The No. 13 South Carolina football team defeated the Virginia Tech Hokies 24-11 in the Aflac Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Sunday night to begin the season with a win.
The win was an emotional one for South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer, who went up against his alma mater and the team his father, Frank Beamer, coached for 29 years.
"I'd be lying to you if I told you this one wasn't extra special," Beamer said. "Just really, really proud of our players, and the way they continued to battle throughout, and really cool to see us finish the way we did. "
The Gamecocks wasted no time getting out in front. In its opening drive, redshirt sophomore LaNorris Sellers hit junior tight end Maurice Brown II with a 14-yard completion and junior wide receiver Nyck Harbor with a 20 yard completion with his first two throws. After another 20-yard connection to redshirt senior Brady Hunt got the Gamecocks in the RedZone, Sellers found the end zone a few plays later with a 15-yard touchdown rush, giving the Gamecocks a 7-0 lead just 2:51 into the game.
The Hokies looked to be threatening midway through the first quarter, as redshirt senior quarterback Kyron Drones hit graduate wide receiver Donovan Greene for a 25-yard gain and junior wide receiver Ayden Greene for a 36-yard gain to get into the RedZone.
After a couple incomplete passes, Drones looked for an end zone shot on 3rd & 10 but threw an interception to sophomore linebacker Fred "JayR" Johnson. The interception was Johnson's first career interception and the first turnover of the season for the Gamecocks defense.
It didn't take long for the Hokies to take the ball back and even get some points out of it. Sellers was sacked in the South Carolina end zone just two plays after the interception, resulting in a safety, making it 7-2 Gamecocks before the end of the first quarter.
The Hokies cut it to 7-5 with a field goal at the beginning of the second quarter. A big connection from Drones to Donovan Greene brought the ball into the RedZone, but the Gamecocks was able to keep the Hokies out of the end zone.
The Gamecocks had to settle for a field goal to make it 10-5 with 3:45 left in the first half, when a Sellers to Harbor touchdown was called back. The drive brought chaos, as graduate running back Oscar Adaway III got out for a 23-yard rush, and graduate running back Rahsul Faison ripped a 30-yard carry on 2nd & 33.
The Hokies was able to cut into the lead before the end of the half after a 56-yard field goal from redshirt junior John Love as time expired, making it a 10-8 Gamecocks lead going into the break.
The third quarter came and went with no points from either team. The Gamecocks and Hokies got two drives each, both resulting in punts. Sophomore edge rusher Dylan Stewart got involved, picking up his first sack of the season and a tackle-for-loss on back-to-back plays.
The offenses were in a stalemate as the fourth quarter began, as the Gamecocks forced another Hokies three-and-out, but Virginia Tech was flagged for an illegal formation. Beamer accepted the penalty, which was five yards back and a re-punt. Redshirt sophomore defensive back Vicari Swain handled the re-punt at the 20 yard line, cut up-field, and was off to the races. Swain found the end zone for South Carolina, giving the Gamecocks the 17-8 lead in a massive swing of momentum.
The Hokies responded with a field goal, making it a 17-11 game with 9:00 remaining in the game.
Just three plays into South Carolina's drive, Sellers went back to Harbor. This time, a deep post route, lofted over the secondary to a sprinting Harbor for a 64-yard touchdown, comfortably putting the Gamecocks ahead 24-11.
Drones threw a deep heave right into the lap of redshirt junior Peyton Williams trying to get back into the game with 4:43 left in the game. It was the second interception of the game and Williams' first career interception. The Gamecocks ran the ball out to finish the game, a 24-11 final after a dominant fourth quarter.
Harbor takes advantage of second chances
It looked like the Gamecocks would be taking a 13-5 lead when Sellers hit Harbor in the back corner of the end zone late in the first half. Harbor looked to have at least gotten two feet in and had taken a step out of bounds before the ball was bobbled on the way down. Still an impressive catch, but one South Carolina couldn't cash in after being overturned.
"It is what it is. It happens," Harbor said. "I just got to keep control of the ball all the way down to the ground now."
Those things do happen, and Harbor was able to bounce back, going for 64 yards and a touchdown, the dagger for Virginia Tech's chances of winning. Beamer praised Harbor for his play and ability to make another play.
"I told Nyck, 'You're gonna come back and make another one,'" Beamer said. "And he did, what a play. He's a weapon, he's just going to continue to get better."
Harbor finished the day with three catches for 99 receiving yards, leading all receivers, along with his touchdown.
Swain swings the momentum
While South Carolina came out of the gate swinging with an early touchdown, that was much of the only excitement through three quarters of football. The score was 10-8 at halftime, and the second half started with five consecutive punts, running all the way through the third quarter.
Neither offense was getting anywhere with its attack, and someone needed to bring some much needed juice to the game during this offensive lull. In steps Vicari Swain.
"I would just say somebody had to be a game changer, and it just happened to be me," Swain said. "I embraced it and the ball came to me, and I scored. It was just that."
Beamer said Swain wasn't originally going to be the punter returner for the first game, and the job originally belonged to junior defensive back Jalon Kilgore. Kilgore had been dealing with a nag in his hamstring, and Swain took full advantage of the opportunity.
"I told him, 'You're going to make a play before the day's out to help us win this thing,' and he certainly did," Beamer said.
What's Next?
The No. 13 South Carolina football team (1-0) is back at Williams-Brice Stadium for the 2025 home opener against South Carolina State on Sept. 6. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and the SEC Network+.