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Coming off a much-needed bye week, South Carolina opens the toughest stretch of its 2025 schedule – or for that matter any college football team’s schedule – this coming Saturday (October 11, 2025) on the road against No. 11 LSU in Baton Rouge.
Despite breaking into the top ten earlier this season, the Gamecocks (3-2, 1-2 SEC) enter this matchup unranked following a pair of conference losses. As they look to scratch their way back into the national rankings, they are also seeking redemption following last season’s controversial 36-33 loss to the Tigers.
South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer enters this matchup with a 7-16 (.304) career record against ranked opponents – a figure somewhat muddied by discrepancies between the Associated Press and coaches’ polls. For the record, we count Beamer’s record against ranked teams based on whether South Carolina’s opponent was ranked by either of the two major polls (or the College Football Playoff rankings).
There’s certainly no doubt about the rankings of the Gamecocks’ five upcoming foes: No. 11 LSU (October 11 in Baton Rouge), No. 6 Oklahoma (at home on October 18), No. 8 Alabama (at home on October 25), No. 4 Ole Miss (in Oxford on November 1) and No. 5 Texas A&M (in College Station on November 15).
That’s the toughest five-game slate in school history…
South Carolina has never played ranked opponents in five consecutive contests. The program’s record for consecutive games against ranked opponents is four – the final two games of the 2022 season (upsets of Tennessee and Clemson), the 2022 Gator Bowl and the 2023 season opener against North Carolina.
Beamer’s teams went 2-2 against that gauntlet.
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7-16 (.304): That's ?? @CoachSBeamer's all-time record vs. ranked opponents. It's tracked differently by some media outlets because certain opponents were ranked in one poll but not the other. Beamer's @GamecockFB team has FIVE STRAIGHT upcoming vs. Nos. 4, 5, 6, 8 and 11. pic.twitter.com/fIp63uNYb8
— FITSNews (@fitsnews) October 7, 2025
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The Gamecocks saw an eight-game regular-season winning streak – and a 16-game winning streak over Vanderbilt – snapped last month in their 2025 conference opener at home. Beamer’s team then dropped a road matchup against Mizzou the following week before bouncing back with a much-needed 35-13 victory over Kentucky heading into the bye week.
As South Carolina’s offense struggles (thanks to a moribund rushing attack), quarterback LaNorris Sellers – a preseason Heisman hopeful and projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft – turned in a strong outing against Kentucky, completing 11 of 14 passes (78.6%) for 153 yards.
South Carolina also finally received some run support – aided by running back Rahsul Faison’s two rushing touchdowns. Redshirt sophomore wideout Vandrevious Jacobs paced the receiving game, registering his second straight 100-yard performance against the Wildcats.
South Carolina’s offensive depth could be further tested against LSU, as three backup linemen have been ruled out with injuries – leaving the Gamecocks vulnerable should additional starters go down or need to be pulled from the game.
The Gamecocks’ defense and special teams have been the program’s real spark, though – leading the nation with six non-offensive touchdowns, three of which have come from defensive back Vicari Swain on punt returns.
Against Kentucky, All-American edge rusher Dylan Stewart caused a fumble that senior edge rusher Jatius Greer scooped up and ran 41 yards for a score. Two plays later, defensive back Gerald Kilgore corralled a deflection and raced 45 yards for another touchdown.
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South Carolina’s defense will be put to the test this weekend by an LSU offense led by Hesiman contending quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and wide receiver Aaron Anderson.
This season, Nussmeier has completed 115 of 171 passes (67.3%) for 1,159 yards and seven touchdowns. He did sustain an abdominal strain prior to LSU’s bye last weekend – although he’s expected to be back in action against South Carolina.
“He feels good and he’s ready to go,” Tigers head coach Brian Kelly said this week.
“He’s feeling better and better,” Kelly added. “We didn’t do a lot with him last week. We wanted to use that as a recovery week for him.”
Nussmeier and Anderson – who has tallied 305 receiving yards this season – will be joined by running back Caden Durham, who has logged 52 carries for 213 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Five-star recruit Harlem Berry – the No. 1 running back of the 2025 recruiting class – is expected to continuing backing Durham in the Tigers’ ground game.
To contain LSU’s powerful offense, South Carolina will lean heavily on Stewart and linebacker Fred “JayR” Johnson who has registered 15 solo tackles (25 total) and an interception so far this season.
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The Tigers’ defense, meanwhile, will rely on linebacker West Weeks – who has tallied 31 tackles (13 solo) – and Davhon Keys, who has logged 29 tackles (10 solo).
Saturday’s SEC matchup is a notorious night game at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana – with kickoff set for 7:45 p.m. EDT. LSU has won 150 out of 175 games at the “real Death Valley” (85.7%) over the past quarter century – including 35 victories over Top 25 teams.
The game will be televised on SEC Network with Tom Hart handling the play-by-play, former Commodore quarterback Jordan Rodgers providing the color commentary and Cole Cubelic working the sidelines.
LSU holds a commanding 20-2-1 all-time advantage over South Carolina, although two of those victories (in 2012 and 2015) were vacated by the Tigers owing to a scandal surrounding impermissible benefits paid to the family of former offensive lineman Vadal Alexander. The Gamecocks have not defeated LSU since 1994, when quarterback Steve Tanneyhill led the team to an 18-17 come-from-behind upset on the road in Death Valley.
LSU enters Saturday night’s matchup as a 9.5-point favorite according to oddsmakers, with ESPN’s matchup predictor giving the Tigers a 73% chance to come out on top.
What are your expectations for South Carolina's upcoming five-game slate against nationally ranked opponents?
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Erin Parrott is a Greenville, S.C. native who graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2025 with a bachelor degree in broadcast journalism. Got feedback or a tip for Erin? Email her here.
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1 comment
Excellent Job on putting words to paper, Erin. Would like to see something a bit more current and a bit more pop. The Editor of Fits News once said he wanted to be first to publish and provide new & accurate intel. That’s a tall order in today’s “fast-paced” media world to be sure.
The Tide is rolling into Williams Brice tomorrow. That’s a tall order for the Gamecocks. Maybe an original piece about the tragedy that occurred after the great win by Carolina against Alabama back when . No one remembers that story. It also puts the game in perspective.