South Carolina’s 2021 football schedule set. Georgia is Gamecocks’ SEC opener
South Carolina’s 2021 football schedule has been set.
The Southeastern Conference announced schedules for all 14 teams during an SEC Network special on Wednesday afternoon. After playing just 10 conference-only games last season due to COVID-19, the Gamecocks are slated to play a standard 12-game schedule in head coach Shane Beamer’s first season at the helm.
The Gamecocks will renew their rivalry series with Clemson in Columbia after the pandemic in 2020 snapped a streak of 111 consecutive matchups. Other highlights include a clash with Auburn and former USC offensive coordinator Mike Bobo at Williams-Brice Stadium, as well as road trips to Georgia and Tennessee.
The Gamecocks will open their season in Columbia against Eastern Illinois and then will spend the next two weeks on the road. The Sept. 11 game at East Carolina could be crucial for South Carolina early on, as the team will open conference play at Georgia the following Saturday.
“This is a need-to-win game early in the year for Shane Beamer,” SEC Network’s Gene Chizik said of the ECU game.
The final stretch of the season could prove to be a challenge for the Gamecocks, as they’ll take on Texas A&M and Missouri on the road and will host both Florida and Auburn before ending the regular season Nov. 27 vs. Clemson.
The Auburn game in particular will be one worth circling.
“It’s going to be interesting to see — where is South Carolina at that part of the schedule?” Chizik, Auburn’s head coach from 2009-12, said of that game.
“Have they bought in? Are they all in? What’s everything look like from the perspective of the culture that Shane Beamer’s developed? And look, this is a big win for Auburn if they can go in there and pull it off.”
South Carolina Gamecocks 2021 football schedule
Kickoff times and TV networks to be determined later
Sept. 4: home vs. Eastern Illinois
Sept. 11: at East Carolina
Sept. 18: at Georgia
Sept. 25: home vs. Kentucky
Oct. 2: home vs. Troy
Oct. 9: at Tennessee
Oct. 16: home vs. Vanderbilt
Oct. 23: at Texas A&M
Oct. 30: OPEN
Nov. 6: home vs. Florida
Nov. 13: at Missouri
Nov. 20: home vs. Auburn
Nov. 27: home vs. Clemson
This story was originally published January 27, 2021 at 2:33 PM with the headline "South Carolina’s 2021 football schedule set. Georgia is Gamecocks’ SEC opener."
