If there’s one name Gamecock fans need to focus on right now, it’s Vicari Swain. While much of the buzz has centered on LaNorris Sellers and even whispers of a Heisman campaign, no player in the country may be doing more to drag his team toward victory than Swain.
Midway through the second quarter of No. 10 South Carolina’s 38-10 win over S.C. State, the Gamecocks’ offense was flat. Lifeless, even. “Pitiful,” head coach Shane Beamer bluntly described the performance at halftime. The offense was struggling so much that fans inside Williams-Brice were giving sarcastic cheers for first downs.
At that moment, the Bulldogs from Orangeburg — an FCS team — were leading one of the top programs in America, 3-0. But then S.C. State made the mistake of punting to Swain.
Last week, the sophomore electrified the crowd with a 64-yard punt return touchdown that was crucial in the win over Virginia Tech. On Saturday, he struck again. Fielding the punt near the sideline, Swain stumbled, spun free of a tackle, then cut to the right. What opened up looked less like a football field and more like a cornfield in Iowa. Only the punter stood between Swain and six points, but receiver Eriq Rice blasted him aside. Touchdown, Gamecocks.
Just two minutes later, the Bulldogs gave him another chance — and paid again. A blocked punt skipped downfield, and while nearly every special teams coach in America would scream for their players to stay away, Swain darted in. He scooped the ball, nearly got drilled, somehow backpedaled into open grass, and once more cut right. Wide open. Gone. Another touchdown.
For context: no Gamecock since Dick Harris in 1971 had returned three punts for touchdowns in a season. Swain pulled it off in just six quarters of football.
And yet, the energy in the stadium felt muted. Why? Because Swain wasn’t just making highlight plays — he was saving a sputtering offense. On those two returns alone, he may have broken more tackles than South Carolina’s running backs managed in the entire first half. Sellers looked uncomfortable, unable to find an easy rhythm, while the offensive line was losing far too many battles to an FCS defense.
That’s why Beamer, walking into the tunnel at halftime, didn’t crack a smile despite the Gamecocks holding a lead. Asked about the offense, his one-word assessment summed it up: “Pitiful.”
The scoreboard at the end suggested a comfortable win, but for much of the game S.C. State looked like the better team. To be fair, South Carolina’s rhythm may have been thrown off by a weather delay that pushed kickoff back almost two and a half hours.
The Gamecocks finally steadied themselves in the second half, starting with an eight-play, 65-yard drive capped by running back Oscar Adaway’s touchdown. Then linebacker Jaron Willis added a defensive score on a scoop-and-score, further extending the lead and buying the offense more time on the sideline.
Still, the defense didn’t dominate like it had a week ago. The Bulldogs piled up nearly 200 passing yards, which wasn’t the alarming part. The real concern was the number of defenders who ended up sidelined by halftime. Cornerbacks Judge Collier and Brandon Cisse, nickelbacks Jalon Kilgore and Jaquel Holman, and edge rusher Jatius Geer all left with injuries, leaving the defense razor-thin. It didn’t cost them on Saturday, but it could have long-term consequences as the season grinds on.
For now, the Gamecocks can take comfort in one reality: as long as Vicari Swain keeps touching the football, there’s always a chance he’ll take it the distance.
Next South Carolina Game
- Who: South Carolina (2-0) vs. Vanderbilt (2-0)
- When: 7:45 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 13
- Where: Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia
- Watch: SEC Network
