South Carolina vs North Carolina 2021 bowl game kickoff time, odds, streaming, TV
This year’s Duke’s Mayo Bowl is a battle of the Carolinas, as South Carolina football faces the North Carolina Tar Heels in the Gamecocks’ first postseason appearance since 2018.
With a USC win, head coach Shane Beamer would lead the Gamecocks to more victories in his first season (seven) than the program had the last two seasons combined (six).
Beamer will coach against College Football Hall of Fame head coach Mack Brown, a close friend of his father, Frank Beamer. Brown is 2-3 against South Carolina as UNC head coach.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Gamecocks’ upcoming bowl game.
What channel is the South Carolina game on?
Who: North Carolina Tar Heels (6-6, 3-5 ACC) vs. South Carolina Gamecocks (6-6, 3-5 SEC)
Where: Bank of America Stadium (74,867) in Charlotte, N.C.
When: 11:30 a.m. Thursday
TV: ESPN
On-air announce crew: Anish Shroff, play-by-play; Mike Golic Jr., analyst; Taylor McGregor, 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. National broadcast from Bowl Season Radio (Brian Estridge, play-by-play; John Denton, analyst; Molly Cotton, sideline)
Satellite radio: Sirius 137/XM 190
Series history: North Carolina holds the advantage in the all-time series 35-19-4, but the Gamecocks have won three of the last four meetings.
Thursday weather forecast for Charlotte, NC
There’s a chance of thunderstorms in Charlotte on Thursday, with a 40% chance of rain and winds around 10 to 15 mph. The high temperature will be 72 degrees.
South Carolina vs. North Carolina game prediction
ESPN’s Football Power Index gives North Carolina a 69.8% chance to win over the Gamecocks.
Point spread for UNC vs SC Gamecocks
The point spread for South Carolina’s game against North Carolina has settled favoring the Tar Heels by 9.5, according to VegasInsider. The line opened favoring North Carolina by 5.5.
South Carolina football opt-outs, injury, status report
- Top running back ZaQuandre White and Edge lineman Kingsley “JJ” Enagbare will not play in the bowl game as they prepare for the 2022 NFL Draft.
- Quarterback Jason Brown, who started South Carolina’s last four games of 2021, entered the transfer portal in December and will not play in the bowl game.
- Five other Gamecocks have entered the transfer portal since the conclusion of the 2021 regular season. Linebacker/safety Jahmar Brown, defensive back Dominick Hill, quarterback Connor Jordan, offensive lineman Vincent Murphy and tight end Keveon Mullins departed the program before the bowl game.
- Injured players who traveled with the team but did not participate during Monday’s practice viewing for media include quarterback Luke Doty, defensive back Jaylin Dickerson, defensive lineman Rick Sandidge and defensive back Joey Hunter.
- Running back MarShawn Lloyd was not a full participant during Monday’s practice viewing, going through drills but not wearing shoulder pads like the rest of the team. Edge lineman Jordan Strachan was not spotted during the media viewing period.
- Wide receiver Jalen Brooks has remained off the Gamecocks’ depth chart as he tends to a personal matter. He last played in USC’s game against Tennessee on Oct. 9.
Gamecocks vs UNC Tar Heels: What to watch for
South Carolina hopes to build momentum for the future with a Duke’s Mayo Bowl victory over North Carolina, though the Gamecocks’ roster looks different than it did in the regular season and will look much different in 2022.
Beamer built up excitement by landing Oklahoma transfer quarterback Spencer Rattler and tight end Austin Stogner in addition to the nation’s 20th-best 2022 recruiting class through the early signing period. But first, South Carolina will play without starting quarterback Jason Brown, top running back ZaQuandre White and veteran Edge Kingsley “JJ” Enagbare.
The Gamecocks will have their work cut out for them with UNC record-setting quarterback Sam Howell. In his three seasons at North Carolina, Howell has set a number of program records, including total offense (11,084 yards), passing yards (10,078) and passing touchdowns (91). In 2021, he completed 62.7% of his passes for 2,851 yards and 23 touchdowns against nine interceptions.
