South Carolina
Published August 9, 2026 at 1:41 PM · 6 pages
Where South Carolina stands right now: form, injuries and availability, roster movement, practice notes, and what coaches and media are actually saying.
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C O L L E G E F O O T B A L L T E A M R E P O R T South Carolina Gamecocks 2026 Season G E N E R A T E D A U G U S T 9 , 2 0 2 6 0 1 : 3 6 P M I N T H I S R E P O R T 01 Overall Outlook 02 Visual Analytics 03 The Season: Played and Projected 04 Practice Notes 05 Roster News 06 Injury Report 07 What the Media Is Saying 08 What the Coaches Are Saying
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01 OVERALL OUTLOOK South Carolina enters the 2026 season as a program in a defined holding pattern: not rebuilding, not ascending, just trying to claw back to competence after a 4-8, 1-7 SEC disaster in 2025. As of this writing on August 9, no games have been played, so there is no record to evaluate and no on-field efficiency data to parse yet. What we have instead is a preseason snapshot with real analytical contours: an FPI rating of 11.69, good for 23rd nationally 1, and a returning-production profile that suggests the offense should be markedly better than the unit that struggled a year ago. The Gamecocks return 80.1% of their rushing production and 65.4% of their passing production from a team that did little well on that side of the ball — the definition of a "more of the same, but slightly more mature" setup 1. The projected final record of 5.4 wins from the ratings consensus puts this team squarely on the bubble for bowl eligibility, which is the entire ballgame for 2026 1. Three things will decide whether this season is a step forward or another stumble. First, the health of the two most important additions: left tackle Jacarrius Peak and edge rusher Dylan Stewart are both being eased through camp, and their availability — especially Peak's, given the offensive line's cratering depth — will shape everything 34. Second, whether the running back-by-committee approach can produce anything resembling a functional ground game after 2025's 956-yard disaster 1618. And third, whether the influx of portal talent can gel in a season where the schedule offers no mercy: Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Clemson, and a brutal midseason road swing. 02 VISUAL ANALYTICS Generated directly from the CollegeFootballData feeds for this matchup. The same visuals appear on every report, so numbers can be compared like- for-like from one game to the next. SEASON RESULTS · Scoring margin for every completed game. Wins are in the team's color, losses in the contrast color, so blowouts and near-misses are separable at a glance. EFFICIENCY PROFILE · Every advanced metric converted to a national percentile against all FBS teams, so the outer ring is always better regardless of which way the raw stat runs. South Carolina Gamecocks · 2026 · Team Report Page 2 of 6
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FORM TREND · Week-by-week predicted points added on both sides of the ball. This is where a team trending up or sliding shows through, which season averages hide. TOP INDIVIDUAL IMPACT · The players who have actually moved the needle this season. Cross-reference against the injury and roster sections. THE ROAD AHEAD · Projected margin for every remaining game, from the SP+/FPI/Elo consensus with home-field advantage — the same baseline the matchup reports use. Bars below zero are games the ratings say this team should lose. 03 THE SEASON: PLAYED AND PROJECTED The 2026 season has not yet begun. The Gamecocks' opener against Kent State is scheduled for September 5 9, and the only available research within the reporting window is preseason camp coverage 4811. There are no results to recap, no games to analyze, and no prediction record for this team's games to grade against — the season's first snap is still nearly a month away 1. South Carolina Gamecocks · 2026 · Team Report Page 3 of 6
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WEEK OPPONENT H/A RESULT SCORE — — — Not yet played — The road ahead. The remaining schedule, with projected margins and win probabilities from the SP+/FPI/Elo consensus with home-field advantage applied — the same baseline the matchup reports use 1: WEEK OPPONENT SITE PROJECTED MARGIN WIN PROBABILITY 1 Kent State Home +32.0 99.1% 2 Towson Home No projection No projection 3 Mississippi State Home +10.0 77.1% 4 Alabama Away -10.8 21.2% 5 Kentucky Home +8.7 74.0% 6 Florida Away -4.3 37.5% 8 Tennessee Home -1.0 47.0% 9 Oklahoma Away -8.5 26.4% 10 Texas A&M Home -5.9 33.1% 11 Arkansas Away +4.9 64.2% 12 Georgia Home -10.7 21.4% 13 Clemson Away -4.1 38.1% The consensus projects the Gamecocks to finish with roughly 5.4 wins, which is not a statement of fact but a ratings-based estimate — no projection is a promise, and the ratings have no data on a single 2026 game yet 1. The likeliest stumble is the Week 8 home game against Tennessee, where the model sees essentially a coin flip (47.0%) that could swing the entire season's trajectory 1. The stretch that decides everything runs from Week 6 at Florida