2024 South Carolina Gamecocks football team

2024 South Carolina Gamecocks football
Palmetto Bowl champion
Citrus Bowl, L 17–21 vs. Illinois
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 19
APNo. 19
Record9–4 (5–3 SEC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorDowell Loggains (2nd season)
Offensive schemeMultiple
Defensive coordinatorClayton White (4th season)
Base defense4–2–5
Home stadiumWilliams–Brice Stadium
Uniform
2024 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 4 Texas y^   7 – 1     13 – 3  
No. 6 Georgia y$^   6 – 2     11 – 3  
No. 9 Tennessee ^   6 – 2     10 – 3  
No. 11 Ole Miss   5 – 3     10 – 3  
No. 17 Alabama   5 – 3     9 – 4  
No. 19   5 – 3     9 – 4  
No. 22 Missouri   5 – 3     10 – 3  
Texas A&M   5 – 3     8 – 5  
LSU   5 – 3     9 – 4  
Florida   4 – 4     8 – 5  
Arkansas   3 – 5     7 – 6  
Vanderbilt   3 – 5     7 – 6  
Oklahoma   2 – 6     6 – 7  
Auburn   2 – 6     5 – 7  
Kentucky   1 – 7     4 – 8  
Mississippi State   0 – 8     2 – 10  
Championship: Georgia 22, Texas 19 OT
  • ^ – College Football Playoff participant
  • $ – Conference champion
  • y – Championship game participant
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2024 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Gamecocks played their home games at Williams–Brice Stadium located in Columbia, South Carolina, and were led by Shane Beamer, who was in his fourth year as their head coach.

Predicted to only win five games and finish thirteenth in the SEC,[1][2] South Carolina achieved the eighth nine-win season in program history.[3] The Gamecocks recorded their first 5–3 conference record since 2017 and the first of Beamer's tenure.[4] They defeated three conference opponents on the road for the first time since 2011.[5] Shane Beamer broke the record for most wins in the first four seasons by a Gamecock head coach,[6] and he was named the SEC Coach of the Year.[7][8][9]

Following a disappointing and controversial first half of the season,[a] which saw close losses to LSU and Alabama as well as a blowout loss to Ole Miss,[12] the Gamecocks won the last six games in the regular season.[12] In this stretch, South Carolina defeated four straight conference opponents for the first time since 2012;[13] they also defeated four ranked teams and won all three regular season trophy games, both for the first time in program history.[12][14][15] Two of those trophy wins were decided by late touchdowns.[16][17] The winning streak earned South Carolina consideration for the College Football Playoff,[b] but they were instead invited to the Citrus Bowl,[21] where they lost to Illinois.[22]

The Gamecocks were led by redshirt freshman quarterback sensation LaNorris Sellers as well as a defense that ranked among the best in the nation and school history.[20][23][24] Kyle Kennard won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, honoring him as the top defensive player in college football, and was a finalist for the Lombardi Award.[25][26] Kennard was a consensus All-American, only the fifth in program history.[27] Dylan Stewart was a finalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award.[28] Five defensive players were selected in the following NFL draft, a school record.[29] Following the regular season, Sellers began receiving consideration as one of the best players in the country.[30][31][32]

Schedule

South Carolina and the SEC announced the 2024 football schedule on December 13, 2023.[33][34][35] This was the first season South Carolina did not play Georgia since the Gamecocks joined the SEC in 1992, and only the sixth time the two teams did not meet since 1958.[36] South Carolina also hosted College GameDay for the first time since 2014.[37]

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
August 314:15 p.m.Old Dominion*
SECNW 23–1978,496
September 73:30 p.m.at Kentucky
ABCW 31–661,349
September 1412:00 p.m.No. 16 LSU
ABCL 33–3679,531
September 217:30 p.m.Akron*
  • Williams–Brice Stadium
  • Columbia, SC
ESPNUW 50–778,704
October 53:30 p.m.No. 12 Ole Miss
  • Williams–Brice Stadium
  • Columbia, SC
ESPNL 3–2779,837
October 1212:00 p.m.at No. 7 Alabama
ABCL 25–27100,077
October 1912:45 p.m.at Oklahoma
SECNW 35–983,331
November 27:30 p.m.No. 10 Texas A&M
  • Williams–Brice Stadium
  • Columbia, SC
ABCW 44–2080,298
November 94:15 p.m.at No. 24 Vanderbilt
SECNW 28–728,934
November 164:15 p.m.No. 23 MissouriNo. 21
SECNW 34–3079,361
November 234:00 p.m.Wofford*No. 18
  • Williams–Brice Stadium
  • Columbia, SC
SECN+W 56–1279,078
November 3012:00 p.m.at No. 12 Clemson*No. 15
ESPNW 17–1481,500
December 313:00 p.m.No. 20 IllinoisNo. 15
ABCL 17–2147,129

