Dear Hokies, wearing orange against the Gamecocks is a bad idea

College football is in the air, and Gamecock Nation knows what that means: rival colors are about to flood into stadiums across the country. This Sunday in Atlanta, the South Carolina Gamecocks are ready to face the Virginia Tech Hokies, who are aiming to paint the Merecedes-Benz Stadium in orange for the Aflac Kickoff Game. But if recent matchups mean anything, wearing orange against the Gamecocks is not a safe choice.

Hokies head coach Brent Pry and the team even dropped a couple of hype posts for the upcoming game, leaning all the way into the carroty energy.

South Carolina heads into the season opener as 7.5-point favorites over the Hokies, and it's not just Vegas seeing it that way. Analysts at CBS Sports are siding with the Gamecocks, and with good reason.

Chris Hummer put it plainly: “I don't have a lot of confidence in Virginia Tech going into this season… An offensive line with five new starters has a very tough task ahead against Dylan Stewart and what is still an excellent South Carolina defensive front. Rahsul Faison's last-minute eligibility waiver approval is also a huge boon for the Gamecocks, who can rely on the run as the passing game develops. …South Carolina 28, Virginia Tech 20.”

And Brad Crawford doubled down: “Shane Beamer's not worried, nor should bettors in this spot for South Carolina. There’s a brewing confidence from those inside the program that LaNorris Sellers and this group opens with a bang in Atlanta. ...South Carolina 31, Virginia Tech 17.”

The Gamecocks have seen orange before. The Gamecocks have handled orange before. And this weekend, South Carolina fans believe history will repeat itself.

Shane Beamer's squad has heard the doubt, the questions, the whispers about how they will reload the roster after losing defensive stars to the NFL. And now, the Gamecocks are ready to answer in front of the nation.