Beamer even said it, dismissing it in July. The Gamecocks won nine games in 2024 and returned their quarterback, he said, which would cause anyone to talk them up. He preferred the national eye going into 2024, when coming off a 5-7 season, nobody thought they’d be worth a crap.

The “fair game” is upon us. One of the unique quirks — which is either charming or annoying, depending on your point of view — of University of South Carolina football fandom is the nearly annual October intersection of a Gamecocks home game at Williams-Brice Stadium and the South Carolina State Fair happening at the fairgrounds across the street.

Missouri football and Vanderbilt will play a top-15 matchup — and College GameDay will be in Nashville for the game.

As the announcement of an annual nine-game SEC football schedule forced it to, South Carolina began rescheduling some of its future non-conference opponents.

Expect heavy traffic and packed parking lots Saturday as two major events converge at the South Carolina State Fairgrounds: the South Carolina State Fair and the University of South Carolina Gamecocks’ home football game against Oklahoma.