USC finds new home for palmetto tree on Williams-Brice field
When South Carolina football announced that Blanchard Machinery would become an official sponsor of Gamecock athletics, a deal that includes logos at the 25-yard lines on the field at Williams-Brice Stadium, there was one big question.
What about the palmetto trees?
The emblem from the state flag had previously occupied the spots now inhabited by the new sponsorship logos. While USC athletics director Jeremiah Donati couldn’t give a concrete answer about the trees’ fate when the Blanchard logos were unveiled Aug. 11, he assured fans there was nothing to worry about.
“We’ve got a little surprise for you. We’re not going to see that surprise today, but I’ll tell you that they’re not going anywhere,” Donati said. “You have to wait until Sept. 6 for that.”
With the Gamecocks’ home opener against S.C. State still a few days away, a Twitter/X post from the USC football account this week showed an aerial photo of the in-progress paint job on the field at Williams-Brice — an image that appears to reveal the surprise early.
In the photo, outlines of a palmetto tree appear in each end zone, on either side of the usual Carolina and Gamecocks lettering.
One would assume the garnet and black SEC logos will remain in their place at the 25-yard lines opposite the Blanchard logos. Another teaser tweet from the USC football X account this morning hinted that there could be more surprises with the field or otherwise Saturday.
But like Donati said, we’ll have to wait until Sept. 6 for that.
This story was originally published September 4, 2025 at 9:29 AM with the headline "USC finds new home for palmetto tree on Williams-Brice field."
