Everybody's Super Bowl: South Carolina Bringing Sandstorm Artist to Kentucky Game

by:Nick Roush•08/22/23•

RoushKSR

super-bowl-south-carolina-bringing-sandstorm-artist-darude-kentucky-game — (Photo by Chris Gillespie)

Kentucky is everybody’s Super Bowl, and no, I’m not talking about John Calipari’s team. This fall South Carolina is pulling out all of the stops when the Wildcats come to town.

The Gamecocks will welcome Darude, the artist behind the song “Sandstorm,” to Williams-Brice Stadium for South Carolina’s matchup against Kentucky on November 18. The Finnish producer will perform a one-hour set prior to the game at Gamecock Village. He will then serve as the game’s celebrity starter, leading the crowd in a “GAME-COCKS” chant.

Sandstorm was originally released in the late 90s. It has served as an unofficial anthem for South Carolina home football games since 2009.

Kentucky pulled off a similar stunt in 2021. The Wildcats hosted Waka Flocka Flame for the Florida game. With “Grove Street Party” playing in the background, he welcomed the Wildcats onto the field. The electric energy in the stadium ultimately propelled Kentucky to its first win over Florida in Lexington since 1986.

Get the On3 Top 10 to your inbox every morning

By clicking "Subscribe to Newsletter", I agree to On3's Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein.

When we recorded this song in 2010. I had no idea this would become the anthem for @ukfootball life is amazing. Dope to see my team & city goin crazy to my work. @WakaFlocka #WeAreUK pic.twitter.com/sEsGWsuGmQ
— KY (@KyEngineerin) October 3, 2021

You can smell the stink of desperation on South Carolina all the way in Lexington. With only two wins over Kentucky in the last nine seasons, Shane Beamer is willing to do whatever stunt is necessary to get his team a win over the Wildcats.

Another Super Bowl in Starkville

South Carolina isn’t Kentucky’s only SEC foe pulling out all of the stops when the Wildcats come to town. Kentucky has not won in Starkville since 2008, but Mississippi State isn’t taking any chances under first-year head coach Zach Arnett.

The Bulldogs will be wearing alternate uniforms at Davis Wade Stadium. They’re described as an “almost exact replica” of the uniforms worn in 1998 that featured an interlocking M-S-U. During that season Hal Mumme’s Wildcats actually defeated Mississippi State 37-35 at Commonwealth Stadium. Jackie Sherrill’s Bulldogs still went on to win the SEC West that fall.