Game summaries

vs. Old Dominion

See also: 2024 Old Dominion Monarchs football team
Old Dominion Monarchs (0–0) vs South Carolina Gamecocks (0–0) – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Monarchs 7 0 9319
Gamecocks 10 3 3723

at Williams–Brice Stadium • Columbia, South Carolina

  • Date: August 31
  • Game time: 4:15 p.m. (EDT)
  • Game weather: Partly Cloudy • Temperature: 90 °F (32 °C) • Wind: E at 3 miles per hour (4.8 km/h)
  • Game attendance: 78,496
  • TV announcers (SECN): Dave Neal (play-by-play), Aaron Murray (analyst), and Ashley ShahAhmadi (sideline reporter)
Game information
First quarter
  • (13:22) USC – Raheim Sanders 1-yard run (Alex Herrera kick) (Drive: 3 plays, 3 yards, 0:50; USC 7–0)
  • (12:51) ODU – Isiah Paige 72-yard pass from Grant Wilson (Ethan Sanchez kick) (Drive: 2 plays, 75 yards, 0:31; Tied 7–7)
  • (6:09) USC – Alex Herrera 40-yard field goal (Drive: 13 plays, 53 yards, 6:42; USC 10–7)
Second quarter
  • (4:02) USC – Alex Herrera 46-yard field goal (Drive: 5 plays, 13 yards, 2:04; USC 13–7)
Third quarter
  • (7:13) USC – Alex Herrera 33-yard field goal (Drive: 16 plays, 60 yards, 7:47; USC 16–7)
  • (4:57) ODU – Grant Wilson 36-yard rush (Kick blocked) (Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 2:16; USC 16–13)
  • (0:14) ODU – Ethan Sanchez 40-yard field goal (Drive: 8 plays, 47 yards, 1:49; Tied 16–16)
Fourth quarter
  • (9:54) ODU – Ethan Sanchez 33-yard field goal (Drive: 13 plays, 42 yards, 4:19; ODU 19–16)
  • (6:11) USC – LaNorris Sellers 1-yard run (Alex Herrera kick) (Drive: 2 plays, 6 yards, 0:37; USC 23–19)
Statistics ODU SCAR
First downs 17 18
Total yards 72–305 79–288
Rushing yards 34–108 56–174
Passing yards 197 114
Passing: Comp–Att–Int 22–38–2 10–23–0
Time of possession 24:14 35:46
Team Category Player Statistics
Old Dominion Passing Grant Wilson 22/38, 197 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing Aaron Young 16 carries, 56 yards
Receiving Isiah Paige 8 receptions, 115 yards, 1 TD
South Carolina Passing LaNorris Sellers 10/23, 114 yards
Rushing Raheim Sanders 24 carries, 88 yards, 1 TD
Receiving Vandrevius Jacobs 2 receptions, 59 yards

at Kentucky

See also: 2024 Kentucky Wildcats football team
South Carolina Gamecocks (1–0) at Kentucky Wildcats (1–0) – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Gamecocks 7 3 14731
Wildcats 0 6 006

at Kroger Field • Lexington, Kentucky

  • Date: September 7
  • Game time: 3:30 p.m. (EDT)
  • Game weather: Sunny • Temperature: 70 °F (21 °C) • Wind: N at 12 miles per hour (19 km/h)
  • Game attendance: 61,349
  • Referee: David Smith
  • TV announcers (ABC): Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Greg McElroy (analyst), and Molly McGrath (sideline reporter)
Game information
First quarter
  • (7:39) USC – Mazeo Bennett Jr. 24-yard pass from LaNorris Sellers (Alex Herrera kick) (Drive: 4 plays, 61 yards, 1:21; USC 7–0)
Second quarter
  • (8:06) USC – Alex Herrera 29-yard field goal (Drive: 6 plays, 20 yards, 3:09; USC 10–0)
  • (1:55) UK – Alex Raynor 32-yard field goal (Drive: 12 plays, 57 yards, 6:11; USC 10–3)
  • (0:19) UK – Alex Raynor 39-yard field goal (Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 1:20; USC 10–6)
Third quarter
  • (6:49) USC – Joshua Simon 16-yard pass from LaNorris Sellers (Alex Herrera kick) (Drive: 7 plays, 58 yards, 3:53; USC 17–6)
  • (0:28) USC – Raheim Sanders 6-yard run (Alex Herrera kick) (Drive: 9 plays, 43 yards, 4:05; USC 24–6)
Fourth quarter
  • (14:49) USC – Nick Emmanwori 24-yard interception return (Alex Herrera kick) (Drive: 2 plays, 2 yards, 0:39; USC 31–6)
Statistics SCAR UK
First downs 13 13
Total yards 50–252 63–183
Rushing yards 34–86 46–139
Passing yards 166 44
Passing: Comp–Att–Int 12–16–1 6–17–2
Time of possession 27:39 32:21
Team Category Player Statistics
South Carolina Passing LaNorris Sellers 11/15, 159 yards, 2 TD, INT
Rushing Raheim Sanders 13 carries, 54 yards, TD
Receiving Mazeo Bennett Jr. 3 receptions, 63 yards, TD
Kentucky Passing Brock Vandagriff 3/10, 30 yards, INT
Rushing Demie Sumo-Karngbaye 17 carries, 70 yards
Receiving Dane Key 2 receptions, 36 yards

vs No. 16 LSU

See also: 2024 LSU Tigers football team
No. 16 LSU Tigers (1-1) vs South Carolina Gamecocks (2-0) – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
No. 16 Tigers 0 16 61436
Gamecocks 7 17 0933

