Ad: Stakes: Predict Sports, Win NFTs - Stakes: Social Sports Game

2021 South Carolina football schedule analysis: Few "easy" games in Shane Beamer's first season

By Blake Lovell • 7/21/2021 in Football

(South Carolina Athletics)

Here are some thoughts on South Carolina's football schedule for the 2021 season.

SCHEDULE

Sept. 4 vs. Eastern Illinois

Sept. 11 at East Carolina

Sept. 18 at Georgia

Sept. 25 vs. Kentucky

Oct. 2 vs. Troy

Oct. 9 at Tennessee

Oct. 16 vs. Vanderbilt

Oct. 23 at Texas A&M

Nov. 6 vs. Florida

Nov. 13 at Missouri

Nov. 20 vs. Auburn

Nov. 27 vs. Clemson

ANALYSIS

- For a team in rebuilding mode, you take opportunities where you can get them. That's the situation for South Carolina, which has very few "easy" games on the schedule. The Gamecocks should - the keyword there being should - take care of business against Eastern Illinois, East Carolina, and Troy. Elsewhere, it won't be easy at all.

- Opening SEC play at Georgia, the favorite to win the East, isn't ideal. The Bulldogs have won five of the past six games in the series.

- The three-game SEC stretch that will likely define South Carolina's season: Sept. 25 vs. Kentucky, Oct. 9 at Tennessee, and Oct. 16 vs. Vanderbilt. Going 2-1 seems like a necessity to reach a bowl game in Shane Beamer's first season.

- Where do the SEC wins come after that? The Gamecocks draw a top 10 team from the West in Texas A&M. Defeating Florida, even if it is in Columbia, will be a challenge. Missouri is undoubtedly on the rise. Auburn has its own rebuilding to do on offense, but the Tigers, on paper, are still a more complete team. 

- And then there's Clemson. Dabo Swinney's team has defeated South Carolina by an average of 32.3 points in the past four meetings.

See All Podcasts

The Latest

See All Latest News