Gameday Guide: South Carolina vs Eastern Illinois kickoff, odds, TV, stream info
South Carolina football will play its first game of the 2021 season Saturday against FCS opponent Eastern Illinois. What you need to know about the first game of the Shane Beamer era in Columbia:
When do the South Carolina Gamecocks play?
Who: Eastern Illinois Panthers (0-1) at South Carolina (0-0)
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: Williams-Brice Stadium (77,559, full-capacity allowed for the first time since 2019)
TV: Not on traditional TV
Stream: The game will only air on SEC Network Plus and ESPN+
Unless you have a Smart TV, you’ll need a streaming device such as AppleTV, Roku or an Amazon Firestick. You can stream the game if your TV provider (Spectrum, Hulu, YouTubeTV, Comcast, etc.) carries the main SEC Network channel — if that’s the case, just log into the regular ESPN app with your TV provider’s login credentials and then stream the game through SEC Network Plus.
If you don’t normally have SEC Network access, you’ll have to subscribe to ESPN+ to watch the game. Cost is $5.99 a month just for ESPN+ with several other bundling options depending on what level of subscription you want.
On-air announce crew: Bill Roth, play-by-play; Chris Doering, analyst; Alex Chappell, sideline.
Radio: 107.5 FM in the Columbia area (Todd Ellis, play-by-play; Tommy Suggs, analyst; Jamar Nesbit, sideline) … See all the radio affiliates around South Carolina here.
Satellite radio: Sirus 135/XM 192
Line: USC by 40.5
Uniform report: White pants, garnet jerseys and white helmets
Weather forecast for Columbia, SC
Partially cloudy and warm with light and variable wind. Temperature will reach 85 degrees during the day and cool to 62 degrees by nightfall.
Week 1 SEC college football point spreads
Odds according to ESPN Chalk, unless otherwise noted
- Saturday, noon: Kentucky (-31) vs. UL Monroe
- Saturday, 2 p.m.: Arkansas (-19.5) vs. Rice
- Saturday, 3:30 p.m.: Alabama (-19.5) vs. Miami
- Saturday, 4 p.m.: Mississippi State (-23.5) vs. Louisiana Tech
- Saturday, 4 p.m.: Missouri (-14) vs. Central Michigan
- Saturday, 7 p.m.: Auburn (36.5) vs. Akron
- Saturday, 7 p.m.: South Carolina (40.5) vs. Eastern Illinois
- Saturday, 7:30 p.m.: Georgia vs. Clemson (-3)
- Saturday, 7:30 p.m.: Florida (-23.5) vs. FAU
- Saturday, 8 p.m. Texas A&M (28.5) vs. Kent State
- Saturday, 8 p.m. Vanderbilt (21.5) vs. ETSU
- Saturday, 8 p.m. UCLA vs. LSU (-3)
- Monday, 8 p.m.: Ole Miss (-10) vs. Louisville*
*line according to VegasInsider
South Carolina football Injury report
- Quarterback Luke Doty was not listed on the Gamecocks’ depth chart released Tuesday as he continues to recover from a left foot sprain suffered in fall camp. He’s back at practice and out of the boot, and head coach Shane Beamer is hopeful Doty will be back to 100% as soon as next week.
- Running back Kevin Harris, who had been limited throughout fall practices, will be ready to play on Saturday, Beamer said. Harris had been recovering from an offseason minor back procedure.
- Cornerback Cam Smith is also expected to play on Saturday and practiced this week. Smith had broken a bone in his foot.
- Wide receiver Trey Adkins and offensive lineman Wyatt Campbell returned to practice this week after recovering from injuries sustained in fall camp.
- Defensive lineman Rick Sandidge is out with a lower leg injury.
Gamecocks vs. EIU Panthers: What to watch for
South Carolina is breaking in an all-new coaching staff this season, with head coach Shane Beamer, offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield and defensive coordinator Clayton White after the Gamecocks went 2-8 in an all-SEC 2020 schedule.
Along with the new coaches, South Carolina will debut a new quarterback in Zeb Noland, who will use his last year of eligibility to suit up after originally joining the Gamecocks’ coaching staff as a graduate assistant coach. South Carolina will look to replace the production of former wide receiver Shi Smith with the tandem of Jalen Brooks, Josh Vann and Dakereon Joyner.