at Williams–Brice Stadium • Columbia, South Carolina

  • Date: September 14
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. (EDT)
  • Game weather: Overcast, Partly cloudy, Humid
  • Game attendance: 79,531
  • Referee: Jason Autrey
  • TV announcers (ABC): Chris Fowler (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (analyst), and Holly Rowe (sideline)
Game information
First quarter
  • (12:14) USC – LaNorris Sellers 4-yard run (Alex Herrera kick) (Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 2:46; USC 7–0)
Second quarter
  • (13:49) USC – Alex Herrera 28-yard field goal (Drive: 13 plays, 65 yards, 6:24; USC 10–0)
  • (12:19) USC – Raheim Sanders 10-yard run (Alex Herrera kick) (Drive: 1 play, 10 yards, 0:07; USC 17–0)
  • (8:08) LSU – Caden Durham 26-yard run (Damian Ramos kick) (Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:11; USC 17–7)
  • (4:28) LSU – Damian Ramos 28-yard field goal (Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 1:32; USC 17–10)
  • (4:15) USC – LaNorris Sellers 75-yard run (Alex Herrera kick) (Drive: 1 play, 75 yards, 0:13; USC 24–10)
  • (1:20) LSU – Kyren Lacy 12-yard pass from Garrett Nussmeier (two-point pass conversion failed) (Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:55; USC 24–16)
Third quarter
  • (6:47) LSU – Caden Durham 9-yard run (two-point pass conversion failed) (Drive: 5 plays, 45 yards, 1:38; USC 24–22)
Fourth quarter
  • (14:56) LSU – Mason Taylor 2-yard pass from Garrett Nussmeier (Damian Ramos kick) (Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 5:03; LSU 29–24)
  • (13:51) USC – Raheim Sanders 66-yard run (two-point pass conversion failed) (Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 1:05; USC 30–29)
  • (10:34) USC – Alex Herrera 42-yard field goal (Drive: 4 plays, 0 yards, 1:23; USC 33–29)
  • (1:12) LSU – Josh Williams 2-yard run (Damian Ramos kick) (Drive: 8 plays, 55 yards, 2:34; LSU 36–33)
Statistics LSU SCAR
First downs 26 18
Total yards 82-417 64-398
Rushing yards 132 243
Passing yards 285 155
Passing: comp-att-INT 24-40-1 11-20-1
Time of possession 32:57 27:03
Team Category Player Statistics
LSU Passing Garrett Nussmeier 24/40, 285 yards, 2 TD, INT
Rushing Caden Durham 11 carries, 98 yards, 2 TD
Receiving Aaron Anderson 5 receptions, 96 yards
South Carolina Passing LaNorris Sellers 9/16, 113 yards, INT
Rushing Raheim Sanders 19 carries, 143 yards, 2 TD
Receiving Jared Brown 3 receptions, 40 yards

vs Akron

See also: 2024 Akron Zips football team
Akron Zips (1-2) vs South Carolina Gamecocks (2-1) – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Zips 0 7 007
Gamecocks 15 7 72150

at Williams–Brice Stadium • Columbia, South Carolina

  • Date: September 21
  • Game time: 7:30 (EDT)
  • Game weather: Clear • Temperature: 81 °F (27 °C) • Wind: SSE at 3 miles per hour (4.8 km/h)
  • Game attendance: 78,704
  • Referee: Jeff Heaser
  • TV announcers (ESPNU): Clay Matvick (play-by-play) and Steve Addazio (analyst)
Game information
First quarter
  • (5:19) USC – Oscar Adaway III 2-yard run (Alex Herrera kick) (Drive: 13 plays, 89 yards, 5:38; USC 7–0)
  • (0:53) USC – Mazeo Bennett Jr. 30-yard pass from Robby Ashford (Kai Kroeger Run for Two-Point Conversion) (Drive: 7 plays, 85 yards, 3:02; USC 15–0)
Second quarter
  • (4:28) USC – Juju McDowell 12-yard pass from Robby Ashford (Alex Herrera kick) (Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 4:57; USC 22–0)
  • (1:53) AKR – Adrian Norton 42-yard pass from Ben Finley (Garrison Smith kick) (Drive: 6 plays, 70 yards, 2:31; USC 22–7)
Third quarter
  • (5:02) USC – Oscar Adaway III 2-yard run (Alex Herrera kick) (Drive: 7 plays, 84 yards, 3:43; USC 29–7)
Fourth quarter
  • (13:14) USC – Robby Ashford 36-yard run (Alex Herrera kick) (Drive: 5 plays, 71 yards, 1:59; USC 36-7)
  • (8:14) USC – Connor Cox 9-yard pass from Davis Beville (Alex Herrera kick) (Drive: 12 plays, 46 yards, 4:44; USC 43-7)
  • (4:03) USC – Jawarn Howell 23-yard run (Alex Herrera kick) (Drive: 4 plays, 37 yards, 1:49; USC 50-7)
Statistics AKR SCAR
First downs 9 27
Total yards 51-154 80-549
Rushing yards 37 273
Passing yards 117 276
Passing: Comp–Att–Int 16-30-1 19-27
Time of possession 23:57 36:03
Team Category Player Statistics
Akron Passing Ben Finley 14/27, 110 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing Jordon Simmons 6 carries, 19 yards
Receiving Adrian Norton 4 receptions, 56 yards, 1 TD
South Carolina Passing Robby Ashford 15/21, 243 yards, 2 TD
Rushing Robby Ashford 16 carries, 133 yards, TD
Receiving Gage Larvadain 2 receptions, 79 yards

vs No. 12 Ole Miss

See also: 2024 Ole Miss Rebels football team
No. 12 Ole Miss Rebels (4-1) vs South Carolina Gamecocks (3-1) – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
No. 12 Rebels 14 10 3027
Gamecocks 0 3 003

