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The 2026 season just around the corner for the Gamecocks Year 6 of the Shane Beamer era and it is a pivotal one. The expectations are sky high. Lenora Sellers, Nick Harbor, Dylan Stewart and many others are all back into the fold. Is it College Football Playoff or bus? Can this team and this program get back to the version of themselves in 2024 that had them knocking on the door and arguably one of the biggest snow snubs of the 12 team playoff? Or will it be more of the same last year, a 4 and 8 season in the end of the Shane Beamer era? Potentially in Columbia. Guys, before we get into my game by game predictions, let's look at what our friends over at Kalshee have to say about South Carolina heading into this season. Kalshe gives South Carolina an 87% chance to win five or more games, 71% chance to win six or more, 55% chance to win seven or more, 30% to win eight or more, 25% to win nine or more, 18% to win 10 or more, 3% to win 11 or more and less than 1% to win 12. So interestingly enough guys, if you look at those numbers, cow sees South Carolina, right between a six and a half to seven and a half win team, right, 71% to 55% between six and seven they give them over a 50% chance to win seven or more games, right? It goes from 55% to 30% at seven plus to eight plus. So cow looking at south car, you can kind of set that over under win total, right at seven, seven and a half, something like that. I'd probably say seven and a half for South Carolina. So respectable, maybe a couple plays away, couple games away from knocking on the door of the College Football Playoff. On that note, KI gives South Carolina an 18% chance to make the College Football Playoff. Not bad odds there, really. Not a bad percentage chance. Higher than some others. Hey, higher than our travel Clemson, who's just at 17% by the way. So interesting of note, but 18 chance, if you're feeling frisky, want to go put a wager on it? Our friends at Cali are the way to go, that being said. All right guys, let's pull up the Gamecocks 2026 schedule starting of course in week number one. And here's the good news for South Carolina because there are questions to answer, right? You got a bunch of new faces on the offensive line, brand new offensive line coach, brand new oc, some new pieces on defense these first couple weeks. You're going to be able to really see who you got, what you got. Not ease into the season, but have an opportunity to play lesser competition and get the kinks out, dust off the cobwebs and build some early momentum, which I think will be really important. When you guys have probably looked at the schedule, getting off to a fast start is of the utmost importance for South Carolina. Week number one, you host Kent State on that Saturday, September 5th. And I think the Gamecocks will get off to a fast start. Now, I know South Carolina fans will hear me out when they say this, and they know I'm right. South Carolina, over the years in season openers, some of them have gone really, really well. Some of them have been a little too close for comfort. I mean, look at even 2024, the Old Dominion game, Right? Right. Who could have ever seen that coming? And then the season happen after it's. It's still hard to explain what happened in that football game. That being said, I think this is a game South Carolina has been looking forward to for a while, because when you finish a season the way they did last year, all you want to do is get back on the field and prove yourself and show that's not us. Right? I think South Carolina will do that. I think they get off to an emphatic start. I think it's a big win. I do not think it is even as remotely close as that Old Dominion game was. If it is, and I know it didn't doom the 24 season, but if it is, we may have some bigger problems. I will say I think it'll be of the utmost importance for South Carolina. Showing positive signs offensively and showing positive signs on the offensive line early is going to be pivotal. Again, one game, good or bad, does not guarantee anything for your season, but it's not going to make anybody feel good. If you go out against Kent State and you can't rush for 100 yards and you can't get a push and you can't score more than 30 points. Right? These are just some of the things you need to do to build some momentum and make you feel good and gain confidence that, yes, this year is going to be different. But I got South Carolina 10 beating Kent State, no doubt. Week two, you get Towson. Guys, it's the same story. And this one's under the lights at Williams. Bryce, right? It's the same story. Keep everybody healthy, dust off the cobwebs, iron out whatever you need to iron out. Work on you. Nail down the fundamentals. Lenora Sellers and company should be able to roll, you know, continue