Way-too-early thoughts on South Carolina’s 2022 football schedule
Early look at South Carolina’s 2022 schedule:
Here are five way-too-early thoughts on what the Gamecocks will face in Year 2 under Shane Beamer:
DON’T SLEEP ON CHARLOTTE
South Carolina narrowly escaped East Carolina in a non-conference road matchup in 2021. One year later, South Carolina could get a run for its money from another North Carolina FBS school in head coach Will Healy and Charlotte on Sept. 24.
Healy has worked wonders at Charlotte since taking over after a three-year spell at Austin Peay. Charlotte already downed Duke this fall. A chance at another Power Five foe in the Carolinas makes for a tricky matchup for South Carolina.
Stick that game on the heels of Week 2 and 3 games at Arkansas and home against a Georgia team that should again be among the nation’s best and the Charlotte contest screams “trap game.”
HOME SWEET HOME IN COLUMBIA, SC
After opening the 2021 season at home before a pair of road trips to ECU and Georgia, South Carolina will play four of its first five games at home to open next fall.
The Gamecocks should be able to handle both South Carolina State and Charlotte (though see above why that could be tricky). Mix that in with a trip to what could be a much-improved Arkansas team in Week 2 and a home date with Georgia in Week 3, there’s a chance the Gamecocks open the year 2-2 — or 1-3 if they’re not careful.
The trip to Kentucky is always a tough endeavor, but at least Beamer and his squad will be able to spend most of the first six weeks of the season at Williams-Brice.
SOUTH CAROLINA GETS ITS NON-CONFERENCE GAMES EARLY
Minus the Clemson game in Week 12, South Carolina will knock out all of its non-conference games by Week 5.
The Gamecocks opens the season against former South Carolina offensive line coach Shawn Elliott and Georgia State. Josh Stepp, the brother of Gamecocks wide receivers coach Justin Stepp, is also on Elliott’s staff in Atlanta.
See above for why Charlotte is a tough task. For S.C. State, this will be the second season in a row it will get one of the Palmetto State’s Power Five programs after Buddy Pough’s squad was downed by Clemson in 2021.
RETURN OF THE ‘ORANGE CRUSH’
South Carolina will finish its year with a familiar trio of games.
The Gamecocks will cap the 2022 campaign with a road trip to Florida, a home date with Tennessee and a road game against in-state rival Clemson. For those who’ve been around the program since USC entered the SEC, you’ll remember this has been aptly named “Orange Crush.”
South Carolina finished every year between 1993 and 2000 with some variation of Florida, Tennessee and Clemson in the last few games.
Also take note: The Week 11 meeting with Josh Heupel and Tennessee could be a measuring stick for Beamer in Year 2 in Columbia
THE 2022 USC FOOTBALL SCHEDULE IS PRETTY EVEN THROUGHOUT
South Carolina has a brutal close to the 2021 campaign with Texas A&M, Florida, Missouri, Auburn and Clemson. The silver lining? There’s no real run like that on the 2022 ledger.
Games against Texas A&M, Florida and Clemson are preceded by meetings with Kentucky (and a bye), Vanderbilt and Tennessee, respectively.
South Carolina has a free pass to some degree in Year 1 under Beamer. The COVID-19 pandemic, coaching change and a new staff will do that. However, the Gamecocks are going to have to show improvement in 2022 for Beamer to maintain the momentum he’s built early in his tenure.
South Carolina schedule lines up with enough winnable games (South Carolina State, Charlotte, Georgia State, Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Vanderbilt and Tennessee) that the Gamecocks should make a run at another bowl game. There’s plenty of football and changes to be made between now and then.
Early look at South Carolina’s 2022 schedule:
Here are five way-too-early thoughts on what the Gamecocks will face in Year 2 under Shane Beamer:
DON’T SLEEP ON CHARLOTTE
South Carolina narrowly escaped East Carolina in a non-conference road matchup in 2021. One year later, South Carolina could get a run for its money from another North Carolina FBS school in head coach Will Healy and Charlotte on Sept. 24.
Healy has worked wonders at Charlotte since taking over after a three-year spell at Austin Peay. Charlotte already downed Duke this fall. A chance at another Power Five foe in the Carolinas makes for a tricky matchup for South Carolina.
Stick that game on the heels of Week 2 and 3 games at Arkansas and home against a Georgia team that should again be among the nation’s best and the Charlotte contest screams “trap game.”
HOME SWEET HOME IN COLUMBIA, SC
After opening the 2021 season at home before a pair of road trips to ECU and Georgia, South Carolina will play four of its first five games at home to open next fall.
The Gamecocks should be able to handle both South Carolina State and Charlotte (though see above why that could be tricky). Mix that in with a trip to what could be a much-improved Arkansas team in Week 2 and a home date with Georgia in Week 3, there’s a chance the Gamecocks open the year 2-2 — or 1-3 if they’re not careful.
The trip to Kentucky is always a tough endeavor, but at least Beamer and his squad will be able to spend most of the first six weeks of the season at Williams-Brice.
SOUTH CAROLINA GETS ITS NON-CONFERENCE GAMES EARLY
Minus the Clemson game in Week 12, South Carolina will knock out all of its non-conference games by Week 5.
The Gamecocks opens the season against former South Carolina offensive line coach Shawn Elliott and Georgia State. Josh Stepp, the brother of Gamecocks wide receivers coach Justin Stepp, is also on Elliott’s staff in Atlanta.
See above for why Charlotte is a tough task. For S.C. State, this will be the second season in a row it will get one of the Palmetto State’s Power Five programs after Buddy Pough’s squad was downed by Clemson in 2021.
RETURN OF THE ‘ORANGE CRUSH’
South Carolina will finish its year with a familiar trio of games.
The Gamecocks will cap the 2022 campaign with a road trip to Florida, a home date with Tennessee and a road game against in-state rival Clemson. For those who’ve been around the program since USC entered the SEC, you’ll remember this has been aptly named “Orange Crush.”
South Carolina finished every year between 1993 and 2000 with some variation of Florida, Tennessee and Clemson in the last few games.
Also take note: The Week 11 meeting with Josh Heupel and Tennessee could be a measuring stick for Beamer in Year 2 in Columbia
THE 2022 USC FOOTBALL SCHEDULE IS PRETTY EVEN THROUGHOUT
South Carolina has a brutal close to the 2021 campaign with Texas A&M, Florida, Missouri, Auburn and Clemson. The silver lining? There’s no real run like that on the 2022 ledger.
Games against Texas A&M, Florida and Clemson are preceded by meetings with Kentucky (and a bye), Vanderbilt and Tennessee, respectively.
South Carolina has a free pass to some degree in Year 1 under Beamer. The COVID-19 pandemic, coaching change and a new staff will do that. However, the Gamecocks are going to have to show improvement in 2022 for Beamer to maintain the momentum he’s built early in his tenure.
South Carolina schedule lines up with enough winnable games (South Carolina State, Charlotte, Georgia State, Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Vanderbilt and Tennessee) that the Gamecocks should make a run at another bowl game. There’s plenty of football and changes to be made between now and then.