South Carolina continues to climb. The Gamecocks moved up one spot to No. 10 in the US LBM Coaches Poll, released on Sunday, following their 38-10 victory over SC State in Columbia.
The win was far from flawless, but it was enough to keep South Carolina undefeated 2-0 and inside the national spotlight. The Gamecocks were forced to wait out nearly three hours lightning delay before kickoff and looked sluggish early, falling behind 3-0 in the first quarter. The offense sputtered again behind sophomore quarterback LaNorris Sellers, who threw for 128 yards and a touchdown but struggled to find rhythm.
The spark came back from special teams and the defense. Vicari Swain electrified Williams-Brice Stadium with two punt return touchdown in the second quarter, swinging momentum firmly to South Carolina. Linebacker Jaron Willis added a defensive score on a 46-yard fumble return, and Sellers later connected with Vandrevius Jacobs for a 35-yard touchdown pass.
South Carolina finished with just 253 yards of offense but never looked back after Swain's impact plays. Head coach Shane Beamer acknowledged the offense has work to do, but the combination of defensive stops and explosive special teams carried the Gamecocks to their second straight double-digit win.
The move up to No. 10 reflects steady respect from voters, though South Carolina will need more offensive consistency to stay among the nation's top team. The Gamecocks return to action next Saturday night when they host Vanderbilt (2-0) at Williams-Brice Stadium, with kickoff set for 7:45 p.m. on SEC Network.