at Williams–Brice Stadium • Columbia, South Carolina

  • Date: October 5
  • Game time: 3:30 p.m. (EDT)
  • Game weather: Sunny, 83 °F (28 °C)
  • Game attendance: 79,837
  • Referee: David Smith
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Dave Pasch (play-by-play), Dusty Dvoracek (analyst), and Taylor McGregor (sideline)
  • Pregame line: Ole Miss –10.5 • O/U: 51.5
Game information
First quarter
  • (10:36) Ole Miss - Henry Parrish Jr. 3 Yd Run (Caden Davis Kick) (Drive: 5 plays, 36 yards, 1:36; Ole Miss 7–0)
  • (5:57) Ole Miss - JJ Pegues 1 Yd Run (Caden Davis Kick) (Drive: 8 plays, 59 yards, 3:07; Ole Miss 14–0)
Second quarter
  • (10:08) South Carolina - Alex Herrera 40 Yd Field Goal (Drive: 5 plays, 25 yards, 1:49; Ole Miss 14–3)
  • (7:16) Ole Miss - Caden Davis 24 Yd Field Goal (Drive: 8 plays, 68 yards, 2:52; Ole Miss 17–3)
  • (0:31) Ole Miss - JJ Pegues 1 Yd Run (Caden Davis Kick) (Drive: 6 plays, 59 yards, 1:15; Ole Miss 24–3)
Third quarter
  • (1:56) Ole Miss - Caden Davis 44 Yd Field Goal (Drive: 9 plays, 53 yards, 2:21; Ole Miss 27–3)
Fourth quarter
  • No scoring plays
Statistics MISS SCAR
First downs 17 19
Total yards 68–425 76–313
Rushing yards 41–140 43–151
Passing yards 285 162
Passing: Comp–Att–Int 14–27–0 20–33–1
Time of possession 27:22 32:38
Team Category Player Statistics
Ole Miss Passing Jaxson Dart 14–27, 285 yards
Rushing Henry Parrish Jr. 21 carries, 81 yards, 1 TD
Receiving Antwane Wells Jr. 3 receptions, 97 yards
South Carolina Passing LaNorris Sellers 20–32, 162 yards, 1 INT
Rushing LaNorris Sellers 15 carries, 55 yards
Receiving Mazeo Bennett Jr. 3 receptions, 41 yards

at No. 7 Alabama

See also: 2024 Alabama Crimson Tide football team
South Carolina Gamecocks (3-2) at No. 7 Alabama Crimson Tide (4-1) – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Gamecocks 0 12 7625
No. 7 Crimson Tide 7 7 01327

at Bryant–Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, Alabama

  • Date: October 12
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. (EDT)
  • Game weather: Sunny • Temperature: 73 °F (23 °C) • Wind: N 1 mph
  • Game attendance: 100,077
  • Referee: Matt Loeffler
  • TV announcers (ABC): Joe Tessitore (play-by-play), Jesse Palmer (analyst), and Katie George (sideline)
Statistics SCAR ALA
First downs 23 20
Total yards 374 313
Rushing yards 132 104
Passing yards 242 209
Passing: Comp–Att–Int 24-32-1 16-23-2
Time of possession 31:40 28:20
Team Category Player Statistics
South Carolina Passing LaNorris Sellers 23/31, 238 yards, 2 TD’s, 1 INT
Rushing Raheim Sanders 16 carries, 78 yards, 1 TD
Receiving Mazeo Bennett Jr. 3 receptions, 57 yards, 1 TD
Alabama Passing Jalen Milroe 16/23, 209 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT’s
Rushing Jam Miller 12 carries, 42 yards
Receiving Germie Bernard 4 receptions, 89 yards, 1 TD

at Oklahoma

See also: 2024 Oklahoma Sooners football team
South Carolina Gamecocks (3-3) at Oklahoma Sooners (4-2) – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Gamecocks 21 11 0335
Sooners 0 3 609

at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, Oklahoma

  • Date: October 19
  • Game time: 12:45 p.m. (EDT)
  • Game weather: Sunny • Temperature: 68
  • Game attendance: 83,331
  • Referee: Wayne Winkler
  • TV announcers (SEC Network): Tom Hart (play-by-play), Cole Cubelic (analyst), and Alyssa Lang (sideline)
Game information
First quarter
  • (12:33) USC – Raheim Sanders 3 yard rush, Alex Herrera kick (Drive: 5 plays, 41 yards, 2:13; USC 7–0)
  • (11:21) USC – Tonka Hemingway 36 yard fumble return, Alex Herrera kick (Drive: 3 plays, 1 yards, 1:12; USC 14–0)
  • (9:40) USC – Nick Emmanori 65 yard interception return, Alex Herrera kick (Drive: USC 21–0)
Second quarter
  • (12:08) USC – Alex Herrera 39 yard field goal (Drive: 4 plays, 4 yards, 1:49; USC 24–0)
  • (5:17) OKLA – Zach Schmit 44 yard field goal (Drive: 11 plays, 53 yards, 4:01; USC 24–3)
  • (1:54) USC – Joshua Simon 33 yard pass from LaNorris Sellers, Maurice Brown rush (Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:23; USC 32–3)
Third quarter
  • (7:33) OKLA – Brenen Thompson 54 yard pass from Jackson Arnold (Drive: 8 plays, 90 yards, 3:31; USC 32–9)
Fourth quarter
  • (7:48) USC – Alex Herrera 33 yard field goal (Drive: 4 pays, 6 yards, 1:37; USC 35–9)
Statistics SCAR OU
First downs 15 19
Total yards 68–254 83–291
Rushing yards 41–74 41–53
Passing yards 180 238
Passing: Comp–Att–Int 17–27–0 22–42–2
Time of possession 31:47 28:13
Team Category Player Statistics
South Carolina Passing LaNorris Sellers 16/24, 175 yards, TD
Rushing Raheim Sanders 15 carries, 33 yards, TD
Receiving Joshua Simon 4 receptions, 43 yards, TD
Oklahoma Passing Jackson Arnold 18/36, 225 yards, TD
Rushing Jovantae Barnes 17 carries, 70 yards
Receiving Jacob Jordan 6 receptions, 86 yards

vs No. 10 Texas A&M

See also: 2024 Texas A&M Aggies football team
No. 10 Texas A&M Aggies (7-1) vs South Carolina Gamecocks (4-3) – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
No. 10 Aggies 3 17 0020
Gamecocks 14 6 101444