to build continuity on the offensive side of the football with some of these young receivers. And of course, Lenora Sellers and Nick Harbor. Figure out your running back position. Just answer all your questions. Answer all your own questions. You're gonna win. It's not a matter of if you win. It's just how it looks. So, yeah, Gamecocks will get off to a 20 start very easily, but just how does it look? Are you able to build momentum early in the season? Now, the following week, the SEC home opener comes against Mississippi State. And I understand totally. I will ask you all to hang in there with me. That's all I'm asking. Just listen to me and hang in there with me because I think South Carolina drops this game. I think Mississippi State comes into Williams Bryce Stadium and I think they pull the upset. Let me tell you why. Mississippi State has Kamario Taylor at quarterback, Fluff Bothwell at running back, Anthony Evans at wide receiver. They have Zack Garnett back in the fold defensively at defensive coordinator. And admittedly, guys, what has been the common theme of the Shane Beamer era? It is a roller coaster. It is up and down. I know that we're in an even number year. I get it. This is typically the years they overachieve. I have been out on Shane Beamer since the Texas A and M game last year. That, that one just really spoiled it for me and really scarred me from the standpoint of trusting the Gamecocks to where this is a losable game. I think that a lot of them are just because of. If you're able to blow a 27 point lead, you can lose any game on this schedule. I think Mississippi State is one of the more dangerous teams in the conference this year. I do think it'll be a good crowd at Williams Bryce Stadium. But I think early on, new oc, new O line. This will be the first real test for the Gamecocks. And I think they get punched in the mouth here and I think Mississippi State, granted, it would be an upset. It very well might not happen. But I got to be honest, not jumping around the schedule, but it is a very South Carolina thing to do to lose one. You're not supposed to Mississippi State and Kentucky early on. I would be, I would not be surprised to. I almost expect them to lose one of those two games. So I'm calling it Mississippi State. I think what State will bring in from an offensive side of the football. I think they have enough. They're Going to be an exciting team. They're going to clip somebody. I think they clip you and I think you fall to two and one at the hands of the upset. Then you go on the road to Alabama and I know a lot of people are going to look at this game and say look, look how close you were the last two years. We should have beaten them. Now's our time. I don't know that I really look at it that way. I look at it as, I mean guys, Alabama was gettable the last two years and you just let him off the hook. So going back to Tuscaloosa, potentially a night game at Bryant Denny Stadium. I think South Carolina will have Alabama's attention. The, the history would tell us this game will be close. But I think Alabama guys is a double digit win team. I think they're going to the college football playoff. I think they're much better than people are giving them credit for. I think Keelan Russell is going to be a dude at the quarterback position. I think they will overwhelm you from an offensive line standpoint. Their defensive front, their front seven, best secondary arguably in the sec, if not all of college football. I think it'll be really, really tough sledding for the Gamecocks offense. I think Keelan Russell, Caitlin aboard, Ryan Grubb have a great game plan. They pull away in this one. Close game, no doubt. I have no doubts it's a close game, but I think you dropped this one on the road at night. 2 and 2 record through four games. Now here is my question. If South Carolina is two and two through four games, what is the noise like around the program? Because there will be noise and it will be loud and the noise will only get louder with every loss that South Carolina piles up this season. It's in. You know, not to sidetrack here, but it's interesting because the, the expectations vary so wide. Some people just say. Some people look at it as. You went 4 and 8 last year. If you go 6 and 6 or 7 and 5, major improvement, he should be back. Some people look at it and say it's year six. If you don't go nine and three or ten and two, he should be gone. It. This is probably South Carolina is the fan base where the expectations I think range the most. Most other fan bases, I think the expectations are pretty well understood. South Carolina, it feels like they are. How, how do you define success? It's all over the place from what I've seen anyways. I think you're two and two through Four weeks, you come home to take on the Kentucky Wildcats. How do you