For the first time in more than two decades, the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Virginia Tech Hokies will square off on the gridiron. The two programs have not shared a field since 1991, when South Carolina defended its home turf in Columbia with a 28-21 victory. That win extended the Gamecocks' streak to two straight wins over the Hokies, and with 20 all-time meetings between the two schools. And now, that series carries a layered history that will once again be renewed.
The matchup also runs deep within the Beamer family. Head coach Shane Beamer will lead the Gamecocks into the showdown, but he won't be the first Beamer to coach in the matchup. His father, Frank Beamer, patrolled the Hokies' sideline for five of those 20 contests, finishing with a 1-4 record against the Gamecocks. Shane's own ties to Virginia Tech are undeniable, as he also suited up for the Hokies from 1995-1999, later serving as assistant head coach and running backs coach from 2011-2015. However, depsite his personal history in Blacksburg, this matchup is one chapter he has never been a part of, until now.
For South Carolina, Week 1 has become a proving ground under Shane Beamer. He is currently 3-1 in season openers, but the Gamecocks' last taste of a marquee power-conference kickoff ended in disappointment against North Carolina in 2023. This season, the stakes are even higher, with South Carolina eyeing not just a fast start but the possibility of finally breaking through as a real contender for the College Football Playoff.
It is more than a game. This meeting between the Gamecocks and Hokies feel like a collision of past and present for the Beamer legacy. It is the rekindling of an old rivalry with two programs trying to make their mark on the national stage.