Gamecocks Dismantle Records, Prepare to Welcome Towson to Columbia

History, it turns out, is remarkably vulnerable when Kendal Briles’ offense gets rolling.

Last Saturday afternoon at Williams-Brice Stadium, the 133rd season of South Carolina football did not merely begin—it detonated. In a performance that rewritten the program’s record books before the fourth quarter even hit its stride, the Gamecocks flattened Kent State 57-0, sending an unmistakable signal across the Southeastern Conference landscape.

The 57 points marked the highest single-game scoring total in a season opener in the storied history of Carolina football. The 57-point margin of victory eclipses a mark that stood untouched for nearly 88 years — a 53-0 thrashing of Erskine on Sept. 19, 1938.

For head coach Shane Beamer, entering his sixth year at the helm, the afternoon offered both validation and continuation. Beamer moved to an unblemished 6-0 all-time in home openers at South Carolina. More impressively, the victory marked his 34th career win in Columbia — pushing his record through five-plus seasons ahead of all but two legends in program history through their first 63 games: Joe Morrison (37) and Steve Spurrier (35).

An Offensive Avalanche

After an initial opening-drive punt, the Gamecocks staged a clinic in relentless execution, scoring on eight consecutive possessions.

In total, six different Gamecocks crossed the goal line — a feat achieved just 15 times by South Carolina since 1995, and for the fourth time under Beamer’s tenure. The afternoon belonged in large part to a pair of breakout underclassmen: sophomore receiver Donovan Murph and sophomore transfer running back Jabree Coleman, both of whom registered their first multi-touchdown games in garnet and black.

Murph shredded the Golden Flashes secondary, hauling in four receptions for a team-high 92 yards (23.0 avg), including touchdown strikes of 29 and 37 yards. Coleman proved dynamic in space, accumulating 77 rushing yards on just four carries (19.3 avg), highlighted by a house-call 60-yard sprint and a five-yard punch-in.

Senior running back Isaiah Augustave and sophomore tight end Mike Tyler each recorded their first career touchdowns, while junior wideout Mazeo Bennett Jr. and junior running back Matthew Fuller added scores of their own.

Under center, senior quarterback LaNorris Sellers delivered a surgical performance. Sellers threw three touchdown passes, pushing his career tally to 36 and officially moving him into the top-10 all-time in South Carolina history. Sophomore backup Cutter Woods closed out the barrage, slinging his first career touchdown pass—a seven-yard dart to Tyler late in the third quarter.

The debut of Kendal Briles as offensive coordinator could hardly have unfolded with more fireworks. The Gamecocks compiled 645 yards of total offense (367 passing, 278 rushing)—the fifth-highest single-game tally in program history and the top mark of the Beamer era. Carolina systematically picked apart Kent State for 35 first downs, tying the all-time single-game school record set against Tennessee in November 2022.

Defensive Dominance

While Briles’ offense stole the headlines, defensive coordinator Clayton White’s unit quietly served up a masterpiece of its own.

South Carolina pitched its second shutout of the Beamer era (and first since defeating Eastern Illinois on Sept. 4, 2021). The defense smothered Kent State, allowing just 179 total yards, forcing eight punts, and suffocating the Golden Flashes on third down (holding them to 5-of-14).

It was an iron-fisted performance that gave the Gamecocks their first “donut” on the scoreboard in five years.

Up Next: Tigers in the Crosshairs

The Gamecocks will look to carry that momentum into Saturday night at Williams-Brice Stadium as they host the Towson Tigers (0-2) for a 7:00 p.m. ET kickoff.

The matchup marks a historical first: South Carolina has never faced Towson on the gridiron, nor has it ever played a football game against a program from the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA).

While the Tigers arrive in Columbia seeking their first win following setbacks to Maine (21-18) and Navy (42-15), they are led by a proven winner in fourth-year head coach Pete Shinnick. Shinnick boasts 178 career victories, including a 2019 Division II National Championship at West Florida.

However, history heavily favors the home team. South Carolina holds a dominant 60-4 record (.938) against non-Power-4 opponents since 2000 and has won 44 of its last 52 home non-conference clashes (.846). A victory on Saturday would secure Carolina’s third consecutive 2-0 start under Beamer.

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