The 2025 season for the South Carolina Gamecocks is becoming extremely similar to the 2024 season.
South Carolina started last season 2-0 before losing its third game of the season, partially due to an injury to their star quarterback LaNorris Sellers. The Gamecocks did defeat Akron in Week 4 last season, but then went on to lose the game that Sellers returned against Ole Miss.
The same could be said for the 2025 season, as South Carolina fell to Missouri in LaNorris Sellers' return game. Last season, the Gamecocks also dropped consecutive matchups to Ole Miss and Alabama in Sellers' first two games back from injury.
To avoid the same outcome this season, these three players must step up and deliver against Kentucky:
Dylan Stewart, DE
Stewart has nearly been a non-factor this season. That is partially due to the attention he gets from offensive lines (as well as getting held every other play).
Stewart's name has not been mentioned favorably this season, especially with reports of Shane Beamer having to bring Stewart back to the field after Saturday's loss. The sophomore defensive end will need to get his head right before Kentucky comes to town.
Shane Beamer just ran after Dylan Stewart, who was already walking in the tunnel to the locker room.
— Jordan Kaye (@jordankaye_23) September 21, 2025
Beamer tapped him on the back and told him to join the team for the alma mater
Nyck Harbor, WR
It feels that conversations about Harbor's lack of production in the early parts of the season are never-ending. He does have 210 yards on just 10 catches, but 64 of those came on one play.
Remove the 64-yard catch, and Harbor would be averaging 36.5 yards per game compared to the 52.5 he is actually averaging. In his third year in the program, he needs to be able to average more than 2.5 catches per game.
Offensive Line
No one has stood out enough to be excluded from this group, so we'll include them as a whole. To put it kindly, the big boys up front have been abysmal.
They've allowed Sellers to be sacked 12 times already this season, and the -9 rushing yards from Saturday's loss speaks volumes to the lack of production. If this South Carolina team has any hopes of another magical run like last season, it starts with the offensive line drastically improving.