South Carolina opened its home slate Saturday night with a 38-10 win over in-state FCS opponent S.C. State at Williams-Brice Stadium, improving to 2-0 on the year. While the final score looked comfortable, the performance left both positives to highlight and flaws to fix moving forward.
Three Positives
Vicari Swain’s Spark
A week after recording South Carolina’s first punt-return touchdown in over a decade, Vicari Swain delivered two more against S.C. State. His first came on a dazzling 65-yard return in the second quarter that flipped a 3-0 deficit into a 7-3 lead. Minutes later, after the Gamecocks blocked a punt, Swain scooped the ball and raced 42 yards for another score. In just two games, he now has three punt-return touchdowns, tying the single-season school record set by Dick Harris in 1971.
Defense and Special Teams Deliver
The Gamecocks leaned heavily on their defense and special teams, which accounted for nearly all the first-half points. In addition to Swain’s returns, kicker William Joyce drilled a 49-yard field goal after missing earlier from 45 and hit all of his PATs. Linebacker Jaron Willis joined the scoring parade with a 46-yard scoop-and-score, giving the defense a touchdown of its own. The unit also racked up four sacks, seven tackles for loss, and four quarterback hits. While S.C. State finished with 270 total yards — more than an SEC defense might want to allow against an FCS team — the group still limited the Bulldogs to just 10 points.
Donovan Murph Shines in First Start
Freshman wideout Donovan Murph, a highly regarded recruit from Irmo, made his first career start and looked the part. Targeted three times, he hauled in two catches for 39 yards, including a 27-yard grab. Murph finished second on the team in receiving yards, and all six freshman receivers saw snaps in the game, giving USC valuable early-season experience at the position.
Three Negatives
Sluggish Start on Offense
The Gamecocks’ offense struggled badly out of the gate. Each of the first three drives ended in three-and-outs, with USC managing only 11 total yards in the opening quarter. The third drive nearly resulted in a safety. While the long weather delay and poor starting field position — opening possessions began at the 6, 10, and 10-yard lines — likely played a role, the lack of rhythm was concerning. Things improved slightly in the second quarter with 96 yards of offense, but USC didn’t score an offensive touchdown until midway through the third.
Run Game Falls Flat
South Carolina’s ground attack never found traction. Quarterback LaNorris Sellers led the team with just 23 rushing yards, while running backs Rahsul Faison and Oscar Adaway combined for 41 — a steep drop from their 100-yard performance against Virginia Tech. Adaway did manage a short touchdown run, but overall the team averaged just 3.5 yards per carry, a number that won’t cut it in SEC play.Backups Left Waiting
Games against FCS opponents often provide opportunities to rest starters and give younger players extended snaps. That wasn’t the case here. With the offense sputtering and USC holding only a 17-3 halftime lead, Sellers remained in the game through the third quarter instead of getting an early exit. Backup quarterbacks Luke Doty and Air Noland didn’t get onto the field until the fourth quarter, each running just a single drive. It wasn’t the workload the coaching staff likely envisioned.
