South Carolina cruised to a dominant 51-7 win over Coastal Carolina on Saturday despite missing two key players: wide receiver Nyck Harbor and defensive end Dylan Stewart. But head coach Shane Beamer made it clear he expects both to return in time for the highly anticipated rivalry showdown with Clemson.
Roughly a day later, during his Sunday evening teleconference, Beamer doubled down on that optimism.
“They should be good (for the Clemson game),” Beamer said. “We’re going out to practice here in about 20 minutes, and both those guys will be at practice. I expect them to be full-go on Saturday.”
Harbor was coming off his best performance yet, posting a career-high 102 receiving yards on three catches against Texas A&M. That breakout included an electrifying 80-yard touchdown in the second quarter that pushed South Carolina’s lead to 27-3.
However, the freshman standout was forced to leave the game after a hard fall on his final reception—a pivotal fourth-down conversion. He was transported to the hospital as a precaution.
Stewart, meanwhile, has been managing lingering injuries going back to the Oklahoma game, where he left with a hip issue. He later appeared on the availability report ahead of the Ole Miss matchup but still suited up against both the Rebels and Texas A&M. During the Coastal Carolina broadcast, SEC Network noted he has been dealing with a nagging back problem, and Stewart was seen on the sideline wearing a lower-back brace.
Aside from holding out Harbor and Stewart, South Carolina entered the Coastal game relatively healthy. Defensive back Jalewis Solomon has missed recent weeks but hasn’t played a significant role this season, while offensive tackle Cason Henry has remained out since the Missouri game.
The Gamecocks now shift their attention to the 122nd Palmetto Bowl, hosting Clemson on Saturday, Nov. 29, at Williams-Brice Stadium. Kickoff is set for noon on SEC Network.
