It’s 7 a.m. on gameday in Columbia. You’re barely awake before your friend’s elaborate pregame plans start to stress you out. And if that’s not bad enough, the 90-degree temperatures only make things worse.
If only there were more time until kickoff.
Many college students dislike afternoon football games. Between the morning rush, blistering South Carolina heat and less energetic atmosphere, afternoon games don’t hit the same as night kickoffs do.
All week, students look forward to sleeping in, having a leisurely breakfast or getting in a workout with no rush. On Saturdays with a noon game, all downtime gets thrown out the window. Many students have to wake up before 9 a.m. and get ready for a pre-game party or tailgate, having to miss a run club meetup or hot yoga class. They also miss out on Soda City Market, an essential part of the Columbia experience.
Part of the fast-paced mornings preparing for afternoon football is preparing to melt alive in Williams-Brice Stadium. Even the most spirited fans have a hard time gaining strength to Sandstorm when the sun has been beating down for three hours. Trying to stay hydrated is nearly impossible when it takes 20 minutes to buy an overpriced water bottle at concessions. Instead of students being energetic, they are counting down the minutes until they can escape at halftime.
The Gamecocks need all the excitement they can get from the student section, and afternoon games don’t bring the hype. The exhaustion and heat dull the energy and leave the student section bare by halftime. But night games, on the other hand, bring electricity to Williams-Brice Stadium.
A 7 p.m. kickoff allows students to have the whole day to unwind from the week and energize for the pre-game festivities. Saturday mornings and afternoons are more productive when there aren't plans until 4 p.m., and students have time to study for an exam on Monday or call and catch up with a friend. When game time rolls around at night, it's so much easier to let loose because students have crossed off their to-do lists. Plus, you've been looking forward to it all day.
Pre-game tailgates are more enjoyable in the evening, too. There's no debate that hotdogs and hamburgers are better tailgate foods than veggie plates and sandwich slices, or that pictures during golden hour look better than those in the afternoon's harsh sunlight.
Additionally, cooler temperatures make walking around the fairgrounds more enjoyable, and transportation to and from the stadium is less stressful with Ubers and golf carts patrolling the streets.
When the sun goes down and the Cockaboose rolls onto the field, the crowd goes crazy. The true beauty of Williams-Brice Stadium comes out at night. The stadium's impressive lights are revealed, the video replays on the jumbotron stand out in the dark, and the touchdown fireworks can be seen from all around Columbia. South Carolina's night game atmosphere is unmatched, and the fans know it.
During night games, the student section stays packed until the end, especially if there's a chance to rush the field. When the Gamecocks beat Texas A&M in the fall 44-20, students rushed the field and did not hold back their celebration. I still remember seeing the celebration after our win against Clemson in fall 2022 and being excited to attend night games as a college student. It's moments like this that make the college experience — and make night games worth waiting all day for.
The best news is that students don't have to wait until the fall to experience another Saturday evening game. The Garnet & Black Spring Game will be at 7:30 p.m. on April 18 at Williams-Brice Stadium. Gamecock fans will be able to enjoy good weather, food and energy again. With a night scrimmage on the schedule, all is right in Columbia.
In the 2024 season, the Gamecocks played five home games that started at or after 4 p.m., and they won all five games. The only two games lost at home had kickoffs before 4 p.m. The numbers don't lie, and neither do the vibes. Night games are where it's at!