respond? How do you bounce back? Right? Does this team rally together? I think Shane Beamer's always done a good, really good job of building culture. He always has teams that buy in, that believe. I do think South Carolina bounces back the right way. I think Kentucky's a dangerous team this year, but there's so many unknowns with them. Brand new head coach, so many pieces via the portal. I like Kenny Minchi at quarterback. Again, if it's not Mississippi State, I think it could be this one. I think this is a losable football game. But I'm going to say South Carolina bounces back after two losses, gets the win, gets back to winning ways, gets back to a winning record and moves to 3 and 2. Look for Beamer ball to be a big presence here. Look for special teams to make big plays. You might recall the last time they played Kentucky, that's exactly what happened. A couple scoops and scores and what have you and big plays like that. So I think South Carolina wins it. I think they move to three and two early in the season. Then the Gamecocks travel to Florida second week of October. Year one, John Sunrall. I'll admit to you guys, I'm really high on the Gators. I. Maybe it's logo bias. Maybe it's, you know, I've been trying to talk myself out of Florida for a few weeks now. But you look at that roster, man, quarterbacks pick to click. Sure, if the quarterback's bad, then who knows? But you got Buster Faulkner at oc. I mean, as excited as Gamecock fans are for Kendall Briles, Buster Faulkner, that dude's a dude, man. Like, that dude has done an incredible job at Georgia Tech. Dallas Wilson, Vernell Brown on the outside. Eric Singleton, they pick up from Auburn. Micah Maze, they pick up from Wake Forest. Jaden Bar, running back. I mean, they are loaded on offense and then defensively, one of the best linebacker cores in the sec. A big. I mean, they are huge on the defensive front. Secondary, little bit of a question, but they have talent. And guys, here's another kicker for those of you who've forgotten, which I know if you're watching this, you haven't. South Carolina has, I mean, it has been a house of horrors. That being the swamp. South Carolina has never played well down there outside of 2010 and 2014. Beyond that, that's it. That's all the games they've won down there. Even Billy Napier beat the game. Cox, like a Drum in Gainesville. I like John Sumrall. I like this Florida roster. I like them more than South Carolina. Give me the Gators here to get the win. I don't know that this one's even close to be honest. I, I like this Florida team that much. I think they went in blowout fashion and I think you fall to three and three going into the bye week. Now here's the question I have is 3 and 3 at the bye week no matter how it happens. You want to disagree me with the games, fine. If they're three and three, does South Carolina make a change at the halfway point? I don't think they do. I think Shane Beamer has built up enough goodwill there. I just. It's hard to envision a mid season termination. But what I will say if they are three and three, I don't know that you can make wholesale changes at this point. But there are going to be some very hard conversations. And that game against Tennessee on October 24th, next up on the schedule, I think that is essentially all but going to be for Shane Beamer's job. I think that's going to be an either win or get out of town type ball game because Tennessee is a team that, you know, brand new quarterback. I like their roster too. Thousand yard runner is rusher is back. Big experienced offensive line couple, you know, capable receivers and Braylon Staley and Mike Matthews. Jim Knowles of D.C. takes over, Arian Carter back at linebacker, you know, some questions at edge rusher and questions in the pass rush. But Tennessee's a, you know, solid roster. But I think this is a win or go home game for Shane Beamer. And what have we seen over the years, guys? Number one when South Gun and Tennessee play, these games are super close. I mean these games are super competitive. But we've also seen interestingly enough that when Shane Beamer's got his back against the wall and South Carolina feels like they're in a corner, they tend to play their best. This will be an afternoon game at Williams Bryce Stadium. That'll probably in the second half be a night game. I do think atmosphere plays a big role here. I think south gonna comes out desperate, hair on fire and I think they beat Tennessee at home. I think Lenora Sellers puts on the Superman cape, make some big plays. I think defensively may be able to get after a young quarterback or an inexperienced quarterback. And I do think South Carolina upends Tennessee. I think they pull the upset. A a have to have ball game. A have to have ball game For South Carolina 4 and 3 is what the Gamecocks move towards. So