The 2024 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Gamecocks played their home games at Williams–Brice Stadium located in Columbia, South Carolina, and were led by Shane Beamer, who was in his fourth year as their head coach.
Predicted to only win five games and finish thirteenth in the SEC, South Carolina achieved the eighth nine-win season in program history. The Gamecocks recorded their first 5–3 conference record since 2017 and the first of Beamer's tenure. They defeated three conference opponents on the road for the first time since 2011. Shane Beamer broke the record for most wins in the first four seasons by a Gamecock head coach, and he was named the SEC Coach of the Year.
Following a disappointing and controversial first half of the season, which saw close losses to LSU and Alabama as well as a blowout loss to Ole Miss, the Gamecocks won the last six games in the regular season. The four-game SEC winning streak was the first since 2012, while the four ranked wins and three regular season trophies were school records. Two of those trophy wins were decided by late touchdowns. The winning streak earned South Carolina consideration for the College Football Playoff, but they were instead invited to the Citrus Bowl, where they lost to Illinois.
The Gamecocks were led by redshirt freshman quarterback sensation LaNorris Sellers as well as a defense that ranked among the best in the nation and school history. Kyle Kennard won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, honoring him as the top defensive player in college football, and was a finalist for the Lombardi Award. Kennard was a consensus All-American, only the fifth in program history. Dylan Stewart was a finalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award. Five defensive players were selected in the following NFL draft, a school record. Following the regular season, Sellers began receiving consideration as one of the best players in the country. Punter Kai Kroeger was also awarded All-American and 1st Team All-SEC honors for the second time in his career as a Gamecock.
Schedule
South Carolina and the SEC announced the 2024 football schedule on December 13, 2023. This was the first season South Carolina did not play Georgia since the Gamecocks joined the SEC in 1992, and only the sixth time the two teams did not meet since 1958. South Carolina also hosted College GameDay for the first time since 2014.
Game summaries vs. Old Dominion
Statistics ODU SCAR First downs 17 18 Total yards 72–305 79–288 Rushing yards 34–108 56–174 Passing yards 197 114 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 22–38–2 10–23–0 Time of possession 24:14 35:46 Team Category Player StatisticsOld Dominion Passing Grant Wilson 22/38, 197 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT Rushing Aaron Young 16 carries, 56 yards Receiving Isiah Paige 8 receptions, 115 yards, 1 TDSouth Carolina Passing LaNorris Sellers 10/23, 114 yards Rushing Raheim Sanders 24 carries, 88 yards, 1 TD Receiving Vandrevius Jacobs 2 receptions, 59 yards
at Kentucky
Statistics SCAR UK First downs 13 13 Total yards 50–252 63–183 Rushing yards 34–86 46–139 Passing yards 166 44 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 12–16–1 6–17–2 Time of possession 27:39 32:21 Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Carolina Passing LaNorris Sellers 11/15, 159 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Raheim Sanders 13 carries, 54 yards, TD Receiving Mazeo Bennett Jr. 3 receptions, 63 yards, TDKentucky Passing Brock Vandagriff 3/10, 30 yards, INT Rushing Demie Sumo-Karngbaye 17 carries, 70 yards Receiving Dane Key 2 receptions, 36 yards
vs No. 16 LSU
Statistics LSUSCAR First downs 26 18 Total yards 82-417 64-398 Rushing yards 132 243 Passing yards 285 155 Passing: -- 24-40-1 11–20–1 Time of possession 32:57 27:03 Team Category Player StatisticsLSU Passing Garrett Nussmeier 24/40, 285 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Caden Durham 11 carries, 98 yards, 2 TD Receiving Aaron Anderson 5 receptions, 96 yardsSouth Carolina Passing LaNorris Sellers 9/16, 113 yards, INT Rushing Raheim Sanders 19 carries, 143 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jared Brown 3 receptions, 40 yards