through Week 10 vs. Texas A&M: five games with projected margins ranging from -8.5 to +8.7, a gauntlet where 2-3 wins or 1-4 losses are both plausible outcomes 1. The schedule's lack of an FCS cupcake after Week 2 — replaced by an SEC-only grind — means the margin for error is razor-thin. 04 PRACTICE NOTES The first two days of preseason camp have painted a clear picture: the two most anticipated additions are on the sideline, and everyone else is fighting for reps on a roster that Beamer says is far more experienced than a year ago 413. The headline, per The State's observations from Day 2, is that left tackle Jacarrius Peak was not visible for a second consecutive practice, still recovering from the knee injury that cost him all of spring 13. On the same field, Dylan Stewart wore a jersey and shorts but did not participate in stretching or individual drills, limited by the back injury that has nagged him since midway through last season 13. These are status-quo headlines — both are "on track" per Beamer — but each day they miss is a day the offensive line auditions replacements and the pass rush works without its best weapon 413. Live web research (Aug 2-9, 2026): The most illuminating practice note is Hank Purvis, the Purdue transfer, stepping into a leadership role with Peak sidelined — he was first in line for every drill, displayed visible urgency, and even helped graduate assistants move gates between drills 13. That's the kind of detail that tells you the offensive line knows it has a problem. Kickers Max Kelley, Upton Bellenfant and Malik Orsan were all perfect during the media-observable portion of Saturday's practice, with punter Mason Love holding, which keeps that competition genuinely open 13. At running back, Isaiah Augustave stood out in a blocking-sled drill as the most comfortable with the technique, a small but telling sign in a room where physicality is the question 13. Mazeo Bennett looked nimble and moved well, a positive early sign after a down 2025 13, while Brady Hunt led the tight end group and is expected to start 13. The day-one report from The Post and Courier was mostly encouraging on the health front: Caleb Williams, George Wilson and Kobby Sakyi-Prah, all limited in the spring, fully participated in the first practice 6. The session was in shorts and helmets, so the real evaluation comes when the pads go on, but the starting point is a mostly healthy roster outside the two stars mentioned above 6. Position battles to watch: left tackle, where Dayne Arnett, Shed Sarratt and Seth Smith are competing for first-team reps in Peak's absence 7, and the receiver rotation, where only Nyck Harbor appears a lock to start, with Jayden Sellers close behind 17. South Carolina Gamecocks · 2026 · Team Report Page 4 of 6
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05 ROSTER NEWS Transfer portal (verified CFBD entries): The portal was the primary engine of this roster's reconstruction. The incoming class was headlined by four-star left tackle Jacarrius Peak (0.94 rating, NC State) and four-star defensive lineman Tomiwa Durojaiye (0.93, Illinois), followed by a wave of three-star contributors at nearly every position group — edge rusher Caleb Herring (0.89, Tennessee), offensive linemen Emmanuel Poku (0.88, East Carolina) and Seth Smith (0.87, Northern Arizona), running backs Christian Clark (0.88, Texas) and Jabree Coleman (0.86, Penn State), and defensive linemen Kelby Collins (0.88, Alabama) and Jordan Thomas (0.87, Georgia) among them 1. Quarterback Lucian Anderson III arrived from Bowling Green (0.85) and kicker Upton Bellenfant from Texas Tech to round out a class of 25 additions 1. The outgoing side was equally sweeping: four-star receiver Vandrevius Jacobs left for Miami, four-star tackle Josiah Thompson departed (before his season-ending injury), and edge rusher Desmond Umeozulu went to Alabama 1. It is hard to overstate how much of this roster is new — the portal giveth and taketh in equal measure. Researched roster news: Running back Sam Dixon, an Ohio State transfer, was arrested on charges including three counts of breaking into autos and one count of grand larceny ($2,000–$10,000), and is suspended indefinitely per athletic department policy; his bond was set at $150,000 and posted 15. That removes one scholarship back from a room that Briles says will use a committee approach — no single lead back will dominate touches, with Briles citing four or five backs who "all have the ability to build it up" 18. Matthew Fuller, who was named offensive player of the spring after 260 yards and two scores in 2025, is expected to be the nominal starter 16. At quarterback, Briles settled the backup question with unusual finality, saying "full stop" that Cutter Woods is QB2, with the third-string battle between Landon Duckworth and Bowling Green transfer Lucian Anderson 17. Beamer has declined to release a depth chart, saying "we're competing," but acknowledged the projected 2026 starting group could triple last year's count of senior starters 4. One sourcing note: publications disagree on the Texas transfer running back's name — The State lists "Christian Coleman," The Post and Courier "Christian Clark" — a discrepancy flagged but not resolved 1617. 