C
Collyn Taylor
Guest
South Carolina released its 2021 football schedule this year, and gives a glimpse into what the first year under Shane Beamer might look like.
For those who missed it :
Week 1 (Sept. 4): vs. Eastern Illinois
Week 2 (Sept. 11): at East Carolina
Week 3 (Sept. 18): at Georgia
Week 4 (Sept. 25): Kentucky
Week 5 (Oct. 2): vs. Troy
Week 6 (Oct. 9): at Tennessee
Week 7 (Oct. 16): Vanderbilt
Week 8 (Oct. 23): at Texas A&M
Week 9 (Oct. 30): Bye week
Week 10 (Nov. 6): Florida
Week 11 (Nov. 13): at Missouri
Week 12 (Nov. 20): Auburn
Week 13 (Nov. 27): vs. Clemson
Some observations and thoughts:
--South Carolina, for fan and recruiting purposes, needs to show progress and one way to do that (obviously) is through wins. The front prat of the schedule, essentially the first seven weeks of the year, are full of what would be considered winnable games.
Eastern Illinois should be a good chance for the Shane Beamer era to start on the right foot, and East Carolina is a chance for the Gamecocks to pick up a win on the road against a good Group of 5 team. Georgia will be tough and there's an argument to be made for Kentucky to be the third best team in the East next year, but games against the Wildcats with Troy, Tennessee and Vanderbilt to follow it up are in the category of winnable.
Tennessee will be tough, especially on the road, given the Vols usually have talent, but in year one of the Heupel era it's hard to project what kind of team Tennessee will have six weeks into the season. Not saying South Carolina is going to win every single game in the first seven weeks or even go 6-1, but there are plenty of chances, if things go well and the Gamecocks get a few things settled in terms of offensive system and the roster in order, for wins early in the Beamer era.
Getting three or four wins the first seven weeks of the year would be a good start to the season.
--The Gamecocks won't have too many tough stretches in terms of travel, but the bye week falls in a really bad spot. The Gamecocks have to play eight straight games before getting a week off. While it does help South Carolina get healthy for a tough stretch to end the season, most teams would want the bye week earlier into the season to take a deep breath after six or so games and fix some of the things that went wrong in the first half of the season and prepare for the backstretch. Getting a late bye week doesn't really help as much as one earlier in the season could.
--It feels right to have the Georgia game back in mid-September. That should be the standard every year.
--That game against ECU is going to be interesting. The Gamecocks haven't played in Greenville since 1997 and it'll be a fun road trip and an early test for South Carolina. The Pirates weren't great in 2020, just 3-6, but any time a team goes on the road it takes some skill to win.
--The toughest stretch of South Carolina' season is by far the final five games of the season. The Gamecocks will have to play three teams that finished in the top 15 last season, including two against top five teams: No. 3 Clemson and No. 4 Texas A&M. Getting three of the five (and three of the final four) at home helps, but the Gamecocks will have to deal with a slew of good teams down the stretch.
The wildcard in all of this will be Missouri; the Tigers were the surprise of the SEC East last season and the biggest question will be if they can take another step. If they can, then the Gamecocks will have another tough test late. If not, that game becomes winnable.
--Given all the things that happened this offseason, the late Auburn game is going to be a lot of fun. Should be a lot of emotion tucked away in that game that will continue over for Clemson.
--For a South Carolina team that struggled offensively and defensively last season, it will be a tough task to get to a bowl game. If things break right and the coaching staff can install a system that fits the talent on the team and get production from the transfers they brought in at positions of need—wide receiver, quarterback, linebacker, defensive back—then there's a feasible path to bowl eligibility.
For those who missed it :
Week 1 (Sept. 4): vs. Eastern Illinois
Week 2 (Sept. 11): at East Carolina
Week 3 (Sept. 18): at Georgia
Week 4 (Sept. 25): Kentucky
Week 5 (Oct. 2): vs. Troy
Week 6 (Oct. 9): at Tennessee
Week 7 (Oct. 16): Vanderbilt
Week 8 (Oct. 23): at Texas A&M
Week 9 (Oct. 30): Bye week
Week 10 (Nov. 6): Florida
Week 11 (Nov. 13): at Missouri
Week 12 (Nov. 20): Auburn
Week 13 (Nov. 27): vs. Clemson
Some observations and thoughts:
--South Carolina, for fan and recruiting purposes, needs to show progress and one way to do that (obviously) is through wins. The front prat of the schedule, essentially the first seven weeks of the year, are full of what would be considered winnable games.
Eastern Illinois should be a good chance for the Shane Beamer era to start on the right foot, and East Carolina is a chance for the Gamecocks to pick up a win on the road against a good Group of 5 team. Georgia will be tough and there's an argument to be made for Kentucky to be the third best team in the East next year, but games against the Wildcats with Troy, Tennessee and Vanderbilt to follow it up are in the category of winnable.
Tennessee will be tough, especially on the road, given the Vols usually have talent, but in year one of the Heupel era it's hard to project what kind of team Tennessee will have six weeks into the season. Not saying South Carolina is going to win every single game in the first seven weeks or even go 6-1, but there are plenty of chances, if things go well and the Gamecocks get a few things settled in terms of offensive system and the roster in order, for wins early in the Beamer era.
Getting three or four wins the first seven weeks of the year would be a good start to the season.
--The Gamecocks won't have too many tough stretches in terms of travel, but the bye week falls in a really bad spot. The Gamecocks have to play eight straight games before getting a week off. While it does help South Carolina get healthy for a tough stretch to end the season, most teams would want the bye week earlier into the season to take a deep breath after six or so games and fix some of the things that went wrong in the first half of the season and prepare for the backstretch. Getting a late bye week doesn't really help as much as one earlier in the season could.
--It feels right to have the Georgia game back in mid-September. That should be the standard every year.
--That game against ECU is going to be interesting. The Gamecocks haven't played in Greenville since 1997 and it'll be a fun road trip and an early test for South Carolina. The Pirates weren't great in 2020, just 3-6, but any time a team goes on the road it takes some skill to win.
--The toughest stretch of South Carolina' season is by far the final five games of the season. The Gamecocks will have to play three teams that finished in the top 15 last season, including two against top five teams: No. 3 Clemson and No. 4 Texas A&M. Getting three of the five (and three of the final four) at home helps, but the Gamecocks will have to deal with a slew of good teams down the stretch.
The wildcard in all of this will be Missouri; the Tigers were the surprise of the SEC East last season and the biggest question will be if they can take another step. If they can, then the Gamecocks will have another tough test late. If not, that game becomes winnable.
--Given all the things that happened this offseason, the late Auburn game is going to be a lot of fun. Should be a lot of emotion tucked away in that game that will continue over for Clemson.
--For a South Carolina team that struggled offensively and defensively last season, it will be a tough task to get to a bowl game. If things break right and the coaching staff can install a system that fits the talent on the team and get production from the transfers they brought in at positions of need—wide receiver, quarterback, linebacker, defensive back—then there's a feasible path to bowl eligibility.
