week on Oct.
- After that, they host Tennessee on Oct. 24, go to Oklahoma on Oct. 31, host Texas A&M on Nov. 7, travel to Arkansas on Nov. 14, host Georgia on Nov. 21 and finish at Clemson on Nov.
In Other News...
Dylan Stewart Has South Carolina Facing A Huge Decision
South Carolina is now dealing with more than just the aftermath of a loss to Alabama. Edge rusher Dylan Stewart was suspended indefinitely by Shane Beamer after multiple incidents in the game, a troubling sequence that included penalties, a sideline argument and physical altercations. For a player whose talent has already made him one of the more important pieces on the roster, the situation has quickly turned into one of the biggest off-field questions facing the program.
Stewarts track record only adds weight to what comes next, since this is not the first time his behavior has drawn scrutiny. He was ejected earlier in 2025 for unsportsmanlike conduct, and he was also flagged for taunting in 2024 after a gun celebration gesture that drew public criticism. South Carolina is expected to decide his future later this week, leaving the Gamecocks to balance discipline, accountability and the reality of what his presence means on the field. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolina Gets A Tough Florida Setup At The Worst Time
South Carolinas next SEC road trip comes with an early start and a tricky setup, as the Gamecocks are set to visit Florida on October 10. The kickoff window is down to either noon or 12:45 p.m., with the exact time to be locked in after the October 3 games, and the matchup will air on SEC Network.
For a team trying to manage the grind of conference play, a daytime trip to Gainesville is hardly an ideal follow-up. The timing will be settled soon enough, but South Carolina already knows the challenge waiting on the other side: a road date in the SEC, on television, and at a time that leaves little room to ease into the matchup. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Locksley Is Suddenly In A Conversation Maryland Fans Dread
The early part of the college football season has already put a handful of high-profile coaches under the microscope, and Shane Beamer is part of that uneasy crowd after South Carolinas recent loss. Around the sport, the conversation has shifted quickly from preseason expectations to job-security math, with programs like Florida State, Maryland and Colorado all getting pulled into the same uneasy spotlight as losses pile up and frustration grows.
Mike Locksley now finds himself in a familiar but unwelcome place for Maryland fans, with the pressure around his program rising alongside the scrutiny on other coaches. South Carolina supporters know the feeling too, because once the talk turns to recent defeats, buyout numbers and public accountability, the focus stops being on upside and starts becoming about how much longer each school is willing to wait for a turnaround. [Read more 🡒]