technically going into Halloween weekend, guys, I mean I think a 9 and 3 sec team makes the playoff this year. So your playoff hopes hanging by a thread but they're still there. I don't think that lasts very long because I think you go to Oklahoma Halloween weekend because potentially a night game in Norman and I think you get beat. I, I think Oklahoma defe defensively will just, just throttle South Carolina. I think they'll overwhelm them. I don't. Listen, I think the Gamecock's offensive line, it's going to be better because it can't be worse. I don't think it's going to be good enough to hold up against the likes of Oklahoma who might have the best defense in the sec. I don't think that's a hot take. Right. A guy in Brent Venables that is a mastermind when it comes to coaching defense. So I think Oklahoma for real College Football Playoff contender healthy John Matier. I think they'll be able to run the football much more effectively in the conventional running game and with his ability I think they'll be much better offensively and then defensively, like I mentioned, it speaks for itself. One of the best defenses in the country. I think they show that in this game and I think you dropped this one. So I think you fall to four and four on the season. So it's a very, I mean guys, it's at this point, I hate to say it, it's a very typical South Carolina season. I mean this isn't much different than what the Gamecocks have done historically, right? Just back and forth, back and forth, up and down, up and down. So you fall to 4 and 4 then you get Texas A and M at home to get the month of November going. This is a very winnable game. It is. This is a very, very winnable game for South Carolina. Who can forget what happened two years ago where Lenora Sellers and company and that was it kind of felt like that was the coming out party. Rush the field a full on butt whooping of A M last year should have had him beat, man. I mean I, I, we don't have to spend a ton of time but 30 to 3 should have had him be. That said though, something about that game last year, man, just, just lives in my head rent free. I, I just, I cannot in good. I don't care where the game's being played. I cannot in good conscious after seeing what happened that meltdown. I cannot pick The Gamecocks to win this one, I'm gonna go Texas A and M. I do think, listen, if there is one game on this schedule, I would flip. The first one might be Mississippi State, the other one A M. The other one will be A M. So very quickly, the record could change here, right? Not that far off. I just don't trust Shane Beamer and company. I don't. I trust Mike Elko and his staff a lot more than I trust Shane Beamer and his staff. That's what it comes down to. And I still think A M defensively is really good. I think by this point the season A and M has figured some things out on the offensive line. I think Marcel Reed's a really underappreciated player at quarterback. They've still got weapons at receiver and running back that they picked up via the portal as well. So I think A M is just a better team than you, better than roster, than you. Top to bottom, I think very, very close game. Again, this one has upset written all over it. Similar to the Tennessee game in my opinion. But I'm going to pick A M to win this football game. So you drop two, what would that be? Two, four. Four and five. Four and five on the season again, what is the noise like around the program? What is the noise like around Shane Beamer? Sure at this point we're talking hot seat. I'm sure at this point coaching board lists are starting to come out. Right. Whether it's going to happen or not. Right. And whether you think it should happen or not, the noise will be deafening. Sitting at four and five though, you got three games left at Arkansas. Some of you are like, if you do it, I'm cutting this thing off. For those of you that are left, no, I think you beat Arkansas. I think South Carolina beats Arkansas, gets back to 500, gets to 5 and 5 overall. It is a peak rebuild for Arkansas this year. Even though this game is in Fayetteville. Could be a night game in Fable. Tricky game. I mean, who knows what Arkansas at this point. But I, I still think South Carolina will have the three best players on the field when this game takes place. And Sellers, harbor and Stewart. I think those three guys alone are enough to take down Arkansas, get the win, a much needed win after back to back losses. And I think you get to.505 and 5 overall. Then you take on the Georgia Bulldogs at home. Guys, I have seen people pick this one as an upset and trust me, there are very few that know about this, this game better than I Do the border war, what this means to South Carolina and Georgia, the familiar familiarity between the two programs, the two states, these fan bases, you know, share