Former Gamecock tight end will transfer to ACC school, report says
One former South Carolina football player has found a new college home.
Former Gamecock tight end Michael Smith will be signing to play football at Syracuse, according to a Sunday afternoon report from 247Sports.
Smith left the USC football team in October with intentions to enter the transfer portal, which opened on Jan. 2. He was one of 15 USC players to enter the transfer portal so far but the first to find a landing spot.
Smith, a former four-star prospect from Savannah, Georgia, played in 12 games for South Carolina as a true freshman in 2024. Alongside starter Josh Simon, Smith started in seven games, catching 10 passes for over 100 yards.
In 2025, Smith played in four games, appeared in 78 snaps and caught two passes. He decided after those games to stop playing, preserve a redshirt season and transfer.
South Carolina football: Transfer portal losses
Accounting only for scholarship players. New school in parentheses
- QB Air Noland
- TE Michael Smith (Syracuse)
- WR Brian Rowe Jr.
- WR Vandrevius Jacobs
- OL Josiah Thompson
- OL Boaz Stanley
- OL Rodney Newsom Jr.
- OL Nick Sharpe
- OL Trovon Baugh
- OL Cason Henry
- OL Tree Babalade
- DL Zavion Hardy
- LB Jaron Willis
- LB Taeshawn Alston
- DB Myles Norwood
This story was originally published January 4, 2026 at 3:15 PM.