On defense, the Gamecocks are strong up front with the return of veteran defensive linemen Kingsley “JJ” Enagbare and Zacch Pickens. South Carolina has been tasked with replacing two key members of its secondary, Jaycee Horn and Israel Mukuamu, who departed for the NFL. White will also debut a new 4-2-5 defensive scheme in Columbia on Saturday.
Eastern Illinois comes into Williams-Brice Stadium having already played a game in 2021. The Panthers fell 26-21 to Indiana State in a “Week Zero” FCS matchup last weekend.
South Carolina players to watch
1. Quarterback Zeb Noland will start for the Gamecocks on Saturday just weeks after suiting up for the first time at practice since stepping aside from a graduate assistant coaching role. Noland previously played backup to San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance at North Dakota State and Iowa State’s Brock Purdy. He started in seven games for North Dakota State in the FCS 2021 spring season, completing 51 of 100 passes with five touchdowns and six interceptions.
2. Running back MarShawn Lloyd will be taking the field as a Gamecock for the first time in his career after an ACL injury kept him sidelined for his freshman year in 2020. The Gamecocks haven’t named a starter at running back, but Lloyd should be expected to get carries as leading tailback Kevin Harris recently returned to practice after offseason back surgery.
3. Defensive lineman Zacch Pickens is expected to emerge in his third year with the Gamecocks. The No. 8 overall recruit nationally in the class of 2019, Pickens made his way into South Carolina’s starting defensive line last season and finished 2020 with the Gamecocks’ fifth-most tackles.
Three Eastern Illinois football players to watch
1. Running back Harrison Bey-Buie led Eastern Illinois rushers in the Panthers’ first game. The freshman ran for 57 yards and a touchdown in 11 carries.
2. Linebacker Jason Jefferson finished with a team-best eight tackles against Indiana State as Eastern Illinois kept Indiana State to 245 total yards in the Panthers’ season opener.
3. Sophomore quarterback Otto Kuhns went 14 for 29 for 259 yards and two interceptions in the Panthers’ loss to Indiana State. Kuhns will be making his fifth career start in the South Carolina game, having started three of Eastern Illinois’ games of the spring 2021 FCS season.
South Carolina football depth chart
Any position, whether it’s a starter or a backup, is listed with an —OR— designation.
Offense
QB — Zeb Noland (Jason Brown)
RB — ZaQuandre White —OR— MarShawn Lloyd —OR— Juju McDowell —OR— Kevin Harris
WR — Jalen Brooks (Xavier Legette)
WR — Dakereon Joyner (Ahmarean Brown)
WR — Josh Vann (Geri-Cari Caldwell —OR— OrTre Smith)
LT — Jazston Turnetine (Jakai Moore)
LG — Jaylen Nichols (Vershon Lee)
OC — Eric Douglas (Vincent Murphy)
RG — Jovaughn Gwyn (Wyatt Campbell)
RT — Dylan Wonnum (Tyshawn Wannamaker)
TE — Nick Muse (E.J. Jenkins)
TE — Jaheim Bell (Traevon Kenion, Keveon Mullins)
Defense
EDGE — Aaron Sterling (Jordan Burch)
DT — Jabari Ellis (Tonka Hemingway)
DT — Zacch Pickens (Alex Huntley)
EDGE — Kingsley Enagbare (Jordan Strachan)
NICK — David Spaulding (Carlins Platel)
MLB — Sherrod Greene (Damani Staley —OR— Debo Williams)
WLB — Brad Johnson (Mo Kaba —OR— Darryle Ware)
CB — Marcellas Dial (Dominick Hill)
SS — Jaylin Dickerson OR R.J. Roderick (Jahmar Brown)
FS — Jaylan Foster (Tyrese Ross)
CB — Darius Rush —OR— Cam Smith
Specialists
PK — Parker White (Mitch Jeter)
KO — Parker White —OR— Mitch Jeter
P — Kai Kroeger (Alex Herrera)
LS — Matthew Bailey (Hunter Rogers)
H — Kai Kroger (Alex Herrera)
KOR — Dakereon Joyner (Juju McDowell)
PR — Josh Vann (Ahmarean Brown)
This story was originally published September 3, 2021 at 12:32 PM.
