South Carolina Football: What Coach Shane Beamer and others said on College GameDay

College GameDay is Charlotte for tonight’s game between the Gamecocks and Tar Heels, and, frankly, the South Carolina football fans in attendance blew the UNC crowd out of the water.

Gamecock fans were louder, more abundant, and more creative with their usage of signs. Even the hosts of College GameDay noticed.

Kirk Herbstreit had kind things to say about South Carolina’s starting quarterback. The former Ohio State Buckeye said that he believes the end of the 2022 season served as a “turning point” for Rattler and that he thinks #7 has matured into a new player and a new type of leader who can push the Gamecocks to a big day in Charlotte with “big plays.”

Gamecock players Boogie Huntley and Dakereon Joyner described Spencer Rattler as a guy who is “the ultimate competitor” and has the “whole trust” of the South Carolina football team.

Former West Virginia and NFL punter Pat McAfee is the big personality on the show, and he made note several times of the garnet and black supremacy in Charlotte. As a former specialist, himself, McAfee called the Gamecocks’ special teams unit “dominant.” The compliment was almost enough to atone for him calling South Carolina football’s colors “burgundy and black.” Almost.

South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer, like McAfee, spoke about his special teams unit. Beamer talked about how it was one of his biggest takeaways from his father (former Virginia Tech head coach) Frank Beamer’s coaching philosophy.

He also poked fun at McAfee’s seeming surprise that South Carolina dominated North Carolina in GameDay representation by saying he “clearly doesn’t know Gamecock nation.” McAfee, Herbstreit, and Desmond Howard all agreed that the real Carolina crowd had a significant edge on Saturday morning.

Celebrity guest picker Darius Rucker, an avid South Carolina football fan, predictably picked Duke to beat Clemson (much to the delight of the South Carolina fans in Charlotte and to the chagrin of the North Carolina fans in attendance). He also picked the Gamecocks to beat the Tar Heels “by 90.”

Desmond Howard picked North Carolina, Kirk Herbstreit picked South Carolina, and Pat McAfee picked North Carolina.

With the pick everyone waited to see, Coach Lee Corso went with the North Carolina Tar Heels to beat South Carolina, donning the Rameses Ram headgear “for my friend, Mack Brown.”

Kickoff between the Gamecock and Tar Heels is set for 7:44 on ABC and the ESPN App. For Spectrum customers who may be blacked out from the broadcast, check out this link for tips to avoid the blackout.