Gameday Guide: Gamecocks vs. North Carolina
The South Carolina Gamecocks kick off Year 3 of the Shane Beamer Era Saturday night against North Carolina in Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium.
South Carolina (0-0) vs. North Carolina (0-0)
When: Sept. 2, 2023 – 7:44 p.m. ET
Where: Charlotte, N.C. – Bank of America Stadium (74,867)
Broadcast: ABC (Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy, Molly McGrath)
Local Radio: Gamecock IMG Sports Network (Todd Ellis, Tommy Suggs, Chet Tucker)
Satellite Radio: Sirius/XM 84
Odds: UNC -2.5 (O/U 63.5)
Weather: 75°, clear
Other resources from Gamecock Central: News | Schedule | Future Opponents | Scholarship Breakdown | Roster | Depth Chart | Commit List
How to watch today’s game
The South Carolina Gamecocks open their 2023 football campaign Saturday night against North Carolina in the Duke’s Mayo Classic with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff live on ABC.
Sean McDonough is set to provide the play-by-play as Spencer Rattler and Drake Maye square off with Greg McElroy handling the color commentary, and Molly McGrath working the sidelines.
The game will also be carried nationally on CFB Saturday Night radio with Chris Hassel and Mike Golic Jr. calling the action.
The Gamecock Sports Radio Network — heard locally in Columbia on 107.5 The Game — once again features former South Carolina quarterbacks Todd Ellis and Tommy Suggs in the booth with Chad Tucker taking over sideline duties this season.
Click here for the full story with options on how to watch.
GC LIVE: Gamecocks vs. North Carolina Preview
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Quick notes from South Carolina Athletics
BATTLE OF THE CAROLINAS: The two flagship universities of the Carolinas – the South Carolina Gamecocks and the North Carolina Tar Heels – renew its rivalry on Saturday, Sept. 2, in the Duke’s Mayo Classic. This will mark the 60th meeting on the gridiron between these two bordering schools. North Carolina holds a 35-20-4 advantage in the all-time series, including a 3-2 mark when the game has been played at a neutral site. However, South Carolina has won four of the last five contests and seven of the last nine overall.
BEAMER VERSUS THE HEELS: South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer is 1-0 against the Tar Heels, winning by a 38-21 count in the 2021 Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte. In just two seasons, Coach Beamer has recorded wins over national championship coaches Mack Brown, Jimbo Fisher and Dabo Swinney.
MACK ATTACKS THE GAMECOCKS: North Carolina head coach Mack Brown is 2-4 against the Gamecocks, with the first four games coming during his first stint in Chapel Hill. The Gamecocks defeated the Tar Heels by scores of 31-10, 27-20 and 27-5 from 1988-90, before Brown and the Tar Heels tallied a 21-17 win during the 1991 season. Brown led UNC to a 24-20 win over Will Muschamp’s Gamecocks to kick off the 2019 season in Charlotte, but Shane Beamer and South Carolina got the better of it the last time the two teams met, a 38-21 decision in the 2021 Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte.
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BEEN HERE, DONE THAT: The two Carolinas are opening its season in Charlotte for the third time in the last nine seasons. South Carolina posted a 17-13 win to open the 2015 season, while the Tar Heels gained some revenge with a 24-20 come-from-behind win to open the 2019 campaign. The teams also met at Bank of America Stadium in the 2021 Duke’s Mayo Bowl, a 38-21 Gamecock win.
MAYO BATH: South Carolina dominated the Tar Heels by a 38-21 margin in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl on Dec. 30, 2021, the last time these two schools met on the gridiron. Dakereon Joyner, making his first start at quarterback all season, earned MVP honors after completing all nine of his passes for 160 yards and rushing 10 times for 64 yards. Kevin Harris rushed 31 times for 182 yards and a score. Tight end Jaheim Bell caught five passes for 159 yards, including touchdown catches of 69- and 66-yards on the Gamecocks’ first two possessions. The Gamecocks rolled up a season-high and bowl-record 543 yards in the contest.
CAROLINA ON MY MIND: The Gamecocks have seven players on the current roster who played their high school ball in the state of North Carolina. The list includes Jaylen Nichols (Charlotte), Mohamed Kaba (Clinton), Terrell Dawkins (Concord), D’Andre Martin (Durham), Nick Barrett (Goldsboro), Jaxon Hughes (Greensboro) and Mitch Jeter (Salisbury).
THERE’S A CONNECTION: North Carolina run game coordinator and tight ends coach Freddie Kitchens was on the Shane Beamer’s staff last season as an offensive analyst. Sparky Woods, a Senior Advisor to North Carolina head coach Mack Brown, was the Gamecocks’ head coach from 1989-93.
IT JUST MEANS MORE: The Gamecocks are 40-13 in their last 53 non-conference games, a .755 winning percentage, with seven of the 13 losses in that stretch coming against Clemson. The Gamecocks went 4-1 against non-conference foes in 2022, posting wins over Georgia State, Charlotte, South Carolina State and Clemson and losing to Notre Dame in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. The Gamecocks have Furman (Sept. 9), Jacksonville State (Nov. 4) and Clemson (Nov. 25) as their remaining regular-season non-conference games in 2023. All three of those contests will be played at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia.
WHEN WILL I SEE YOU AGAIN? The Gamecocks and Tar Heels have a home-and-home series booked for later in the decade, with the Tar Heels coming to Columbia in 2028, then the Gamecocks making the return trip to Chapel Hill in 2029.
Other resources from Gamecock Central: News | Schedule | Future Opponents | Scholarship Breakdown | Roster