vs Akron
Statistics AKR SCAR First downs 927 Total yards 51-15480-549 Rushing yards 37 273 Passing yards 117 276 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 16-30-1 19-27 Time of possession 23:57 36:03 Team Category Player StatisticsAkron Passing Ben Finley 14/27, 110 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Jordon Simmons 6 carries, 19 yards Receiving Adrian Norton 4 receptions, 56 yards, 1 TDSouth Carolina Passing Robby Ashford15/21, 243 yards, 2 TD Rushing Robby Ashford16 carries, 133 yards, TD Receiving Gage Larvadain2 receptions, 79 yards
vs No. 12 Ole Miss
Statistics MISSSCAR First downs 17 19 Total yards 68–425 76–313 Rushing yards 41–140 43–151 Passing yards 285 162 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 14–27–0 20–33–1 Time of possession 27:22 32:38 Team Category Player StatisticsOle Miss Passing Jaxson Dart 14–27, 285 yards Rushing Henry Parrish Jr. 21 carries, 81 yards, 1 TD Receiving Antwane Wells Jr. 3 receptions, 97 yardsSouth Carolina Passing LaNorris Sellers 20–32, 162 yards, 1 INT Rushing LaNorris Sellers 15 carries, 55 yards Receiving Mazeo Bennett Jr. 3 receptions, 41 yards
at No. 7 Alabama
Statistics SCARALA First downs 23 20 Total yards 374 313 Rushing yards 132 104 Passing yards 242 209 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 24-32-1 16-23-2 Time of possession 31:40 28:20 Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Carolina Passing LaNorris Sellers 23/31, 238 yards, 2 TD's, 1 INT Rushing Raheim Sanders 16 carries, 78 yards, 1 TD Receiving Mazeo Bennett Jr. 3 receptions, 57 yards, 1 TDAlabama Passing Jalen Milroe 16/23, 209 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT's Rushing Jam Miller 12 carries, 42 yards Receiving Germie Bernard 4 receptions, 89 yards, 1 TD
at Oklahoma
Statistics SCAR OU First downs 15 19 Total yards 68–254 83–291 Rushing yards 41–74 41–53 Passing yards 180 238 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 17–27–0 22–42–2 Time of possession 31:47 28:13 Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Carolina Passing LaNorris Sellers 16/24, 175 yards, TD Rushing Raheim Sanders 15 carries, 33 yards, TD Receiving Joshua Simon 4 receptions, 43 yards, TDOklahoma Passing Jackson Arnold 18/36, 225 yards, TD Rushing Jovantae Barnes 17 carries, 70 yards Receiving Jacob Jordan 6 receptions, 86 yards
vs No. 10 Texas A&M
Statistics TAMU SCAR First downs 19 26 Total yards 350 530 Rushing yards 144 286 Passing yards 206 244 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 18-28-1 13–27–0 Time of possession 30:48 29:12 Team Category Player StatisticsTexas A&M Passing Marcel Reed 18/28, 206 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Amari Daniels 13 carries, 83 yards, 1 TD Receiving Jabre Barber 7 receptions, 80 yards, 1 TDSouth Carolina Passing LaNorris Sellers 13/27, 244 yards, 2 TD Rushing Raheim Sanders 20 carries, 144 yards, 2 TD Receiving Joshua Simon 4 receptions, 132 yards, 2 TD
at Vanderbilt
Statistics SCAR VAN First downs 25 17 Total yards 452 274 Rushing yards 214 108 Passing yards 238 166 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 14-20 16–31 Time of possession 30:59 29:01 Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Carolina Passing LaNorris Sellers 14/20, 238 yards, 2 TD Rushing Raheim Sanders 15 carries, 126 yards, 2 TD Receiving Raheim Sanders 2 receptions, 52 yards, 1 TDVanderbilt Passing Diego Pavia 16/31, 166 yards Rushing Diego Pavia 13 carries, 65 yards, 1 TD Receiving Eli Stowers 4 receptions, 41 yards
vs No. 23 Missouri
Statistics MIZZ SCAR First downs 20 22 Total yards 381 462 Rushing yards 144 109 Passing yards 237 353 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 21-31-1 21-30-1 Time of possession 31:44 28:16 Team Category Player StatisticsMissouri Passing Brady Cook 21/31, 237 yards, TD, INT Rushing Nate Noel 27 carries, 150 yards, TD Receiving Theo Wease Jr. 6 receptions, 85 yardsSouth Carolina Passing LaNorris Sellers 21/30, 353 yards, 5 TD, INT Rushing Raheim Sanders 19 carries, 53 yards Receiving Dalevon Campbell 2 receptions, 86 yards