common area with each other, their friends, their colleagues, whatever. I think the South Carolina, it's a rivalry to Georgia folks. South Carolina is more the fly in their ointment. I have seen people picking this up saying, and I understand when this game is played at Williams Bryce Stadium, there's a good chance this one's at night. When this game is played at Willie B. All bets are off. That being said, if you have paid attention over the last couple years or since Kirby Smart got the job at Georgia, but certainly the last couple years, and if you didn't know, I'm here to tell you it is a not so well kept secret that Kirby Smart is not fond of Shane Beamer call. And what does that really matter? I don't know, but he's not. I don't think Kirby's Smart will ever lose to Shane Beamer. I just don't see it happening, man. I think Georgia goes 111 this season. I don't think the one comes in Columbia. I think Georgia is maybe the SEC's best bet to win the national championship. Georgia's my pick to win the sec. Guys, I don't care if this game was played at Williams Bryce Stadium, Arrowhead Stadium, Sanford Stadium, your backyard, my backyard, the parking lot. I don't care if the game's at 8pm 8am 4 4am they play it down in five points. I don't think it really matters. Georgia is going to beat South Carolina. I, I just don't even think from a roster standpoint South Carolina measures up remotely. And again, guys, knowing what I know, not so well kept secret. Kirby Smart looks at Shane Beamer as the antithesis of what he is. Kirby Smart got it out the mud. Started as a ga, earned his way up. Shane Beamer, he's a Beamer. Looks he. This is how Kirby Smart looks at Beamer. Silver spoon got an opportunity because his last name. That's just how Kirby Smart sees it. Kirby Smart will be locked in for this football game and I trust Kirby Smart much, much more obviously than I trust Shane Beamer. Georgia gets the win. Gamecocks fall to five and six. Then comes the game at Clemson. I mean, listen, I don't know if at this point it's a lost cause. Can this game save Shane Beamer's job? I don't know for sure. But I tell you what, winning it would obviously do you a lot more good than Losing it. Because if you lose it, you're going 110%. What is Clemson this year? I couldn't believe they were ranked in the preseason coaches poll. Couldn't believe it. Couldn't believe it. Christopher Wasina takes over a quarterback. Dabo is being a little more active in the portal. I mean, guys, here's the thing. For all the criticism I have for Shane Beamer, you know what? He's done a really good job of coaching against Dabo and doing it at Memorial Stadium. Done a really good job of beating Clemson in the upstate. I think he does it again. I think South Carolina goes into Memorial Stadium. I think they beat the Clemson Tigers. We're in this trend right now. Back and forth, back and forth. We've seen this before in this rivalry. Really enough where the. The away team dominates the series. I think that continues. I think South Carolina beats Clemson to finish their season six and six overall. Three and six in SEC play. Now, again, the question will turn to this. Is this enough for Shane Beamer to return as head coach in 2027? If you ask me if it should be good enough, I say no. It's year six of your tenure. Kind of feels like Aiden four bust, maybe. Seven and five maybe. But it feels like eight and four is the number you need to get to to feel really good. Seven and five's gray area. Six and six or worse. I think Shane Beamer should be terminated. Well, Chris, who will they go get when they hired Shane Beamer? Guys, he had never been a coordinator of any sort. He was a special teams coach and a recruiting coordinator throughout his career. I think they can find someone that matches those credentials. Oh, but Shane Beamer wants to be here, man. Wanting to be there shouldn't be a requirement for the job because I guarantee you there are a lot of people that would want to be at South Carolina. An SEC school that has all of the resources and the fan support and everything that it does for the eight and a half million or so dollars that he makes per year. I don't think wanting to be there and who will you go get is a good excuse. It's a loser mentality to think that way. Just calling it for what it is. Now do I think they will not what I would do? Will they move off Shane Beamer or will they retain him at 6 and 6? I am starting to lean more into the idea that I think if they make the postseason, I think there's a decent chance Shane Beamer's back. Even at 6 and 6, he's built up a lot of goodwill there. But I say all that. It's really easy to sit here and say that right now when none of this has happened and you all know when we get into the end of the season and the emotions of the season start taking in. I