at Williams–Brice Stadium • Columbia, South Carolina

  • Date: November 2
  • Game time: 7:30 p.m.
  • Game weather: Clear • Temperature: 71 °F (22 °C) • Wind: NE 3 mph
  • Game attendance: 80,298
  • Referee: Steve Marlowe
  • TV announcers (ABC): Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Greg McElroy (analyst), and Molly McGrath (sideline reporter)
Game information
First quarter
  • SCAR – LaNorris Sellers 23-yard run (Alex Herrera kick), 10:46. Gamecocks 7–0. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 4:14.
  • SCAR – Joshua Simon 15-yard pass from LaNorris Sellers (Alex Herrera kick), 8:24. Gamecocks 14–0. Drive: 2 plays, 34 yards, 0:47.
  • TAMU – Randy Bond 52-yard field goal, 5:15. Gamecocks 14–3. Drive: 7 plays, 41 yards, 3:09.

Second quarter

  • TAMU – Randy Bond 55-yard field goal, 13:12. Gamecocks 14–6. Drive: 8 plays, 42 yards, 2:46.
  • SCAR – Alex Herrera 25-yard field goal, 8:45. Gamecocks 17–6. Drive: 10 plays, 68 yards, 4:27.
  • TAMU – Amari Daniels 56-yard run (Randy Bond kick), 7:29. Gamecocks 17–13. Drive: 3 plays, 65 yards, 1:16.
  • TAMU – Jabre Barber 2-yard pass from Marcel Reed (Randy Bond kick), 1:08. Aggies 20–17. Drive: 10 plays, 60 yards, 4:20.
  • SCAR – Alex Herrera 44-yard field goal, 0:02. Tied 20–20. Drive: 6 plays, 49 yards, 1:06.

Third quarter

  • SCAR – Raheim Sanders 52-yard run (Alex Herrera kick), 9:19. Gamecocks 27–20. Drive: 5 plays, 83 yards, 2:15.
  • SCAR – Alex Herrera 43-yard field goal, 6:50. Gamecocks 30–20. Drive: 4 plays, 6 yards, 0:50.

Fourth quarter

  • SCAR – Joshua Simon 57-yard pass from LaNorris Sellers (Alex Herrera kick), 3:24. Gamecocks 37–20. Drive: 5 plays, 85 yards, 1:48.
  • SCAR – Raheim Sanders 7-yard run (Alex Herrera kick), 2:22. Gamecocks 44–20. Drive: 2 plays, 13 yards, 0:53.
Statistics TAMU SCAR
First downs 19 26
Total yards 350 530
Rushing yards 144 286
Passing yards 206 244
Passing: Comp–Att–Int 18-28-1 13-27-0
Time of possession 30:48 29:12
Team Category Player Statistics
Texas A&M Passing Marcel Reed 18/28, 206 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing Amari Daniels 13 carries, 83 yards, 1 TD
Receiving Jabre Barber 7 receptions, 80 yards, 1 TD
South Carolina Passing LaNorris Sellers 13/27, 244 yards, 2 TD
Rushing Raheim Sanders 20 carries, 144 yards, 2 TD
Receiving Joshua Simon 4 receptions, 132 yards, 2 TD

at Vanderbilt

See also: 2024 Vanderbilt Commodores football team
South Carolina Gamecocks (5-3) at Vanderbilt Commodores (6-3) – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Gamecocks 0 7 14728
Commodores 0 0 707

at FirstBank Stadium • Nashville, Tennessee

  • Date: November 9
  • Game time: 4:15 p.m.
  • Game weather: Rain, 68 °F (20 °C)
  • Game attendance: 28,934
  • Referee: David Smith
  • TV announcers (SECN): Dave Neal (play-by-play), Aaron Murray (analyst), and Ashley ShahAhmadi (sideline reporter)
Game information
First quarter
  • No scoring plays

Second quarter

  • SCAR – Joshua Simon 17-yard pass from LaNorris Sellers (Alex Herrera kick), 13:11. Gamecocks 7–0. Drive: 12 plays, 81 yards, 4:45.

Third quarter

  • SCAR – Raheim Sanders 33-yard run (Alex Herrera kick), 13:22. Gamecocks 14–0. Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 1:38.
  • VAN – Diego Pavia 17-yard run (Brock Taylor kick), 8:08. Gamecocks 14–7. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:13.
  • SCAR – Raheim Sanders 1-yard run (Alex Herrera kick), 4:07. Gamecocks 21–7. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:01.

Fourth quarter

  • SCAR – Raheim Sanders 43-yard pass from LaNorris Sellers (Alex Herrera kick), 7:55. Gamecocks 28–7. Drive: 2 plays, 61 yards, 1:20.
Statistics SCAR VAN
First downs 25 17
Total yards 452 274
Rushing yards 214 108
Passing yards 238 166
Passing: Comp–Att–Int 14-20 16-31
Time of possession 30:59 29:01
Team Category Player Statistics
South Carolina Passing LaNorris Sellers 14/20, 238 yards, 2 TD
Rushing Raheim Sanders 15 carries, 126 yards, 2 TD
Receiving Raheim Sanders 2 receptions, 52 yards, 1 TD
Vanderbilt Passing Diego Pavia 16/31, 166 yards
Rushing Diego Pavia 13 carries, 65 yards, 1 TD
Receiving Eli Stowers 4 receptions, 41 yards

vs No. 23 Missouri

See also: 2024 Missouri Tigers football team
No. 23 Missouri Tigers (7-2) vs No. 21 South Carolina Gamecocks (6-3) – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
No. 23 Tigers 6 0 61830
No. 21 Gamecocks 7 14 01334

