Florida Gators' 2026 Schedule Preview: South Carolina Gamecocks
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The 2026 college football season is right around the corner, which means it's time to take a deep dive into the Florida Gators' schedule.
With former Tulane Green Waves' head coach Jon Sumrall taking over for Billy Napier this year, the once highly-regarded program will look to return to its prime self in 2026. However, Sumrall and his squad will have an uphill battle this year, with the program's conference schedule being a gauntlet.
Here's everything you need to know about the Gators' Week Six matchup against the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Other Previews:
Game Information
- Week Six
- Oct. 10 at Home
- Betting Line: TBD
History
The Gators' upcoming battle against head coach Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks will be the first time these two Southeastern Conference programs square off since 2023.
During that matchup, Florida was able to sneak past South Carolina on the road, 41-39. Former Gators quarterback Graham Mertz had one of the best games of his career, throwing for 423 yards and three touchdowns. His main target, former wideout Ricky Pearsall, also put up video-game numbers in the contest, finishing the night with 10 catches for 166 yards and one touchdown.
Offense
The main catalyst for the Gamecocks' offense this year will be star quarterback LaNorris Sellers.
In 2025, the lethal dual-threat playmaker showed plenty of promise before dealing with injuries throughout the course of the season, throwing for 2,437 yards, 13 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. In addition to his strong showing in the passing game, Sellers also managed to tally 270 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground.
Now, with newly-hired offensive coordinator Kendal Briles set to join the squad this season, Sellers could take a huge step in his development and become a real threat for the Gators in Week Six.
While South Carolina made some minor additions to the weapons surrounding Sellers this offseason, senior wide receiver Nyck Harbor is back with the program for the 2026 season.
Harbor did not light up the stat sheets during his 2025 campaign with the Gamecocks, as he finished the year with 618 receiving yards and eight touchdowns on 30 receptions. Still, his incredible combination of size (6-foot-5, 242 lbs.) and speed makes him a serious threat with the ball in his hands.
Defense
On defense, South Carolina may have the best defensive end in all of college football, Dylan Stewart.
Since arriving at the program back in 2024, Stewart has quickly become the lifeline of the Gamecocks' defense.
The former five-star prospect had a slight regression in his production during the 2025 season, as he finished the year with 33 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks. But with Stewart finally healthy heading into the upcoming season, it's clear that the dynamic pass rusher will cause plenty of problems for the Gators' offensive line this year.
Playing behind the likes of South Carolina's stout front four unit is linebacker Justin Okoronkwo, who is looking to build off his solid junior season. The well-regarded weak-side linebacker finished last year with 64 tackles, four tackles for loss, and one interception. With Stewart commanding most of the attention on defense, the Gamecocks will look for Okoronkwo to be the glue that holds the entire defensive unit together.
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