Face coverings will be strongly encouraged, but not required, during game days at Williams-Brice Stadium, according to a press release from the South Carolina Athletics Department.
Event staff working on the field and within enclosed areas will still be required to wear face coverings.
Other COVID-19 protocols that will be implemented during South Carolina football games include hand sanitizing stations that will be placed throughout the stadium.
The South Carolina Athletics Department plans to work with DHEC to provide free vaccinations at Gamecock Village, which is located just outside the stadium, throughout the 2021-2022 football season.
Vaccinations will be offered before the first game of the season on Sept. 4 from 2:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m.
The stadium is also going paperless. Only mobile tickets will be accepted, and fans must pay for concessions with a card or mobile payment.
"We hope that by taking these precautions at Williams-Brice Stadium, everyone who attends our games can mitigate the risks of COVD-19 and enjoy all the traditions and festivities that make Gamecock football Saturdays so great," Athletics Director Ray Tanner told Gamecocks Online.
According to the press release, these protocols are still subject to change.