The South Carolina Gamecocks will return to the football field on Saturday, as head coach Shane Beamer and his team look to put last year's 4-8 season behind them. The Gamecocks open the season at home, taking on the Kent State Golden Flashes from the Mid-American Conference.
For fans wanting to watch South Carolina's season opener, the good news is that the first game of the season will be broadcast on live television. Here's everything you need to know for how to watch South Carolina's game against Kent State
How to watch Kent State vs. South Carolina
- Kickoff Time: 12:45 p.m. ET
- Where: Williams-Brice Stadium
- Live TV: SEC Network
- Live Streaming: WatchESPN
The 2026 meeting between the two schools marks just the second-ever. These two last played in 1995, as South Carolina came away with a 77-14 victory at home.
Coach Beamer made a lot of moves this offseason that has many thinking South Carolina is in for a bounceback season. The Gamecocks landed transfer portal stars in offensive Jacarrius Peak, offensive lineman Hank Purvis from Purdue and running backs Jabree Coleman and Christian Clark from Penn State and Texas, respectively.
The South Carolina sixth-year head coach also hired Kendal Briles as offensive coordinator, as he comes after spending three seasons each at TCU and Arkansas. But as encouraging as the overhauls are, South Carolina has to navigate one of the toughest schedules in all of college football. The Gamecocks draw SEC opponents in Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Georgia. Oh, and per usual, South Carolina plays Clemson to close out the regular season.
It should be an interesting season in Columbia to see how it all it plays out. But unless South Carolina opens the season with a big win over Kent State, Coach Beamer will find himself even more squarely on the hot seat.
A brief history of how Shane Bemer's teams have done in season openers
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