For students at the University of South Carolina, a new school year always brings the thrill of a new football season.
With head coach Will Muschamp and quarterback Jake Bentley settling in for their second seasons, students at USC have good reason to be excited for the upcoming season.
Behind the leadership of these two and others, the Gamecocks earned a bid to the Birmingham Bowl last season, finishing 6-7 overall and fifth in the SEC East. This season, the expectations are even higher with the team being selected to finish fourth in the SEC East in the preseason poll at SEC Media Days. The excitement of USC students has rubbed off on Muschamp, who is impressed with the team’s culture and is seeing more buy-in from players. Offensively, the team returns a group of talented veterans, including wide receiver Deebo Samuel and tight end Hayden Hurst, who were both named to the preseason first-team All-SEC by Athlon.
Hurst, a vocal leader, became the first permanent sophomore team captain at USC and set the school’s single-season record for catches by a tight end with 48. Meanwhile, Samuel is coming off a big performance in the Birmingham Bowl, tying USC’s single-game record with 14 receptions for 190 yards against USF.
Defensively, Muschamp and his assistants worked this offseason to earn the commitments of several highly-touted recruits who may see playing time as freshmen, including Jamyest Williams, Sherrod Greene and Aaron Sterling. Linebacker Skai Moore will make his return from injury and Bryson Allen-Williams enters his senior season, providing leadership to these younger players.
As for the schedule, USC will start the season with a tough matchup against N.C. State at the Belk College Kickoff in Charlotte. From there, the Gamecocks are presented with a slew of tough road matchups, including Texas A&M on Sept. 30 and Georgia on Nov. 4. The Gamecocks’ lone FCS opponent is Wofford, which they will face for the first time in five years on Nov. 18.
With the growing excitement for this season, The Daily Gamecock's sports staff is making an effort to provide more useful information USC students can use while attending games. Enter our “For the students” section, beginning on page 46. The section includes helpful tips on earning loyalty points for tickets, details on what to bring to Williams-Brice Stadium and changes to the most popular tailgating lots at USC.
Whether you’re a senior preparing for your last season cheering in the student section or a freshman gearing up for your first football game, I hope this preview serves you well.
— Carson Mason, Sports Editor