South Carolina’s path to the playoff, at least in the eyes of Las Vegas, looks a lot more like a fight to get to a bowl. That kind of spread leaves plenty of middle ground, and if the Gamecocks are going to land on the right side of it, they’ll need more than the obvious names carrying the load.
The headliners are easy to spot. LaNorris Sellers.
Nyck Harbor. Dylan Stewart.
Jacarrius Peak. Vicari Swain.
But if Shane Beamer’s sixth South Carolina team is going to turn top-end talent into something bigger, the difference-makers will have to come from the next tier on the roster. The swing players are the ones who can tilt the season one way or the other.
Mazeo Bennett Jr. is one of them. There’s been buzz around him since spring practice, and he’s the one taking over in the slot to open the year, with Jayden Sellers behind him.
Jayden gave LaNorris Sellers a reliable outlet, but Bennett now has to step into that role and do more than simply match what he did as a freshman. South Carolina needs another threat in the passing game, not just Harbor.
Judge Collier belongs on the list too. His junior season never really got going, whether injury played a part or something else did.
The upside is still obvious. He has the size and athletic tools to hang with most SEC receivers, and one publication had him as a second-team All-SEC corner in 2024.
If he gets back to that level, he and Swain could both be looking at early-round NFL Draft attention.
Brady Hunt is another player with a lot riding on this season. Tight ends coach Shawn Elliott said Hunt wasn’t used properly last year, and the production backs up the point: seven starts in 12 games, 21 catches, 168 yards. He’s not going to win with burst or flashy athleticism, but he is athletic enough and sharp enough to matter in the offense.
Fred Johnson has the kind of reputation that usually comes with a bigger statistical footprint, and that’s the next step here. The linebacker has been talked about since his freshman year, but in two seasons he’s produced one sack, one interception and no forced fumbles. South Carolina’s defense has thrived on those kinds of momentum-swinging plays, and with 3.5 career tackles for loss, that number needs to climb if Johnson is going to become the player people expect.
Up front, Carter Miller is the presumed starting center, and that spot comes with real pressure. His season at UCF wasn’t especially strong by Pro Football Focus’ numbers, as he posted a 60.2 overall offensive grade, with pass protection a little better than his run blocking.
If that doesn’t hold up, the Gamecocks could look at Nolan Hay, who has been working some at guard, or another option. Miller does bring experience, with 36 college games and 29 starts, and Randy Clements called him a “grinder,” adding, “He knows he has one year left and he understands the clock is ticking on him.”
Peyton Williams rounds out the group. The safety spot next to him may still be unsettled, but Williams is the leader there and one of the team’s leaders overall.
He’s improved every season at South Carolina, adding something to his résumé each year, and in 2025 he began making more of the kind of game-changing plays that show up in the turnover column. There’s room for more.
And then there’s the kicker. Beamer said the placekicker situation has been a roller coaster this month, and while he said that wasn’t the headline, it clearly is. Nobody has grabbed the job yet, and in a season where every point can matter, that uncertainty can cost a team in a hurry.
In Other News...
South Carolinas Home Opener Is Creating A Columbia Traffic Headache
A noon kickoff at Williams-Brice Stadium is already enough to reshape a Saturday in Columbia, and South Carolinas 2026 home opener against Kent State is set to do exactly that. With the game landing on Labor Day weekend and a 12:45 p.m. start, officials are bracing for the kind of traffic squeeze that tends to hit well before fans ever get inside the stadium.
For Gamecock fans, the message is simple enough: plan early or risk getting caught in the mess around the stadium. Advance parking purchases, shuttle use and steering clear of the area altogether if you are not headed to the game are all being pushed as ways to ease the buildup, because once the usual pregame crowds mix with holiday weekend traffic, Columbia is likely to feel it long before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolina Lost A Gamecock Figure Who Shaped Far More Than Football
Joe Rices influence at South Carolina reached well beyond the football program, even if many Gamecock fans knew his name from the places it helped put on campus. The prominent alumnus and donor died unexpectedly Sept. 3 at the age of 72, leaving behind a legacy built on major support for the university, including the Joseph F. Rice School of Law, the Rice Athletic Center and scholarships for law students.
For a program that often measures progress in wins and losses, Rice represented a different kind of impact, one tied to opportunity, facilities and the broader identity of the school. South Carolina plans to honor him ahead of the football season opener on Sept. 5, a reminder that some of the figures most important to a program are the ones whose work shapes far more than what happens on Saturdays. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson's Week 1 Opener Just Got Dragged Into LSU Eligibility Drama
A Louisiana judge has cleared the way for LSU to add former NFL players DaeQuan Wright and Zxavian Harris to its roster, ruling them eligible for the season despite both having signed rookie contracts and appeared in preseason games. The decision blocks the SEC and NCAA from enforcing their no pro players rule against the two athletes, and it comes just as LSU is preparing for its opener against Clemson.
For South Carolina fans keeping one eye on the Tigers schedule, the ruling adds another layer to a Week 1 matchup that is already being watched closely around the league. Even with eligibility secured, it is still unclear whether Wright or Harris will actually be available for the game because of acclimatization requirements, and there is still the question of possible SEC penalties hanging over the situation. [Read more 🡒]