Three games that could define Year 3 under Shane Beamer at South Carolina

Shane Beamer had himself one heck of an encore in 2022.

South Carolina thunderously capped off its regular season with wins over No. 5 Tennessee and No. 8 Clemson. It narrowly dropped the Gator Bowl against No. 18 Notre Dame. Those kinds of results bring high hopes into this fall.

Beamer’s team has pieces to build around in quarterback Spencer Rattler and a plethora of talented skill-position options. Whether the Gamecocks live up to the heightened expectations around the program, though, should fall on these three games:

Sept. 23, vs. Mississippi State

We could’ve gone with the North Carolina matchup Week 1, but this meeting with Mississippi State in Columbia has the makings of a crucial one.

The Bulldogs are guided by first-year head coach Zach Arnett, who takes over following the tragic death of Mike Leach. He’ll bring back seven starters from an MSU defense that ranked fifth in the Southeastern Conference in total defense a year ago.

Arnett’s squad will also be helmed by fifth-year quarterback Will Rogers and new offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay, who MSU hired away from Appalachian State. Barbay figures to have more of a run-first approach than Leach’s air raid, but Rogers will be a factor week in and week out given his experience.

South Carolina and MSU occupy strangely similar places on either side of the SEC. There’s a world both teams could finish as high as second or third in their respective divisions if things break right. Tricky schedules also mean they could each fall off a cliff quickly.

USC should hold serve in this one, if only because the game is in Columbia. That said, don’t be surprised if this turns into one of the best games of the year.

Oct. 21, at Missouri

It’s mind-boggling that Eli Drinkwitz is 4-0 against South Carolina dating back to his time as head coach at App State.

The Tigers and Gamecocks have played a pair of ugly ones the past two years, including last year’s rock fight that saw South Carolina put forth a brutal effort on the heels of a win over Texas A&M.

Missouri has ample questions to answer, most notably who will start at quarterback. Miami transfer Jake Garcia is an interesting option. Incumbent Brady Cook, too, will have his say. If former four-star passer Sam Horn ever gets healthy, he could also be in the mix.

This is one of those games South Carolina fans will circle as a “should-be win” more years than not. It’s been five years since the Gamecocks won this matchup and six years since doing so in Columbia, Missouri.

Law of averages suggest USC is due for a win in this one. South Carolina would do well to take care of business here.

Nov. 25, vs. Clemson

Not that this rivalry ever really lacks fervor, but 2023 figures to have as much spice as any in recent memory.

South Carolina downed Clemson for the first time in almost a decade last fall, and Spencer Rattler and the offense flung the ball all over the yard en route to a 31-30 win. (And, frankly, the game wasn’t that close.)

This year brings a new-look Clemson squad to Columbia for a matchup with what should be an upstart South Carolina team. Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik will be the unquestioned starter under center. Offensive coordinator Garrett Riley, too, will be in the fold after helping guide TCU to the national championship game last year.

There will be plenty of microscopes out for this one. It’s no secret Riley’s name was thrown around for USC’s offensive coordinator opening that eventually went to Dowell Loggains. The Tigers, too, took a step back last fall after sitting atop the college football world for much of the past decade.

It’s easy to be reactive to singular results, but there’s reason to believe this could be a monumental moment in the current power struggle between these two programs.

No South Carolina quarterback since Stephen Garcia in 2009 and 2010 has beaten Clemson in back-to-back years. Rattler could join that elite company with a victory this fall. That’s the kind of thing that makes you a legend around these parts.

The Gamecocks have as tricky a schedule as anyone in America. A win over Clemson would alleviate all sorts of pressure — and give Beamer another crowing achievement in his young head coaching career.

South Carolina 2023 schedule

▪ Sept. 2 – North Carolina (at Charlotte) – 7:30 pm, ABC

▪ Sept. 9 – vs Furman – 7:30 p.m., SEC Network

▪ Sept. 16 – at Georgia – 3:30 pm, CBS

▪ Sept. 23 – vs Mississippi State – TBA

▪ Sept. 30 – at Tennessee – TBA

▪ Oct. 14 – vs Florida – TBA

▪ Oct. 21 – at Missouri – TBA

▪ Oct. 28 – at Texas A&M – TBA

▪ Nov. 4 – Jacksonville State – TBA

▪ Nov. 11 – vs Vanderbilt – TBA

▪ Nov. 18 – vs Kentucky – TBA

▪ Nov. 25 – vs Clemson – TBA

This story was originally published August 17, 2023 at 7:00 AM.