The South Carolina Gamecocks stepped into the national spotlight at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The Aflac Kickoff Game brought all eyes to Atlanta, where the Gamecocks got a gritty 24-11 win over Virginia Tech to start the season 1-0.
During the offseason, the conversation circled around two things: can LaNorris Sellers handle the Heisman hype, and can the Gamecocks handle their new expectation? Sellers and company did not play a perfect game, but it appeared the Gamecocks can handle just about everything thrown their way.
Sellers wasted no time making an instant impact right after kick off, accouting for 87 of the Gamecocks' 96 first-quarter yards, punching in a 15-yard touchdown in the opening drive. The rest of the ground game sputtered out of the gate, producing only 11 rushing yards outside of Sellers' runs in the first quarter.
On the defense, linebacker Fred "JayR" Johnson set the tone with a red zone interception, thought his decision to return it instead of taking a touchback backfired as the Gamecocks were quickly tackled for a safety. Johnson still stood out as the defensive leader, finishing with a team-high of 10 tackles and his interception. Freshman EDGE Dylan Stewart seven stops, including a momentum-shifting third-quarter sack.
The Hokies held their own with a pair of field goals, including a 56-yarder before the half, to cut the margin to 10-8. South Carolina's defense bent, but didn't break, with the front four consistently hurrying Virginia Tech QB Kyron Drones while the secondary gave up several contested balls.
On the offense, South Carolina struggled to sustain drives in the middle quarters, managing only 45 total yards in the third quarter. They also missed a touchdown opportunity when Nyck Harbor's nine-yard score was overturned on review.
The turning point came on special teams for the Gamecocks. A re-punt by Virginia Tech kicked the door wide open for Vicari Swain, who returned it for a touchdown to put the Gamecocks back in control of the game. From there, Sellers and Harbor connected for a 60-yard strike that gave the sophomore QB his first touchdown pass of the season.
Virginia Tech added another field goal, but a late interception by Peyton Williams and another bruising third-down run by Sellers sealed the win, 24-11 Gamecocks.
South Carolina leaves Atlanta, starting their 2025 campaign 1-0, but there is plenty left for Beamer and his staff to evaluate. It wasn't pretty, but it didn't have to be. Sellers, Harbor, and the defensive front are ready to carry the load. The offensive line and consistency still need work, but this opening game showed that the Gamecocks can handle the spotlight.