don't know how you're able to overcome the immense fan noise, especially if that last win against Clemson. What if Clemson's 6 and 6, 7 and 5 again and then it's like what I mean, are we really going to hang our hat on beating a Clemson team that's not very good. So I've got the Gamecock. Sits 6 and 6, 3 and 6. Do I think this could be flipped to an 8 and 4? Absolutely. What's funny, I mean this guys, it's a two game improvement from last year and I understand you went on the portal, got guys still a lot of questions. Offensive line, there's nothing that says they're going to be much better. I mean they can't be worse than last year. Kudos to getting a new O line coach and I think you had to flush the room from a year ago but it's still as good as anybody's guess out there what they're going to be. Kendall Briles at OC is the key to the season. Can he save Shane Beamer's job? That's what it comes down to. Can he be the answer? Because I think defensively under Clayton White the floor is extremely high. They've always been good on defense. I think they lead the SEC and takeaway since 2021 defense will more than likely do its job. More often than not, it all comes down to the offense. Can Kendall Briles and effectively Shane Beamer get the best or closer to the best out of Lenora Sellers? And can they put him in a position to be successful on the standpoint of the pieces around him? Can South Carna run the football? Can they protect him? Do they scheme it up to where he is able to maximize his abilities and not ask him to do things he's not comfortable in doing? That's what it comes down to. But guys, I gotta admit, I don't trust Shane Beamer. He lost me after last year. If South Carolina goes 8 and 4, it wouldn't shock me. But you know, anything less than that if you bring him back, I think you're setting yourself up to be stuck in this vicious cycle of inconsistency of up and down. And as much good as Shane Beamer's done for the program, he really hasn't done anything that anybody else has ever done for the program which is be very average. Be 500 people want to hang their hat on he had the most wins through four years or what happened in the fifth year. We can't just nitpick the records. What happened in the fifth year? Well, we'll Steve Spurrier didn't start winning big till year seven. Steve Spurrier didn't go four and eight at any point. Steve Spurrier had a ring somewhere else. I don't know that you can draw all the comparisons people want to try to draw to justify to say like this is the dude. I I don't think Shane Beamer's the dude for the long term. I don't think he's the dude. If you're talking about the new expectations Columbia to get to the playoff. I don't think he's that guy. Don't think he's a bad coach, but he ain't the guy. He's the guy to get you to the guy potentially. We'll see what happens. 6 and 6. 3 and 6 is where I land. Would love to hear your thoughts. You agree with me? You disagree? How do you predict South Carolina the fair in the upcoming 2026 season? Guys that's going to do all for me. Really appreciate each every single one of you tuning in. Before we get out of here want to say about our friends over at Kalshi because as always we are brought to you by our friends at Cali before the season even kicks off everyone is making predictions who wins the conference, who makes the playoffs, who's lifting the trophy at seasons in on Kalshi, America's number one prediction market platform. You can trade those predictions in a live market guys they have everything who's going to win the conference, who's going to hoist the trophy in the Natty, who's going to win the Heisman, individual games, everything in between. On Kalshi you're trading experience in a live market meaning there's no house since the property changes. You can buy in and out of your position, trade the draft, pick the game and more On Kalshi down the couchie app use promo code SCCU to get up to 500 in bonus credits when you trade 25. That's k a l s h I kalshi trade on cow anything 18 enough only restrictions and eligibility requirements apply. Event contract trading involves risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Calci products are not available in all jurisdictions. Prices, values and available markets may differ those mentioned. For more information seekals.com regulatory guys once again appreciate each and every single one of you tuning in. As always, make sure you hit that like and subscribe button on YouTube. Check us out over get your podcast all across favorite social media platforms as well as our website sccunfilter. Com. Make sure you follow me at cfilvy19 and stay tuned. All of our content content bleeding out of the eyeballs. Till next time. I'm Chris Phillips of SEC Unfiltered. Y' all have a great rest of your day. We'll talk to you all on the other side.