No. 10 South Carolina Gamecocks Face Weather Delay Ahead of SC State Clash
The No. 10 South Carolina Gamecocks were set to open their 2025 home schedule Saturday night against in-state opponent South Carolina State at Williams-Brice Stadium. Kickoff was originally slated for 7:00 p.m., but Mother Nature had other plans, forcing fans and players into an extended weather delay.
At 5:30 p.m., stadium officials displayed an urgent message across the Williams-Brice scoreboard instructing fans to seek shelter due to lightning strikes in the area. What followed was more than an hour of heavy rain, with waves of downpour disrupting the pregame atmosphere. By 7:45 p.m., conditions had improved and fans slowly returned to their seats, but no players had yet emerged for warmups.
USC kept fans informed on social media throughout the delay, posting on X (formerly Twitter) at 6:30 p.m.:
“Kickoff will be delayed. We will share updates as soon as they are available.”
Key Game Notes
Starting Lineup Adjustments
The Gamecock pregame radio broadcast with Todd Ellis confirmed two notable lineup changes. Freshman Shedrick “Shed” Sarratt is expected to start at left guard after missing the Virginia Tech opener with an injury. Head coach Shane Beamer had hinted earlier in the week that Sarratt would have been heavily involved if healthy.
Another new face in the starting lineup is wide receiver Donovan Murph, a true freshman out of nearby Irmo High School. Murph, who skipped his senior year of high school and enrolled early, logged 26 snaps against Virginia Tech and recorded his first career reception.
Honoring the Coaches
The Gamecocks made a statement before even stepping on the field. During the traditional Gamecock Walk, every player sported a custom-made T-shirt featuring their position coach. Even head coach Shane Beamer’s son, Hunter, joined in by wearing a shirt with his father’s image.
Uniform Reveal
South Carolina will suit up in a black helmet featuring a bold Block C logo, paired with garnet jerseys and garnet pants. The combo is familiar to fans — it was worn once in 2024, during the season-opening win over Old Dominion.
Team Captains for Week 2
The Gamecocks named four captains for the matchup:
- Oscar Adaway (RB)
- Brady Hunt (TE)
- Bryan Thomas Jr. (DE)
- Peyton Williams (DB)
Injury Report
Beamer confirmed on his weekly call-in show that both Judge Collier (DB) and Jatius Geer (EDGE) will miss the game but are expected back next week. Meanwhile, Sarratt is cleared and ready to make his season debut.
The Business of “Buy Games”
Saturday’s meeting is part of South Carolina’s non-conference slate featuring three in-state opponents. The Bulldogs of SC State will receive $500,000 for making the short trip from Orangeburg to Columbia. This marks the first of two buy games for USC this season — the Gamecocks will also host Coastal Carolina in November, paying the Chanticleers a hefty $1.4 million for the matchup.
SC State, meanwhile, faces another payday later this month with a trip to the University of South Florida on September 20.
Betting Odds and Series History
As expected in an SEC vs. FCS matchup, the Gamecocks are heavy favorites. According to ESPN Bet, South Carolina is a 43.5-point favorite and given a 99% chance to win by ESPN’s analytics. The two programs have met three previous times, with USC holding a 3-0 series lead. Their last meeting came in 2022, when South Carolina rolled to a 50-10 victory after the game was rescheduled due to an approaching hurricane.
How to Watch and Listen
Satellite Radio: SiriusXM Channel 146 or 201
Who: No. 10 South Carolina vs. South Carolina State
When: Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. (weather delay pending)
Where: Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, SC (capacity 77,559)
Streaming: ESPN+ and SEC Network+ (Kevin Fitzgerald, Charles Arbuckle, Ashley Stroehlein)
Radio: Gamecock Sports Network 107.5 FM (Todd Ellis, Tommy Suggs, Chet Tucker)