UNC had been ranked in the AP preseason top 10 but lost its season opener to Virginia Tech and fell out of the poll completely with a Week 4 loss to Georgia Tech. South Carolina came into 2021 with few expectations, as most pundits projected three or four wins for Beamer’s first year. Both teams ended up with the same overall record (6-6) as well as identical records in respective conference play (3-5).
Both Beamer and Brown have agreed to a postgame mayo bath in the event of a win.
South Carolina players to watch
1. Quarterback Zeb Noland will start in his last game as a college football player. The former graduate assistant put on the pads late in fall camp after Luke Doty’s injury and started in four games, finishing the regular season completing 56% of his passes for 608 yards, six touchdowns and an interception. Noland hasn’t started at quarterback since Oct. 23 at Texas A&M but played late in USC’s final game against Clemson.
2. Wide receiver Josh Vann has been the Gamecocks’ most reliable receiver of 2021 and could return for another productive year in 2022. Vann brought 43 catches downfield for 679 yards and five touchdowns in the regular season.
3. Defensive back Jaylan Foster plays his last game in a South Carolina uniform against UNC after earning postseason second team Walter Camp All-American honors as well as first team All-SEC designation from the Associated Press. A former walk-on, Foster led the nation with five regular season interceptions and was the Gamecocks’ leading tackler, recording 62 on the year.
Three North Carolina football players to watch
1. Wide receiver Josh Downs is the top target for program record-setting quarterback Sam Howell. Downs set UNC records himself with a school-high 98 receptions for 1,273 yards in his sophomore year. He tallied five games with at least 100 yards receiving this season, highlighted by a 203-yard, two-touchdown performance in the Tar Heels’ 59-39 victory over Virginia on Sept. 18.
2. Running back Ty Chandler rushed for 1,063 yards and 13 touchdowns in the regular season and earned All-ACC second team honors for his performance, which included another 215 yards and a touchdown receiving. Chandler rushed for 213 yards and four touchdowns in the Tar Heels’ upset over Wake Forest, averaging 9.7 yards per carry in the UNC win.
3. Defensive lineman Myles Murphy, a 6-foot-4, 305-pound former Gamecock recruiting target, earned All-ACC second team designation behind a sophomore season where he came down with 32 tackles (8.5 for loss), four sacks and three pass break-ups.
South Carolina Gamecocks 2021 football schedule
Home games in bold
South Carolina football projected depth chart vs UNC
Any position, whether it’s a starter or a backup, is listed with an —OR— designation.
Offense
QB — Zeb Noland (Colten Gauthier)
RB — Kevin Harris —OR— MarShawn Lloyd —OR— Juju McDowell
WR — Xavier Legette (Trey Adkins)
WR — Dakereon Joyner (Ahmarean Brown)
WR — Josh Vann (E.J. Jenkins)
LT — Jaylen Nichols (Jazston Turnetine —OR— Jakai Moore)
LG — Vershon Lee (Jaylen Nichols)
OC — Eric Douglas (Hank Manos)
RG — Jovaughn Gwyn (Hank Manos)
RT — Tyshawn Wannamaker (Jaylen Nichols)
TE — Nick Muse (E.J. Jenkins)
TE — Jaheim Bell (Traevon Kenion)
Defense
EDGE — Aaron Sterling (Jordan Burch)
DT — Jabari Ellis (Tonka Hemingway —OR— M.J. Webb)
DT — Zacch Pickens (Alex Huntley)
EDGE — Jordan Strachan (Gilber Edmond)
NICK — David Spaulding —OR— Carlins Platel
MLB — Damani Staley (Debo Williams)
WLB — Brad Johnson (Mo Kaba —OR— Darryle Ware)
CB — Cam Smith (Dominick Hill)
SS — R.J. Roderick (Tyrese Ross)
FS — Jaylan Foster (Tyrese Ross)
CB — Darius Rush (Marcellas Dial)
Specialists
PK — Parker White (Mitch Jeter)
KO — Mitch Jeter —OR— Parker White —OR— Alex Herrera
P — Kai Kroeger (Alex Herrera)
LS — Matthew Bailey (Hunter Rogers)
H — Kai Kroger (Alex Herrera)
KOR — Juju McDowell (Dakereon Joyner)
PR — Josh Vann (Ahmarean Brown)
This story was originally published December 29, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