06 INJURY REPORT Live web research (July 26 – Aug 9, 2026): The two most consequential items are both status-quo alerts. Jacarrius Peak was not visible at Day 2 practice, missing his second straight day while recovering from a knee injury suffered in a February team- related basketball game — he missed all of spring and is out of practice, leaving Dayne Arnett, Shed Sarratt and Seth Smith to compete for first-team reps at left tackle 7. Dylan Stewart was on the sideline at Day 2, in a jersey and shorts, not participating in any drills, still working back from the back injury that began midway through last season and cost him the spring; Anthony Addison and Caleb Herring are working in his place 7. Two players are out for the season: offensive tackle Josiah Thompson, confirmed by Beamer, and receiver Jackson Repp, who suffered a summer injury and will miss the year while remaining with the team 4. Linebacker Josh Smith is recovering from a spring injury and is not practicing 6. Peyton Williams was reported as not expected to practice on Day 1, though his position and role remain unclear 5. Stored injury feed (14-day window): The feed corroborates the live research with additional context. On July 30, Beamer said at the Birdies with Beamer tournament that both Stewart and Peak had doctor's appointments that week and everything was positive, while emphasizing neither would return until doctors and the players are fully confident 3. The feed adds a roster-level positive: Caleb Williams, George Wilson and Kobby Sakyi-Prah, all limited during spring, were fully participating in the first practice — a meaningful depth boost as camp opens 6. The current availability board is consistent with the live research: Peak (Out, practice), Stewart (Out, practice), Josh Smith (Out, recovering), Josiah Thompson (Out, season), Jackson Repp (Out, season), and Peyton Williams (Out, practice) 234567. 07 WHAT THE MEDIA IS SAYING The national framing of this season is straightforward: it is a pivotal, not hot-seat, year for Shane Beamer. ESPN's Alyssa Lang told The State that a six- or seven-win season would be a "good start" after the 4-8 collapse, while noting Beamer's 33-30 record in five seasons and the returns of LaNorris Sellers, Dylan Stewart and Nyck Harbor 20. Lang also gave credit to defensive coordinator Clayton White's unit for an SEC-leading 110 takeaways over five seasons and argued that with the SEC's nine-game conference schedule, 9-3 is the new quality benchmark 20. That is the operative tension of the season: the roster is more experienced, the schedule is brutal, and the expectations bar has been lowered to "roughly bowl-eligible" — which is precisely what the ratings project 120. Local coverage is zeroing in on the same two concerns as the ratings. The Post and Courier's preseason primer framed the health of Jacarrius Peak as the offseason's most-asked question, calling it the decisive unknown ahead of the September 5 opener 17. There has been no movement in the polls — no games have been played, so there is nothing to move — and no betting-market commentary appeared in the retrieved pages 48. The media consensus, such as it is, boils down to this: South Carolina has the pieces to be better, but the margin for error is too thin for the two biggest pieces to miss significant time. South Carolina Gamecocks · 2026 · Team Report Page 5 of 6
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08 WHAT THE COACHES ARE SAYING Beamer's media-day messaging was equal parts confidence and caution. On the new eligibility rule, he said the team is in a "holding pattern" and has not had discussions with any players about returning or joining: "Never say never. We'll always do what's best for our program but we don't anticipate anything changing" 22. On injuries, he reiterated that Peak and Stewart would not practice fully but are "on track," while confirming Thompson and Repp are out for the season 5. On the roster's experience, he noted the projected starting group could triple last year's count of senior starters, signaling a deeper, more veteran lineup 4. And on the team's biggest flaw, he was blunt: the team was a "really good fourth-quarter team" in 2024 but not in 2025, adding, "Your investment level equals your expectation level" 5. New offensive coordinator Kendal Briles was more expansive about what drew him to the job. He said the return of LaNorris Sellers and Nyck Harbor "heavily influenced" his decision: "If I didn't think both those guys would be here, I probably wouldn't want to take this job as fast... That was a big deal" 22. On the Sellers-Harbor connection, he added: "Those guys are difference- makers... I'm excited about the connection that they have already. I think there's a lot of trust between them" 4. Briles also confirmed the running-back committee approach, saying he will rely on running backs coach Stan Drayton for split-carry decisions during games 18. Beamer, for his part, praised the new assistant coaches — offensive line coach Randy Clements, Drayton and special teams coordinator Matthew Smiley — as "proven coaches