at Williams–Brice Stadium • Columbia, South Carolina

  • Date: November 16
  • Game time: 4:15 p.m.
  • Game weather: Sunny, 66 °F (19 °C), NW 4 mph (6.4 km/h)
  • Game attendance: 79,361
  • Referee: Lee Hedrick
  • TV announcers (SECN): Tom Hart (play-by-play), Jordan Rodgers (analyst), and Cole Cubelic (sideline reporter)
  • Pregame line: SCAR −10.5 Over/Under: 42.5
Game information
First quarter
  • (10:00) MIZ: Blake Craig 38 yard Field Goal. 3-0 Missouri
  • (7:27) SCAR: Nyck Harbor 26 yard pass from LaNorris Sellers (Alex Herrera Kick). 7-3 South Carolina
  • (2:41) MIZ: Blake Craig 37 yard Field Goal. 7-6 South Carolina
Second quarter
  • (1:57) SCAR: Joshua Simon 6 yard pass from LaNorris Sellers (Alex Herrera Kick). 14-6 South Carolina
  • (0:39) SCAR: Jared Brown 38 yard pass from LaNorris Sellers (Alex Herrera Kick). 21-6 South Carolina
Third quarter
  • (4:54) MIZ: Marcus Carroll 2 yard run (Two-point Run Conversion Failed). 21-12 South Carolina
Fourth quarter
  • (12:49) MIZ: Blake Craig 25 yard Field Goal. 21-15 South Carolina
  • (9:12) MIZ: Nate Noel 1 yard run (Blake Craig Kick). 22-21 Missouri
  • (5:04) SCAR: Michael Smith 5 yard pass from LaNorris Sellers (Two-Point Pass Conversion Failed). 27-22 South Carolina
  • (1:10) MIZ: Luther Burden III 37 yard pass from Brady Cook (Jamal Roberts Run for Two-Point Conversion). 30-27 Missouri
  • (0:15) SCAR: Raheim Sanders 15 yard pass from LaNorris Sellers (Alex Herrera Kick). 34-30 South Carolina
Statistics MIZZ SCAR
First downs 20 22
Total yards 381 462
Rushing yards 144 109
Passing yards 237 353
Passing: Comp–Att–Int 21-31-1 21-30-1
Time of possession 31:44 28:16
Team Category Player Statistics
Missouri Passing Brady Cook 21/31 237 yards 1 TD 1 INT
Rushing Nate Noel 27 Carries 150 yards 1 TD
Receiving Theo Wease Jr. 6 Receptions 85 yards
South Carolina Passing LaNorris Sellers 21/30 353 yards 5 TD 1 INT
Rushing Raheim Sanders 19 Carries 53 yards
Receiving Dalevon Campbell 2 Receptions 86 yards

vs Wofford (FCS)

See also: 2024 Wofford Terriers football team
Wofford Terriers (FCS) (5-6) vs No. 18 South Carolina Gamecocks (7-3) – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Terriers (FCS) 3 6 0312
No. 18 Gamecocks 7 14 142156

at Williams–Brice Stadium • Columbia, South Carolina

  • Date: November 23
  • Game time: 4:00 p.m. (EST)
  • TV announcers (SECN+): Jay Alter (play-by-play), Rocky Boiman (analyst), and Ashley Stroehlein (sideline)
Statistics WOFF SCAR
First downs 14 34
Total yards 247 608
Rushing yards 28 265
Passing yards 219 343
Passing: Comp–Att–Int 17-31-0 27-32-1
Time of possession 28:00 32:00
Team Category Player Statistics
Wofford Passing Amari Odom 15/28 215 yards 1 TD
Rushing Ryan Ingram 14 Carries 25 yards
Receiving Kyle Watkins 6 Receptions 133 yards
South Carolina Passing LaNorris Sellers 23/27 307 yards 3 TD 1 INT
Rushing Raheim Sanders 15 Carries 72 yards 1 TD
Receiving Dalevon Campbell 5 Receptions 120 yards

at No. 12 Clemson (rivalry)

See also: 2024 Clemson Tigers football team and Clemson–South Carolina football rivalry
No. 15 South Carolina Gamecocks (8-3) at No. 12 Clemson Tigers (9-2) – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
No. 15 Gamecocks 0 7 01017
No. 12 Tigers 0 7 7014

at Memorial Stadium • Clemson, South Carolina

  • Date: November 30
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. (EDT)
  • Game weather: Temperature: 46 °F (8 °C) • Wind: W 4 mph • Weather: Sunny
  • Game attendance: 81,500
  • Referee: Kyle Olson
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Roy Philpott (play-by-play), Sam Acho (analyst), and Taylor Davis (sideline)
Game information
First quarter
  • No scoring plays

Second quarter

  • (12:07) Clemson – Cade Klubnik 13-yard rush, Nolan Hauser kick (Drive: 3 plays, 57 yards, 1:25; Clemson 7–0)
  • (09:20) South Carolina – LaNorris Sellers 25-yard rush, Alex Herrera kick (Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:47; Tied 7–7)

Third quarter

  • (09:57) Clemson – Klubnik 18-yard rush, Hauser kick (Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 5:03; Clemson 14–7)

Fourth quarter

  • (06:48) South Carolina – Herrera 42-yard field goal (Drive: 6 plays, 32 yards, 2:30; Clemson 14–10)
  • (01:08) South Carolina – Sellers 20-yard rush, Herrera kick (Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:01; South Carolina 17–14)
Statistics SCAR CLEM
First downs 20 22
Total yards 431 419
Rushing yards 267 139
Passing yards 164 280
Passing: Comp–Att–Int 13-21-1 24-36-1
Time of possession 30:37 29:23
Team Category Player Statistics
South Carolina Passing LaNorris Sellers 13/21, 164 yards, 1 INT
Rushing LaNorris Sellers 16 carries, 166 yards, 2 TD
Receiving Nyck Harbor 3 receptions, 51 yards
Clemson Passing Cade Klubnik 24/36, 280 yards, 1 INT
Rushing Phil Mafah 20 carries, 66 yards
Receiving Antonio Williams 8 receptions, 99 yards

vs No. 20 Illinois (Citrus Bowl)

