2024 South Carolina Gamecocks football team
American college football season
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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.
| 2024 South Carolina Gamecocks football | |
|---|---|
Palmetto Bowl champion | |
| Conference | Southeastern Conference |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 19 |
| AP | No. 19 |
| Record | 9–4 (5–3 SEC) |
| Head coach |
|
| Offensive coordinator | Dowell Loggains (2nd season) |
| Offensive scheme | Multiple |
| Defensive coordinator | Clayton White (4th season) |
| Base defense | 4–2–5 |
| Home stadium | Williams–Brice Stadium |
Uniform | |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 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. 22 Missouri | 5 | – | 3 | 10 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 11 Ole Miss | 5 | – | 3 | 10 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 17 Alabama | 5 | – | 3 | 9 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 19 South Carolina | 5 | – | 3 | 9 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LSU | 5 | – | 3 | 9 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Texas A&M | 5 | – | 3 | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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] The four-game SEC winning streak was the first since 2012,[13] while the four ranked wins and three regular season trophies were school records.[b][c] Two of those trophy wins were decided by late touchdowns.[18][19] The winning streak earned South Carolina consideration for the College Football Playoff,[d] but they were instead invited to the Citrus Bowl,[23] where they lost to Illinois.[24]
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.[22][25][26] 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.[27][28] Kennard was a consensus All-American, only the fifth in program history.[29] Dylan Stewart was a finalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award.[30] Five defensive players were selected in the following NFL draft, a school record.[31] Following the regular season, Sellers began receiving consideration as one of the best players in the country.[32][33][34]
Schedule
South Carolina and the SEC announced the 2024 football schedule on December 13, 2023.[35][36][37] 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.[38] South Carolina also hosted College GameDay for the first time since 2014.[39]
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 31 | 4:15 p.m. | Old Dominion* | SECN | W 23–19 | 78,496 | ||
| September 7 | 3:30 p.m. | at Kentucky | ABC | W 31–6 | 61,349 | ||
| September 14 | 12:00 p.m. | No. 16 LSU |
| ABC | L 33–36 | 79,531 | |
| September 21 | 7:30 p.m. | Akron* |
| ESPNU | W 50–7 | 78,704 | |
| October 5 | 3:30 p.m. | No. 12 Ole Miss |
| ESPN | L 3–27 | 79,837 | |
| October 12 | 12:00 p.m. | at No. 7 Alabama | ABC | L 25–27 | 100,077 | ||
| October 19 | 12:45 p.m. | at Oklahoma | SECN | W 35–9 | 83,331 | ||
| November 2 | 7:30 p.m. | No. 10 Texas A&M |
| ABC | W 44–20 | 80,298 | |
| November 9 | 4:15 p.m. | at Vanderbilt[b] | SECN | W 28–7 | 28,934 | ||
| November 16 | 4:15 p.m. | No. 23 Missouri | No. 21 |
| SECN | W 34–30 | 79,361 |
| November 23 | 4:00 p.m. | Wofford* | No. 18 |
| SECN+ | W 56–12 | 79,078 |
| November 30 | 12:00 p.m. | at No. 12 Clemson* | No. 15 | ESPN | W 17–14 | 81,500 | |
| December 31 | 3:00 p.m. | No. 20 Illinois | No. 15 | ABC | L 17–21 | 47,129 | |
| |||||||
Game summaries
vs. Old Dominion
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monarchs | 7 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 19 |
| Gamecocks | 10 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 23 |
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 |
|---|
|
| 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
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gamecocks | 7 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 31 |
| Wildcats | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
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 |
|---|
|
| 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
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 16 Tigers | 0 | 16 | 6 | 14 | 36 |
| Gamecocks | 7 | 17 | 0 | 9 | 33 |
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 |
|---|
|
| 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
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zips | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Gamecocks | 15 | 7 | 7 | 21 | 50 |
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 |
|---|
|
| 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
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 12 Rebels | 14 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 27 |
| Gamecocks | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
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)
| Game information |
|---|
|
| 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
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gamecocks | 0 | 12 | 7 | 6 | 25 |
| No. 7 Crimson Tide | 7 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 27 |
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)
| Game information |
|---|
|
| 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
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gamecocks | 21 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 35 |
| Sooners | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 9 |
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 |
|---|
|
| 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
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 10 Aggies | 3 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Gamecocks | 14 | 6 | 10 | 14 | 44 |
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
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
|
| 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
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gamecocks | 0 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 28 |
| Commodores | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
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
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
|
| 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
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 23 Tigers | 6 | 0 | 6 | 18 | 30 |
| No. 21 Gamecocks | 7 | 14 | 0 | 13 | 34 |
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)
| Game information |
|---|
|
| 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, TD, INT |
| Rushing | Nate Noel | 27 carries, 150 yards, TD | |
| Receiving | Theo Wease Jr. | 6 receptions, 85 yards | |
| South Carolina | Passing | LaNorris Sellers | 21/30, 353 yards, 5 TD, INT |
| Rushing | Raheim Sanders | 19 carries, 53 yards | |
| Receiving | Dalevon Campbell | 2 receptions, 86 yards |
vs Wofford (FCS)
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terriers (FCS) | 3 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 12 |
| No. 18 Gamecocks | 7 | 14 | 14 | 21 | 56 |
at Williams–Brice Stadium • Columbia, South Carolina
- Date: November 23
- Game time: 4:00 p.m. (EST)
- Game weather: Sunny • Temperature: 60 °F (16 °C) • Wind: W 6 mph
- Game attendance: 79,078
- Referee: Ken Williamson
- TV announcers (SECN+): Jay Alter (play-by-play), Rocky Boiman (analyst), and Ashley Stroehlein (sideline)
| Game information |
|---|
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
|
| 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, 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, INT |
| Rushing | Raheim Sanders | 15 carries, 72 yards, TD | |
| Receiving | Dalevon Campbell | 5 receptions, 120 yards |
at No. 12 Clemson (rivalry)
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 15 Gamecocks | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 17 |
| No. 12 Tigers | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
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
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
|
| 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)
No. 15 South Carolina Gamecocks (9–3) vs No. 20 Illinois Fighting Illini (9–3) – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 15 Gamecocks | 3 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
| No. 20 Fighting Illini | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
| Game information |
|---|
|
| 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.[40] 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.[40]
However, with South Carolina having more success in the second half of the regular season, they clawed their way into CFP contention.[40] 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",[41] the Gamecocks made their debut in the CFP rankings: No. 21 in the second week of the rankings.[42] It was South Carolina's first CFP ranking since 2022, and their earliest-ever appearance in the CFP rankings.[42] 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.[41] Leading up to the final game of the regular season, the Gamecocks continued winning and climbed up to No. 15 in the rankings.[43] ESPN gave South Carolina a 58% chance to make the CFP if they defeated No. 12 Clemson on the road,[40] 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).[40][44][45][46]
South Carolina was ranked No. 14 in the penultimate rankings, at which point it became clear they were "essentially eliminated".[47] The Gamecocks were ranked No. 15 in the final rankings, and thus did not join the tournament.[48] They were instead invited to the Citrus Bowl, where they lost to Illinois.[49]
Rankings
See also
- 1987 South Carolina Gamecocks football team, to whom the 2024 team has been compared