First look: Top storylines, TV details for South Carolina vs. SC State football game

The Gamecocks will conclude a three-game homestand with an in-state matchup against an FCS foe whose campus is 45 minutes away.

South Carolina will take on S.C. State for the third time in the programs’ history. The Gamecocks have won both previous games, with this being the first since 2009.

South Carolina vs SC State game info, TV

Who: South Carolina State Bulldogs (1-2) at USC Gamecocks (2-2)

Where: Williams-Brice Stadium (77,559) in Columbia, S.C.

When: Noon Saturday

TV: SEC Network

Stream: Watch ESPN or ESPN app

USC vs South Carolina State betting line

There was no line available for the game as of Sunday night. If one pops up this week, it’ll likely be in the high-30s or low-40s in favor of the Gamecocks.

USC was a 42.5-point favorite against FCS team Eastern Illinois last year. This year, UCF was favored by 37.5 when it faced S.C. State — the Knights won 56-10.

Can USC start a win streak?

South Carolina has not won back-to-back games in the same season since the first two games of Shane Beamer’s tenure.

The team alternated between wins and losses in each of its final nine games last season. It won the season opener this year before dropping two straight.

Coming off a win against the 49ers — and the highest-scoring performance since Beamer arrived — the team looks to capitalize on another game against a non-conference opponent to string together multiple wins.

Home cooking

South Carolina is 6-3 in true home games under Beamer.

This year, the team has an average margin of victory of 28.5 points in home wins. It lost 48-7 to Georgia in Week 3, but is 2-1 at home overall.

South Carolina has looked its most complete at home in the last two seasons, mostly struggling outside of Williams-Brice Stadium with a 1-5 record on the road since 2021.

Buddy Pough returns to Columbia

S.C. State head coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough was an assistant with the Gamecocks from 1997-2002, right before taking over the Bulldogs’ coaching staff. He has the most wins as a head coach in S.C. State history.

He served under Brad Scott and Lou Holtz. USC won the Outback Bowl twice in that span, in 2000 and 2001 under Holtz. Prior to his arrival, he found success at the high school level. He led Fairfield-Central to a 15-0 record in 1996, when the school won the Class 3A state title.

Pough played college football at S.C. State from 1971-74 as an offensive lineman.

The Bulldogs won last season’s Celebration Bowl. This year they have a win over Bethune-Cookman and losses to UCF and N.C. A&T.

Gamecocks and Bulldogs players to watch

MarShawn Lloyd, RB, South Carolina: Lloyd put together the best game of his career on Saturday with 169 rushing yards and three touchdowns. This was the first time the Gamecocks could control things on the ground, so look for them to try it again on a Bulldogs team that’s allowing 255.7 rushing yards per game.

Gilber Edmond, DE, South Carolina: Edmond has emerged as one of the key members of the USC front-seven. He was disruptive against Charlotte, and has been active in South Carolina’s other games this season with the injuries to the defense.

Kendrell Flowers, RB, S.C. State: South Carolina has struggled against the run this year and will face a productive running back in Flowers. Flowers, who played at Irmo High School, is averaging 6.5 yards per carry through three games but just 52 yards per game. If he can get going on the ground, however, the Bulldogs could string together some long drives.

Shaquan Davis, WR, S.C. State: The Bulldogs have struggled in the passing game, completing just 44% of their passes all year. But Davis has been the lone bright spot in that area, averaging 83 yards per game in the air.