Week 1
Opponent: NC State
Date: Saturday, Sept. 2
Time: 3 p.m. ET
Location: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
TV info: ESPN
Things to know: The Gamecocks will face NC State in the Belk College Kickoff to open the season. In 2015, the Gamecocks played UNC at the same location, earning a 17-13 win and handing the Tar Heels their only loss of the regular season. The Daily Gamecock staff chatted with Andrew Schnittker, the sports editor and football beat writer of NC State’s Technician, to see what he expects of the Wolfpack in the season opener.
Week 2
Opponent: Missouri
Date: Saturday, Sept. 9
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Faurot Field, Columbia, MO
TV info: ESPN 2
Things to know: The Gamecocks defeated the Tigers 31-21 last season at Williams-Brice Stadium. Like head coach Will Muschamp, Barry Odom is entering his second season with the team. Quarterback Drew Lock returns as the starter for the Tigers, hoping to utilize a slew of new weapons. Conversely, the Missouri defense has some question marks, ranking among the nation’s worst in all four major categories last season.
Week 3
Opponent: Kentucky
Date: Saturday, Sept. 16
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, SC
TV info: SEC Network
Things to know: After facing Missouri on the road in the second week of the season, the Gamecocks will play their home opener against the Kenutcky Wildcats at Williams-Brice Stadium. The Athletics Department announced the game as a “Black Out,” encouraging students to wear all black apparel, matching the football players’ uniforms for that game. The theme was made to coincide with Columbia being a central location for the eclipse on Aug. 21. “Coach Muschamp wanted to do something special for the home opener,” said Eric Nichols, senior associate AD for marketing and branding. “We will have several types of black shirts available at our retail outlets that can be worn for the game and throughout the season.”
Week 4
Opponent: Louisiana Tech
Date: Saturday, Sept. 23
Time: TBA
Location: Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, SC
TV info: TBA
Things to know: The Bulldogs will acclimate a new quarterback into the starting role for the fourth straight season. Sophomore duel threat J’Mar Smith will take over for Ryan Higgins, hoping to lead Louisiana Tech to its fourth consecutive nine-win season under coach Skip Holtz. The last time these two teams faced was over 20 years ago on Sept. 16, 1995, with USC earning a 68-21 win.
Week 5
Opponent: Texas A&M
Date: Saturday, Sept. 30
Time: TBA
Location: Kyle Field, College Station, TX
TV info: TBA
Things to know: Since 2014, the Gamecocks have lost three straight meetings with the Aggies, including a 24-13 loss at Williams-Brice Stadium last season. When the two teams met last year, the Gamecocks were still rotating between starting quarterbacks, while the Aggies’ offense was solidified with starter Trevor Knight. Now, the tables have turned. Jake Bentley is the Gamecocks’ No. 1 starter and the Aggies will bring in a new quarterback this fall, who will likely be determined early in the season. Their options include senior Jake Hubenak, who was Knight’s backup last season, redshirt freshman Nick Starkel and highly-touted true freshman prospect Kellen Mond.
Week 6
Opponent: Arkansas
Date: Saturday, Oct. 7
Time: TBA
Location: Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, SC
TV info: TBA
Things to know: Prior to this matchup, the Gamecocks last faced the Razorbacks in 2013, earning a 52-7 win. Quarterback Austin Allen will look to get back to his performance in the first half of last season, including three straight wins over Louisiana Tech, TCU and Texas State to open the season. Arkansas finished with a 7-5 regular season record last season, qualifying for the Belk Bowl, but losing to Virginia Tech 35-24.
Week 7
Opponent: Tennessee
Date: Saturday, Oct. 14
Time: TBA
Location: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, TN
TV info: TBA
Things to know: The Gamecocks’ biggest upset win last season came at Williams-Brice Stadium over Tennessee, which had a preseason top 10 ranking. The Vols didn’t live up to all of the preseason hype last season, finishing with a 9-4 overall record. This season they are ranked No. 24 in the Preseason USA Today Coaches’ Poll and will look to acclimate a new quarterback and offensive coordinator into the system.
Week 8 — BYE WEEK
Week 9
Opponent: Vanderbilt
Date: Saturday, Oct. 28
Time: TBA
Location: Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, SC
TV info: TBA
Things to know: USC opened last season on a positive note with a 13-10 nationally-televised win over Vanderbilt in Nashville. The Commodores, who finished 6-7, 3-5 (SEC), played in a bowl game for the first time in three years at the end of last season. Quarterback Kyle Shurmur returns for his junior season after combining for four touchdowns and 689 passing yards against Tennessee and Ole Miss to end the season.
Week 10
Opponent: Georgia
Date: Saturday, Nov. 4
Time: TBA
Location: Sanford Stadium, Athens, GA
TV info: TBA
Things to know: The Gamecocks will enter this game having lost to the Bulldogs for two straight meetings. Like USC quarterback Jake Bentley, Georgia quarterback Jacob Eason will return for his sophomore season with a slew of offensive weapons — both old and new. The Gamecocks limited Eason to 29 yards and one touchdown in their matchup last season, but running back Nick Chubb carried the majority of the offensive load with two rushing touchdowns. He and Sony Michel are returning for their senior seasons.
Week 11
Opponent: Florida
Date: Saturday, Nov. 11
Time: TBA
Location: Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, SC
TV info: TBA
Things to know: The Gators will look to defend their SEC East crown for the third straight season, but they’ll have to do so with a new quarterback and defensive coordinator. The Gamecocks lost 20-7 to the Gators in Gainesville last season in what was quarterback Jake Bentley’s first test on the road after three straight wins at home. With former USC head coach Steve Spurrier and current head coach Will Muschamp both having coached at Florida, this matchup is definitely one to circle on your calendar.
Week 12
Opponent: Wofford
Date: Saturday, Nov. 18
Time: TBA
Location: Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, SC
TV info: TBA
Things to know: These two Palmetto State teams last faced in 2012 with the Gamecocks taking a 24-7 victory in Columbia. The Terriers, coached by Mike Ayers, are the Gamecocks’ sole FCS opponent this season. They finished 10-4 overall with a 6-2 record in the Southern Conference. The Gamecocks are 19-4 all-time against the Terriers having won 16 straight. Last season, the Terriers’ lone FBS game came against SEC opponent Ole Miss, resulting in a 38-13 loss in Week 2.
Week 13
Opponent: Clemson
Date: Saturday, Nov. 25
Time: TBA
Location: Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, SC
TV info: TBA
Things to know: The Gamecocks are hoping to turn the page on a 56-7 blowout loss to the Tigers last season in Clemson. USC has lost three straight Palmetto Bowl meetings to the Tigers, dating back to 2014. After winning the National Championship in January, Clemson was ranked No. 5 in the Preseason USA Today Coaches’ Poll. One of the biggest questions the Tigers face is "Who can fill the role of Heisman Trophy runner-up Deshaun Watson?" Between junior Kelly Bryant, five-star true freshman Hunter Johnson and redshirt freshman Zerrick Cooper, the Tigers aren’t shy of options.
SEC Championship
Date: Saturday, Dec. 2
Time: 4 p.m. ET
Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
TV info: CBS