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by WILL FOLKS
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Less than 48 hours away from its 2026 season opener, South Carolina’s football team has landed an experienced placekicker from the Big 12 conference, head coach Shane Beamer announced on Thursday (September 3, 2026).
Ethan Sanchez of Dallas, Georgia signed with the Gamecocks after spending three seasons at Old Dominion and one year at Houston, where he was an All-Big 12 performer and national semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award – given annually to the top placekicker in college football.
Sanchez converted 21 of 26 field goals (80.7%) last year with Houston – including three game-winners – and was a perfect 43 of 43 on his extra points. He was also one of only six kickers in America to connect on four or more field goals in multiple games last season.
During his career at Old Dominion from 2022-2025, Sanchez made 35 of 46 field goals (76.1%) and was 101 of 106 (96.6%) on extra points. Two of those field goals and one of those extra points came during the Monarchs’ 23-19 loss to South Carolina at Williams-Brice Stadium on August 31, 2024.
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Sanchez connected on a 40-yard field goal to tie the game late in the third quarter and nailed a 33-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter to pull his team ahead of the Gamecocks. South Carolina would ultimately win the game on a late LaNorris Sellers‘ touchdown run.
Sanchez drew interest from the San Francisco 49ers following his season at Houston, drawing an invite to the team’s rookie minicamp.
South Carolina entered the 2026 season with Texas Tech transfer Upton Bellenfant as the top kicker on its roster. The 6-foot, 180 pound redshirt senior from Murfreesboro, Tennessee connected on all six of his field goal attempts last season for the Red Raiders – and went 14 of 16 (87.5%) on his extra points.
Prior to his season at Texas Tech, Bellanfant went 18 of 21 on field goal attempts (85.7%) and a perfect 31 of 31 extra-point attempts at Buffalo.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
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