vs Wofford (FCS)
Statistics WOFF SCAR First downs 14 34 Total yards 247 608 Rushing yards 28 265 Passing yards 219 343 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 17–31–0 27–32–1 Time of possession 28:00 32:00 Team Category Player StatisticsWofford Passing Amari Odom 15/28, 215 yards, TD Rushing Ryan Ingram 14 carries, 25 yards Receiving Kyle Watkins 6 receptions, 133 yardsSouth Carolina Passing LaNorris Sellers 23/27, 307 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Raheim Sanders 15 carries, 72 yards, TD Receiving Dalevon Campbell 5 receptions, 120 yards
at No. 12 Clemson (rivalry)
Statistics SCAR CLEM First downs 20 22 Total yards 431 419 Rushing yards 267 139 Passing yards 164 280 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 13-21-1 24-36-1 Time of possession 30:37 29:23 Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Carolina Passing LaNorris Sellers 13/21, 164 yards, 1 INT Rushing LaNorris Sellers 16 carries, 166 yards, 2 TD Receiving Nyck Harbor 3 receptions, 51 yardsClemson Passing Cade Klubnik 24/36, 280 yards, 1 INT Rushing Phil Mafah 20 carries, 66 yards Receiving Antonio Williams 8 receptions, 99 yards
vs No. 20 Illinois (Citrus Bowl)
Statistics SCAR ILL First downs 20 22 Total yards 390 357 Rushing yards 130 183 Passing yards 260 174 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 24/35 13/22 Time of possession 31:16 28:44 Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Carolina Passing LaNorris Sellers 24/34, 260 yards, TD Rushing Oscar Adaway III 14 Carries, 69 yards, TD Receiving Joshua Simon 6 Receptions, 69 yards, TDIllinois Passing Luke Altmyer 13/22, 174 yards, TD, INT Rushing Josh McCray 13 Carries, 114 yards, 2 TD Receiving Hank Beatty 4 Receptions, 90 yards
Potential College Football Playoff inclusion
In January 2024, despite the program just finishing a 5–7 season, South Carolina freshman Dylan Stewart made it clear to his head coach, Shane Beamer, that the team had high expectations for the next postseason. Meeting these expectations would be difficult as the Gamecocks had three losses halfway through the 2024 season, making their inclusion in the newly expanded College Football Playoff unlikely.
However, with South Carolina having more success in the second half of the regular season, they clawed their way into CFP contention. On November 12, following a three-game winning streak and "many national college football analysts [starting] to recognize them as currently playing some of the best ball in the country", the Gamecocks made their debut in the CFP rankings: No. 21 in the second week of the rankings. It was South Carolina's first CFP ranking since 2022, and their earliest-ever appearance in the CFP rankings. ESPN gave South Carolina a 14% chance of making the playoff, but a 47% chance if it won out, saying that the possibility of a three-loss SEC team making the playoff could not be ruled out. Leading up to the final game of the regular season, the Gamecocks continued winning and climbed up to No. 15 in the rankings. ESPN gave South Carolina a 58% chance to make the CFP if they defeated No. 12 Clemson on the road, which they did, finishing the regular season with a 9–3 record and six-game winning streak.
Arguments for South Carolina's inclusion in the CFP included: strength of schedule (No. 15 in FBS, higher than Alabama and Ole Miss), 4–1 record in "hostile" road games, the one road loss being by only two points, having only two close road games, being arguably one of the country's best teams despite their record, being arguably the country's "hottest" team, four ranked wins, the lack of a "truly ugly" loss, two of the losses being by five combined points to SEC teams, a road win over the ACC champion, wins over teams which beat Alabama and Ole Miss, and the loss to LSU "deserving scrutiny" (due to officiating controversies and the injury of quarterback LaNorris Sellers).