and recruiters that have made us better already" 23, and called White "one of the best defensive coordinators in the entire nation" 23. SOURCES 1. College Football Data API (CollegeFootballData) https://collegefootballdata.com 2. College football injury feed (Injury feed) https://www.rotowire.com/cfootball/news.php 3. Beamer: Stewart and Peak trending in the right direction per doctor reports (On3) https://www.on3.com/teams/south-carolina-gamecocks/news/south-carolina-injury- update-dylan-stewart-jacarrius-peak/ 4. Josiah Thompson to miss the entire 2026 season (On3) https://www.on3.com/teams/south-carolina-gamecocks/news/everything-shane- beamer-said-ahead-of-south-carolinas-2026-preseason-camp/ 5. Peyton Williams not expected to practice, per camp preview (Yahoo Sports) https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/usc-gamecocks-hc-shane-beamer-015204736.html 6. Josh Smith recovering from spring injury, not practicing (The Post and Courier) https://www.postandcourier.com/sports/carolina/gamecocks-south-carolina-preseason- practice-1/article_739698a3-669c-4445-9c9f-9009b2aca105.html 7. Jacarrius Peak not visible at Day 2 preseason practice (Greenville Online) https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/sports/college/usc/2026/08/08/south-carolina- football-lanorris-sellers-christian-clark/91115628007/ 8. Beamer’s Best Bites: South Carolina hosts media day ahead of preseason camp https://www.foxcarolina.com/2026/08/07/beamers-best-bites-south-carolina-hosts- media-day-ahead-preseason-camp/ 9. Football Schedule 2026 – University of South ... https://gamecocksonline.com/sports/football/schedule/ 10. South Carolina football's all-time record against 2026 opponents - On3 https://www.on3.com/teams/south-carolina-gamecocks/news/south-carolina-footballs- record-2026-opponents/ 11. South Carolina 2026 Football Game Time Windows Set https://www.foxcarolina.com/2026/06/11/south-carolina-2026-football-game-time- windows-set/ 12. Beamer remains confident ahead of South Carolina season - On3 https://www.on3.com/teams/south-carolina-gamecocks/news/shane-beamer-remains- undeterred-from-his-high-confidence-as-south-carolina-enters-2026-season/ 13. Jacarrius Peak sits out second consecutive practice (The State) https://www.thestate.com/sports/college/university-of-south-carolina/usc- football/article316812507.html 14. As South Carolina begins preseason camp in a week, Shane Beamer shares what he'll be watching for - On3 https://www.on3.com/teams/south-carolina-gamecocks/news/south-carolina- begins-preseason-camp-in-a-week-where-will-shane-beamers-main-focuses-be/ 15. Gamecocks running back Sam Dixon arrested, suspended indefinitely (The State) https://www.thestate.com/sports/college/university-of-south-carolina/usc- football/article316123718.html 16. Matthew Fuller expected to be South Carolina's starting tailback (The State) https://www.thestate.com/sports/college/university-of-south-carolina/usc- football/article316729220.html 17. Briles names Cutter Woods the unambiguous backup QB; QB3 battle between Duckworth and Anderson (The Post and Courier) https://www.postandcourier.com/sports/carolina/gamecocks-football-preseason- practice-four-questions/article_6e1c6bf9-8a8f-4f41-9ee4-89efd6e322fb.html 18. Gamecocks plan running back-by-committee approach in 2026 (The Post and Courier) https://www.postandcourier.com/sports/carolina/gamecocks-football-running- backs-committee/article_e989663a-5f24-4b3c-b93c-8bbabc690977.html 19. South Carolina Head Coach Shane Beamer Gives an Update on Injuries and Where His Roster Stands Entering the Season https://www.si.com/college/southcarolina/south-carolina-head-coach-shane- beamer-gives-an-update-on-injuries-and-where-his-roster-stands-entering-the- season-01kzc76tj44s 20. ESPN's Alyssa Lang: 2026 is pivotal for Beamer; six- or seven-win season a good start (The State) https://www.thestate.com/sports/college/university-of-south-carolina/usc- football/article316592290.html 21. WATCH: 1-on-1 with Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer https://www.foxcarolina.com/2026/08/07/watch-1-on-1-with-gamecocks-football- head-coach-shane-beamer/ 22. Beamer says no imminent additions from new eligibility rule (Greenville Online) https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/sports/college/usc/2026/08/06/south- carolina-football-shane-beamer-lanorris-sellers/91115612007/ 23. Beamer praises new assistant coaches (Yahoo Sports) https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/shane-beamer-explains-why-excitement- 142642119.html 24. As South Carolina begins preseason camp in a week, Shane Beamer shares what he'll be watching for - On3 https://www.on3.com/teams/south-carolina-gamecocks/news/as-south-carolina- begins-preseason-camp-in-a-week-shane-beamer-shares-what-hell-be-starting- for/ 25. SEC Media Days: South Carolina Head Coach Shane Beamer (6th year, 33-30 overall, 4-8, 1-7 in 2025) – SportsTalkSC https://sportstalksc.com/usc/sec-media-days-south-carolina-head-coach-shane- beamer-6th-year-33-30-overall-4-8-1-7-in-2025/ South Carolina Gamecocks · 2026 · Team Report Page 6 of 6
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