See also: 2024 Illinois Fighting Illini football team and 2024 Citrus Bowl (December)
2024 Citrus Bowl
No. 15 South Carolina Gamecocks (9–3) vs No. 20 Illinois Fighting Illini (9–3) – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
No. 15 Gamecocks 3 0 7717
No. 20 Fighting Illini 7 0 7721

at Camping World Stadium • Orlando, Florida

  • Date: Tuesday, December 31, 2024
  • Game time: 3:00 p.m. EST
  • TV announcers (ABC): Mark Jones (play-by-play), Roddy Jones (analyst), and Quint Kessenich (sideline) (ABC)/Sean Kelley (play-by-play), Rene Ingoglia (analyst), and Marilyn Payne (sideline) (ESPN Radio)
Statistics SCAR ILL
First downs 20 22
Total yards 390 357
Rushing yards 130 183
Passing yards 260 174
Passing: Comp–Att–Int 24/35 13/22
Time of possession 31:16 28:44
Team Category Player Statistics
South Carolina Passing LaNorris Sellers 24/34, 260 yards, TD
Rushing Oscar Adaway III 14 Carries, 69 yards, TD
Receiving Joshua Simon 6 Receptions, 69 yards, TD
Illinois Passing Luke Altmyer 13/22, 174 yards, TD, INT
Rushing Josh McCray 13 Carries, 114 yards, 2 TD
Receiving Hank Beatty 4 Receptions, 90 yards

Potential College Football Playoff inclusion

In January 2024, despite the program just finishing a 5–7 season, South Carolina freshman Dylan Stewart made it clear to his head coach, Shane Beamer, that the team had high expectations for the next postseason.[38] Meeting these expectations would be difficult as the Gamecocks had three losses halfway through the 2024 season, making their inclusion in the newly expanded College Football Playoff unlikely.[38]

However, with South Carolina having more success in the second half of the regular season, they clawed their way into CFP contention.[38] On November 12, following a three-game winning streak and "many national college football analysts [starting] to recognize them as currently playing some of the best ball in the country",[39] the Gamecocks made their debut in the CFP rankings: No. 21 in the second week of the rankings.[40] It was South Carolina's first CFP ranking since 2022, and their earliest-ever appearance in the CFP rankings.[40] ESPN gave South Carolina a 14% chance of making the playoff, but a 47% chance if it won out, saying that the possibility of a three-loss SEC team making the playoff could not be ruled out.[39] Leading up to the final game of the regular season, the Gamecocks continued winning and climbed up to No. 15 in the rankings.[41] ESPN gave South Carolina a 58% chance to make the CFP if they defeated No. 12 Clemson on the road,[38] which they did, finishing the regular season with a 9–3 record and six-game winning streak.[12]

Arguments for South Carolina's inclusion in the CFP included: strength of schedule (No. 15 in FBS, higher than Alabama and Ole Miss), 4–1 record in "hostile" road games, the one road loss being by only two points, having only two close road games, being arguably one of the country's best teams despite their record, being arguably the country's "hottest" team, four ranked wins, the lack of a "truly ugly" loss, two of the losses being by five combined points to SEC teams, a road win over the ACC champion, wins over teams which beat Alabama and Ole Miss, and the loss to LSU "deserving scrutiny" (due to officiating controversies and the injury of quarterback LaNorris Sellers).[38][42][43][44]

South Carolina was ranked No. 14 in the penultimate rankings, at which point it became clear they were "essentially eliminated".[45] The Gamecocks were ranked No. 15 in the final rankings, and thus did not join the tournament.[46] They were instead invited to the Citrus Bowl, where they lost to Illinois.[47]

Rankings

Further information: 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes
Week
PollPre123456789101112131415Final
AP——RVRVRVRV——RVRVRV231916131419
CoachesRV—RV—RVRV————RV231914121419
CFPNot released—2118151415Not released

Notes

  1. ^ The 2024 South Carolina-LSU game has been described by Saturday Down South as "extremely controversial",[1] with two Gamecock defensive touchdowns taken away due to penalties.[10] Near the end of the regular season, prominent ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum commented: "South Carolina had [LSU] down seventeen. And then a couple of just unbelievably bad officiating calls at the end took the game away from South Carolina. And that may have been the most important officials call of the season in the SEC because, right now, South Carolina very likely would be in the playoff situation, and LSU would've been gone three weeks ago."[11]
  2. ^ Sources:[18][19][6][20]

