Predicting the 2026 Alabama Football Opponents’ Season: South Carolina Gamecocks
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The fourth in a series of wild blind dart-throwing predictions takes us to the Palmetto State.
GAME 4, SEPT 26: vs SOUTH CAROLINA
Coach: Shane Beamer (33-30 overall, 16-24 SEC, 1-2 in bowls through five seasons)
2025 SC record: 4-8 (1-7 SEC, T-15th place)
CB 2025 prediction:7-5; The ’Cocks should have been much better.
Looking back: After a 9–4 campaign in 2024 and LaNorris Sellers ignoring the temptations of the Transfer Portal, hopes were high for this SC team last fall. The season got going in a big way with a trampling of Daddy Beamer’s Virginia Tech Hokies in Atlanta. Following a cupcake win, the Gamecocks were trounced at home by Diego Pavia’s Vanderbilt 7-31 and followed by an L at Mizzou. Carolina rebounded to beat woeful Kentucky, but then reeled off FIVE straight defeats to LSU, Oklahoma, Alabama, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M (blew 30-3 lead). A win over Coastal Carolina and home loss to Clemson closed the book on what they thought would be a happy ending.
Returning Starters: 3 on offense, 5 on defense, punter
Key losses: OC Mike Shula (bless his heart), CB Brandon Cisse (2nd round, Packers), DT Nick Barrett (5th round, Chargers), S Jalon Kilgore (5th round, Bills), EDGE Bryan Thomas (grad), leading rusher Rahsul Faison (grad), leading tackler SAF DQ Smith (grad), second leading receiver Vandrevius Jacobs (chase money at Miami-FL; 548 yds, 4 TD), starting LT Josiah Thompson loss for the season due to the dreaded “lower body” injury – most likely a knee or two.
Top returnees: QB LaNorris Sellers, potential NFL first-round DL Dylan Stewart (4.5 sacks, 8 QBH), PR Vicari Swain (3 returns for TD), leading receiver WR/KR Nyck Harbor (618 yds, 6 TD), 2nd leading tackler LB Justin Okoronkwo (sad to say had a good 2025 season), P Mason Love (45.1 ypp)
Top Newcomers: Offensive coordinator Kendal Briles (previously at TCU) and five other new assistants (OL, RB, EDGE, LB, ST), OT Jacarrius Peak (from NC State), WR Nitro Tuggle (UGA>Purdue; 500 yds, 4 TD in 2025), RB Christian Clark (Texas; 236 yds, 2 TD), DL Caleb Herring (Tennessee; 6 TFL, 4 sacks), freshman DT Noah Clark, projected starting nickelback Quay’sheed Scott (Kentucky), PK Upton Bellenfant (started his career as walk-on at Bama>Buffalo>Texas Tech)
Strengths: With all apologies to Shula, Briles might be the breath of fresh air this offense needs… Is Sellers going to finally put a whole season together?… Defensive line could be pretty good… Continuity: ten of the 11 projected starters on defense were on the team last season… Good receivers… Wow, Sankey did the ‘Cocks a big favor by neglecting to give them two road games in a row, however…
Weaknesses: The second half schedule is brutal: after the bye, in consecutive weeks they get Tennessee, @ Oklahoma, Texas A&M, @ Arkansas, Georgia, and @ Clemson… Replacing the entire offensive line… Top transfer acquisition Jacarrius Peak hurt his knee playing basketball. He’s expected to be okay, but we’ll see… Running backs are questionable… Need more consistent QB pressure… Linebacking corps is good but a tad thin… Corners return but are not the greatest and not much behind them…
Outlook: The Gamecocks have a pretty good team, but we have heard this song before. Honestly, I don’t think Beamer knows what he is doing on Saturdays. Exhibit A is the way he celebrated at halftime in College Station last season (above). Exhibit B was the way he let Bret Bielema mentally destroy him in the Cheez-It Bowl. That was in his fifth year as head coach and he still has not figured out the mental side of football.
Several of the monkeys with laptops are banging out stories about how SC will win 8 or 9 or 10 including a win in Tuscaloosa with potential to make the CFP. I just can’t see it. They are still South Carolina and Beamer is still Beamer. He missed his calling. He would make a great AD.
SC Odds
- Wins Total Per FanDuel: 6.5
- No spreads are available for the Bama game. My guess is around -10.5.
2026 SOUTH CAROLINA FOOTBALL SCHEDULE:
South Carolina should start the season 4-1 with a potential to go 5-1 depending on what Florida is this year. Then comes that treacherous second half of the season.
- Sat, Sep 5 vs Kent State – W
- Sat, Sep 12 vs Towson – W – I loved him in Hollywood Shuffle.
- Sat, Sep 19 vs Mississippi State – W
- Sat, Sep 26 @ Alabama – L – Some folks are picking an upset.
- Sat, Oct 3 vs Kentucky – W
- Sat, Oct 10 @ Florida – L – Toss up?
- Sat, Oct 17 bye
- Sat, Oct 24 vs Tennessee – W – The Vols have taken a step back.
- Sat, Oct 31 @ Oklahoma – L
- Sat, Nov 7 vs Texas A&M – L
- Sat, Nov 14 @ Arkansas – W
- Sat, Nov 21 vs Georgia – L
- Sat, Nov 28 @ Clemson – L – a close one.
PREVIOUS 2026 ALABAMA SCHEDULE PREVIEWS:
- Sat, Sep 5 vs East Carolina
- Sat, Sep 12 @ Kentucky
- Sat, Sep 19 vs Florida State
- Sat, Sep 26 vs South Carolina
- Sat, Oct 3 @ Mississippi State
- Sat, Oct 10 vs Georgia
- Sat, Oct 17 @ Tennessee
- Sat, Oct 24 vs Texas A&M
- Sat, Nov 7 @ LSU
- Sat, Nov 14 @ Vanderbilt
- Sat, Nov 21 vs Chattanooga
- Sat, Nov 28 vs Auburn
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