First SEC opponent on South Carolina football schedule suffers key injury

South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer and his team will have to navigate a tough schedule in 2024 (as they always do), and one of the most important games of the year comes early.

In week 2, the Gamecocks will travel up to Lexington, Kentucky to face the Kentucky Wildcats. Relatively evenly-matched, the 'Cocks and the 'Cats both are hoping that the second Saturday of the 2024 campaign can serve as a launching point for a good year.

On Tuesday, news broke out of the Bluegrass State that a key piece likely will be unavailable for the game. According to a report from KY Sports Radio's Matt Jones, running back Chip Trayanum broke his hand and will miss several weeks. According to the report, he is expected to miss "3-4 weeks and likely 1-2 games."

Trayanum, a former 4-star high school prospect who previously played for the Arizona Sun Devils and Ohio State Buckeyes, had a nice offseason for head coach Mark Stoops and was expected by many to be one of the two top backs for the Big Blue (along with Demie Sumo-Karngbaye heading into the fall. Redshirt freshman Jamarion Wilcox will be one of the players the Wildcats will count on to step up in Trayanum's stead. Athletic backup quarterback Gavin Wimsatt could be called upon to help out in the run game, as well.

For the Gamecocks, there is some injury-related concern surrounding the running back position, as well. Transfer portal addition Rocket Sanders (Arkansas Razorbacks) missed part of last year with a knee issue and had offseason shoulder surgery. He missed the team's scrimmage this past weekend, but Coach Beamer and several players have spoken out regarding Sanders, saying that the 2022 All-American is doing fine and will be ready to go leading up to the season opener on August 31st against the Old Dominion Monarchs.