References

  1. ^ a b "O'Gara: Why the SEC Coach of the Year race is down to 3 and will be decided in the next 2 weeks". Saturday Down South. November 22, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  2. ^ "South Carolina Football 2024 Wins Projection, Rankings, and Betting Insights". South Carolina Gamecocks On SI. June 4, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  3. ^ "South Carolina Gamecocks College Football History, Stats, Records". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  4. ^ "South Carolina Gamecocks College Football History, Stats, Records". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on October 7, 2024. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  5. ^ "Raheim Sanders scores 3 TDs as South Carolina beats No. 24 Vanderbilt 28-7". FOX Sports. Associated Press. November 9, 2024. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  6. ^ a b Kesin, Lulu (November 30, 2024). "Why Shane Beamer said South Carolina should make CFP, LaNorris Sellers is best player in country". The Greenville News. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  7. ^ "USC's Beamer named SEC coach of the year". WSPA 7NEWS. December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  8. ^ "SEC coaches pick Sampson, Kennard as players of the year and Beamer as top coach". AP News. December 11, 2024. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
  9. ^ "Tennessee's Dylan Sampson, South Carolina's Kyle Kennard headline AP's All-SEC team". AP News. December 11, 2024. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
  10. ^ "Controversial calls disrupt LSU-South Carolina ending, leads to reaction". 247Sports. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  11. ^ ESPN College Football (November 17, 2024). 'Indiana & Penn State are IRRITATING!' 😡 - Finebaum on the WORST OF THE BEST | The Matt Barrie Show. Retrieved June 12, 2025 – via YouTube.
  12. ^ a b c d "2024 South Carolina Gamecocks Schedule and Results". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  13. ^ McLemore, Dwayne (November 17, 2024). "Moving on up: South Carolina slides into Top 20 of latest national rankings". The Herald. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  14. ^ "Making History and More in 2024". 247Sports. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  15. ^ "Shane Beamer Named a Finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award". University of South Carolina Athletics. December 10, 2024. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
  16. ^ "Football Claims Mayor's Cup with 34-30 Win over No. 24 Missouri". University of South Carolina Athletics. November 16, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  17. ^ Suggs, Abigail; O'Donnell, Grace (December 1, 2024). "South Carolina stuns Clemson in last-minute heartbreaker". The Tiger. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  18. ^ Kesin, Lulu (November 30, 2024). "South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer's son delivers Palmetto Bowl Trophy to his father". The Greenville News. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  19. ^ "Beamer calls streaking Gamecocks CFP-worthy". ESPN.com. November 30, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  20. ^ a b Miller, Kevin (December 5, 2024). "How LaNorris Sellers' freshman campaign stacks up with South Carolina quarterback legends". On3. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  21. ^ "South Carolina to Play Illinois in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl". University of South Carolina Athletics. December 8, 2024. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  22. ^ "Illinois 21-17 South Carolina (Dec 31, 2024) Final Score". ESPN. Retrieved December 31, 2024.
  23. ^ "Kyle Kennard Named Finalist for the 2024 Bronko Nagurski Trophy". University of South Carolina Athletics. November 22, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  24. ^ "NCAA College Football FBS current team Stats | NCAA.com". www.ncaa.com. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  25. ^ "South Carolina's Kyle Kennard Named a Lombardi Award Finalist". South Carolina Gamecocks On SI. November 20, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  26. ^ "Kyle Kennard Wins the 2024 Bronco Nagurski Trophy". University of South Carolina Athletics. December 9, 2024. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
  27. ^ "South Carolina Gamecocks All-America Selections". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  28. ^ "Dylan Stewart Named a Finalist for the Shaun Alexander Award". University of South Carolina Athletics. December 4, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  29. ^ West, Rachel (May 2, 2025). "Gamecocks make history with 2025 NFL Draft". WTOC. Retrieved June 13, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  30. ^ Goldkamp, Thomas (December 2, 2024). "On3 Heisman Trophy Poll: Top 10 player rankings after Week 14". On3. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  31. ^ "Next year's Heisman now: Who could take home CFB's top award in 2025?". ESPN.com. December 15, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
  32. ^ "20 way-too-early Heisman Trophy contenders for the 2025 season | NCAA.com". www.ncaa.com. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
  33. ^ "Football Schedule 2024". University of South Carolina Athletics. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
  34. ^ Adams, Emily. "South Carolina football's 2024 schedule is complete: See the full list of opponents, dates". Greenville Online. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
  35. ^ "2024 South Carolina Gamecocks Football Schedule". thepalmettobowl.com. Archived from the original on November 29, 2023. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
  36. ^ "Georgia's 2024 Schedule is Missing some of its Distinct SEC Flavor". Georgia Bulldogs On SI. June 7, 2024. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  37. ^ "'College GameDay' 2024 Week 3: LSU at South Carolina". ESPN.com. September 9, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  38. ^ a b c d e Kaye, Jordan (November 30, 2024). "Shane Beamer makes his case for South Carolina to be in College Football Playoff". The State. Retrieved June 14, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  39. ^ a b Mitchell, Wes (November 13, 2024). "South Carolina debuts in 2024 College Football Playoff rankings". On3. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
  40. ^ a b "South Carolina lands No. 21 spot in College Football Playoff rankings". South Carolina lands No. 21 spot in College Football Playoff rankings - The Daily Gamecock at University of South Carolina. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
  41. ^ "Clemson Tigers vs. South Carolina Gamecocks prediction: Who wins, and why?". CFB-HQ On SI. November 30, 2024. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
  42. ^ Lazenby, Bryce (December 7, 2024). "Shane Beamer makes final case for South Carolina in College Football Playoff race". Saturday Down South. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
  43. ^ "Making the Case: Why South Carolina Deserves Deeper Playoff Consideration". South Carolina Gamecocks On SI. November 27, 2024. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
  44. ^ Villas, Rex (December 8, 2024). "Protest Grows For Overlooked Team To Make College Football Playoff". Athlon Sports. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
  45. ^ "CFP Rankings and Chairman Say South Carolina Gamecocks Are Eliminated". South Carolina Gamecocks On SI. December 4, 2024. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
  46. ^ Hoole, Beth (December 8, 2024). "Gamecocks draw Illinois in Citrus Bowl, left out of College Football Playoff". FOX Carolina. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
  47. ^ "Football Falls to Illinois in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl". University of South Carolina Athletics. December 31, 2024. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
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