Gamecocks’ season-opening win over NC State pays off for Darius Rucker

The South Carolina Gamecocks’ season-opening 35-28 win over the North Carolina State Wolfpack was twice as enjoyable for Darius Rucker.

Not only did the Grammy-winning singer get to see his alma mater get the 2017 college football season off to a great start, but the Gamecocks’ victory saw Rucker get the best of fellow country-music star Scotty McCreery.

The former Hootie & the Blowfish singer exchanged some good-natured tweets with the Garner, N.C. native about their favorite college football teams leading up to Saturday’s season opener at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.

Back in May, Rucker tweeted McCreery saying, “Y’all are not ready for the Gamecocks!!!”

McCreery was quick to fire back.

“Can’t wait brother! Was just talking about the game yesterday with the guys. Don’t sleep on my #Wolfpack this year!”

Rucker and McCreery ended up watching the game together from a box, joining the crowd of 50,367 spectators who witnessed the Gamecocks stave off the Wolfpack’s comeback attempts for the hard-fought victory.

South Carolina’s win gave Rucker bragging rights over McCreery … and something else. Rucker won a bet between the country stars.

McCreery posted on Twitter that he and Rucker had some side action on the line, saying “Me & @dariusrucker’s bet! Loser of the @PackFootball vs @GamecockFB takes the winner and 2 friends to #PebbleBeach for a round of golf!”

So Rucker will get to lord the Gamecocks’ win over McCreery at historic Pebble Beach Golf Links in California, where he’ll indulge in one of his other passions outside of music and South Carolina athletics.

Rucker is a single-digit handicap golfer who plays nearly every day when he is touring. The golf fan also has his own show on satellite radio where he invites golf’s stars as well as other celebrities for conversations that will span the worlds of golf and entertainment.

He is also involved with several other golf events, including Monday After the Masters Celebrity Pro-Am in South Carolina, the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate women’s event in Hilton Head Island, the Darius and Friends concert and tournament that has raised more than $1 million for St. Jude Children’s Hospital, and the ACM Lifting Lives Golf Classic.

Rucker is is also a partner at MGC Sports, a sports agency that represents golfers and other athletes.

Rucker and bandmates formed Hootie & the Blowfish while they were students at South Carolina. Since achieving personal fame, he’s gained the reputation as a Gamecocks superfan.

He was often spotted watching the USC men’s basketball team during their recent run to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament and was an avid supporter of the women’s basketball program during their run to a national championship.

The Grand Ole Opry member recently performed at Colonial Life Arena for USC students after the football team completed a six-win season in 2016.

This story was originally published September 3, 2017 at 5:12 PM with the headline "Gamecocks’ season-opening win over NC State pays off for Darius Rucker."