(WR Antwane Wells Jr. – 247Sports)
Key Players Returning:
OC Vershon Lee, OT Cason Henry, DT Tonka Hemingway, NT Alex Huntley, DT TJ Sanders, LB Bam Martin-Scott, LB Debo Williams, CB O’Donnell Fortune, NB/PR Jalon Kilgore, FS Nick Emmanwori, SS DQ Smith, and PT Kai Kroeger.
Key Players Departing:
QB Spencer Rattler (Saints R5), RB Mario Anderson (Memphis transfer), WR/KR Xavier Legette (Panthers R1), WR Antwane Wells Jr., TE Trey Knox, OC Nick Gargulo (Broncos R7), OG Jakai Moore, OT Tyshawn Wannamaker, DE Tyreek Johnson, DE Jordan Strachan, LB Stone Blanton (Mississippi State transfer), CB Marcellas Dial (Patriots R6), and PK Mitch Jeter (Notre Dame transfer).
Top 10 Recruits:
Blue Chip Recruits: EDGE Dylan Stewart (Washington, DC).
4 Star Recruits: OT Josiah Thompson (Dillon, South Carolina), TE Michael Smith (Savannah, Georgia), LB Fred Johnson (Norfolk, Virginia), RB Raheim Sanders (Arkansas transfer), LB Wendall Gregory (Marietta, Georgia), OT Kam Pringle (Dorchester, South Carolina), LB Demetrius Knight (Charlotte transfer), EDGE Kyle Kennard (Georgia Tech transfer), and DT DeAndre Jules (Pittsburgh transfer).
2023 Results:
G01 vs. #21 North Carolina L 17-31
G02 FURMAN W 47-21
G03 @ #1 Georgia L 14-24
G04 MISSISSIPPI STATE W 37-30
G05 @ #21 Tennessee L 20-41
G06 FLORIDA L 39-41
G07 @ #20 Missouri L 12-34
G08 @ Texas A&M L 17-30
G09 JACKSONVILLE STATE W 38-28
G10 VANDERBILT W 47-6
G11 KENTUCKY W 17-14
G12 #24 CLEMSON L 7-16
Team Info:
2023 Overall: 5-7 (6th in SEC East)
Home: 5-2
Away: 0-4
Neutral: 0-1
SEC: 3-5
Non-SEC: 2-2
Head Coach: Shane Beamer
South Carolina: 20-18
Career: 20-18
Bowls: 1-1
(NT TJ Sanders – 247 Sports)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: LaNorris Sellers (4-4, 86 yards, 100%, 21.5 avg., 2 TD, 0 INT)
Rushing: LaNorris Sellers (5 car., 51 yards, 10.2 avg., 1 TD)
Receiving: Joshua Simon (28 rec., 256 yards, 9.1 avg., 2 TD)
TD’s Scored: Luke Doty/Joshua Simon (2)
Sacks: TJ Sanders (4.5)
Tackles: Debo Williams (113)
Interceptions: Nick Emmanwori/O’Donnell Fortune (2)
Pass Deflections: Nick Emmanwori (8)
Tackles For Loss: TJ Sanders (9.5)
Forced Fumbles: 4 Tied (1)
Kick Returns: Juju McDowell (4 ret., 62 yards, 15.5 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Jalon Kilgore (9 ret., 49 yards, 5.4 avg., 1 TD)
Kicking: Alex Herrera (0-0 fg/fga.. 0%, 1-1 xp/xpa., 1 pts.)
Punting: Kai Kroeger (62 punts, 2676 yards, 43.2 avg., 22 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 16 LaNorris Sellers (RS FR)
RB: 5 Raheim Sanders (RS/TR)
WR: 14 Jared Brown (RS JR/TR)
WR: 19 Vandrevius Jacobs (RS FR/TR)
WR: 7 Gage Larvadain (SR/TR)
TE: 6 Joshua Simon (GR/TR)
LT: 74 Josiah Thompson (FR)
LG: 52 Kamaar Bell (GR/TR)
OC: 53 Vershon Lee (RS SR)
RG: 76 Torricelli Simpkins III (RS SR/R)
RT: 75 Cason Henry (RS SO)
KR: 0 Juju McDowell (SR)
PK: 40 Alex Herrera (GR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 12 Jatius Greer (RS JR/TR)
NT: 95 Alex Huntley (RS SR)
DT: 91 Tonka Hemingway (GR)
DE: 5 Kyle Kennard (RS SR/TR)
LB: 0 Debo Williams (RS SR/TR)
LB: 22 Bam Martin-Scott (GR/TR)
NB: 24 Jalon Kilgore (SO)
CB: 3 O’Donnell Fortune (RS SR)
CB: 20 Judge Collier (SO)
FS: 7 Nick Emmanwori (JR)
SS: 1 DQ Smith (JR)
PR: 0 Juju McDowell (SR)
PT: 39 Kai Kroeger (RS SR)
(SS Nick Emmawori – 247Sports)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: C
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returns: C
Punt Returns: B
Kickers: C
Punters: B
Schedule:
08/31 OLD DOMINION MONARCHS | First meeting between schools.
09/07 @ Kentucky Wildcats | South Carolina leads the series 20-14-1. The Gamecocks are 3-7 since 2014, and their last series loss (10-16) was in 2021.
09/14 LSU TIGERS | South Carolina trails the series 2-19-1. The Gamecocks lost (24-52) the last meeting between schools in 2020.
09/21 AKRON ZIPS | South Carolina won (28-3) the only prior meeting between schools in 2018.
10/05 OLE MISS REBELS | South Carolina trails the series 8-9. The Gamecocks lost (42-59) the last meeting between schools in 2020, and their last series win (48-44) was in 2018.
10/12 @ Alabama Crimson Tide | South Carolina trails the series 4-11. The Gamecocks lost (23-47) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
10/19 @ Oklahoma Sooners | First meeting between schools.
11/02 TEXAS A&M AGGIES | South Carolina trails the series 1-9. The Gamecocks lost (17-30) last season’s meeting between schools, and their only series win (30-24) was at the prior meeting in 2022.
11/09 @ Vanderbilt Commodores | South Carolina leads the series 29-4. The Gamecocks are 10-0 since 2014, and their last series loss (17-24) was in 2008.
11/16 MISSOURI TIGERS | South Carolina trails the series 5-9. The Gamecocks are 3-7 since 2014, and their last series win (37-35) was in 2018.
11/23 WOFFORD TERRIERS | South Carolina leads the series 5-0. The Gamecocks won (31-10) the last meeting between schools in 2017.
11/30 @ Clemson Tigers | South Carolina trails the series 43-73-4. The Gamecocks are 1-8 since 2014, and their last series win (31-30) was in 2022.
Predictions:
Home: 5-2
Away: 2-3
Neutral: 0-0
SEC: 4-4
Non-SEC: 3-1
Overall: 7-5 (6th in SEC)
gridironpredictions.net 