Gamecock Students Turn Rain Delay Into a Party at Williams-Brice Stadium
What was supposed to be a festive home opener for South Carolina football quickly turned into a weather marathon on Saturday night, but if you were anywhere near the student section, you might have thought the storm itself was the main event.
Around 6:40 p.m., with kickoff against South Carolina State already delayed, the Cockpit — USC’s student section — suddenly erupted in deafening cheers. At first, fans looked around for signs of progress: an announcement that warmups would begin, players running out of the tunnel, or staff preparing the field.
The answer was no, no, and no.
Instead, the roar came when rain began to pour down on the thousands of students who had packed into Williams-Brice Stadium.
“Oh, to be in college again,” one fan joked as the scene unfolded.
While most fans scattered for shelter in the concourse and upper decks, the Gamecock students decided to embrace the moment. They stayed put, soaking wet, waving towels, and jumping in unison. Some shouted chants of “Game!” … “Cocks!” in rhythm with the rainfall, while others simply threw their arms up and cheered like South Carolina had just scored a touchdown.
The Cockpit’s energy only grew as the storm intensified. At 7:05, a massive bolt of lightning cracked across the Columbia sky, followed immediately by a booming roll of thunder. The student section answered with another thunder of their own — a roar so loud it echoed throughout the stadium.
By 7:10, the rain had turned into a full-on downpour. Many of the soaked students finally gave in and headed for cover, but not all. A spirited group remained, determined to ride out the storm from their seats and unwilling to surrender their first-come, first-served spots.
The gameday experience at Williams-Brice is legendary, but on this particular night, the students proved they didn’t need football to make it memorable. For them, the storm itself became the show.
This story was originally published September 6, 2025, at 7:22 p.m.
