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The 2026 South Carolina football schedule features 12 games as head coach Shane Beamer leads the Gamecocks through one of the most demanding SEC slates in program history, highlighted by seven home games at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia. South Carolina opens with back-to-back home non-conference games before diving into a nine-game SEC gauntlet that includes marquee home matchups against Tennessee, Texas A&M, and Georgia. Game times and TV broadcast channels are listed as TBD and will be updated once the SEC and ESPN release the official broadcast schedule.
2026 South Carolina Football
Shane Beamer enters 2026 in his sixth season as head coach after the Gamecocks experienced a disappointing 2025 campaign. Despite the setback, South Carolina athletic director Jeremiah Donati publicly committed to Beamer’s return, and the program backed it with a contract extension through 2030 worth $8.25 million per year. The 2026 schedule opens with a pair of home tuneups against Kent State and Towson before the Gamecocks host SEC rival Mississippi State in Week 3. Road tests at Alabama and Florida flank a home date with Kentucky, and the bye week falls on October 17 – giving South Carolina time to regroup before a critical five-week homestretch run.
After the bye, the Gamecocks close the regular season with seven of their final eight games carrying significant SEC implications. Tennessee visits Williams-Brice on October 24 in what projects as one of the biggest home games of the season, followed by road trips to Oklahoma and Arkansas sandwiching a marquee home game against Texas A&M. The schedule wraps up with Georgia at home on November 21 before the traditional rivalry game at Clemson on November 28 – a game that carries enormous weight in the Palmetto State regardless of records.
For the latest roster moves and program news, visit the South Carolina Football official athletics site.
2026 South Carolina Football Schedule
| Wk | Date | Opponent | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sat, Sep 5 | vs Kent State Golden Flashes | 12:45 PM | SECN |
| 2 | Sat, Sep 12 | vs Towson Tigers | 7:00 PM | SECN+ |
| 3 | Sat, Sep 19 | vs Mississippi State Bulldogs | 4:15 PM | SECN |
| 4 | Sat, Sep 26 | @ Alabama Crimson Tide | TBD | TBD |
| 5 | Sat, Oct 3 | vs Kentucky Wildcats | TBD | TBD |
| 6 | Sat, Oct 10 | @ Florida Gators | TBD | TBD |
| Open Date – Bye Week (Sat, Oct 17) | ||||
| 8 | Sat, Oct 24 | vs Tennessee Volunteers | TBD | TBD |
| 9 | Sat, Oct 31 | @ Oklahoma Sooners | TBD | TBD |
| 10 | Sat, Nov 7 | vs Texas A&M Aggies | TBD | TBD |
| 11 | Sat, Nov 14 | @ Arkansas Razorbacks | TBD | TBD |
| 12 | Sat, Nov 21 | vs Georgia Bulldogs | TBD | TBD |
| 13 | Sat, Nov 28 | @ Clemson Tigers | TBD | TBD |
All times Eastern. TBD = kickoff/TV not yet announced. Updated May 27, 2026.
Game times and TV/streaming information are TBD. This page will be updated when the SEC releases its official broadcast schedule.
More 2026 College Football Resources
South Carolina is one of 16 SEC programs competing in 2026 in the nation’s most competitive conference. For a full look at every team’s slate, check out our complete SEC Football Schedule, which includes printable grids for every program from Alabama to Vanderbilt.
The path to a national championship runs through the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff. Our full breakdown of the 2026-2027 College Football Playoff covers every round, site, and bracket format for the season.
2026 South Carolina Football FAQ
Who is South Carolina’s head football coach in 2026?
Shane Beamer is the head coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks in 2026, entering his sixth season with the program. Beamer signed a contract extension through 2030 worth $8.25 million per year after the school publicly reaffirmed its commitment to him following the 2025 season.
How many home games does South Carolina have in 2026?
South Carolina plays seven home games at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia in 2026. Home opponents include Kent State, Towson, Mississippi State, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas A&M, and Georgia.
When is South Carolina’s bye week in 2026?
South Carolina’s bye week is October 17, 2026, between the road game at Florida (Oct 10) and the home game against Tennessee (Oct 24). The bye provides a full week of preparation for what could be the Gamecocks’ biggest home game of the season.
When will South Carolina’s game times and TV channels be announced?
The SEC and its broadcast partners – ESPN, ABC, and SEC Network – typically release game times and TV assignments on a rolling basis, usually 6-12 days before each game. This page will be updated as kickoff times and broadcast details are confirmed.
When do the South Carolina Gamecocks play Clemson in 2026?
South Carolina travels to Clemson on November 28, 2026, for the annual Palmetto Bowl rivalry game. The game caps the regular season and is traditionally one of the most important games of the year for both programs and their fans across South Carolina.
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Resource Hub
South Carolina Gamecocks
Everything you need for the 2026 college football season.
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| → 2026 College Football Schedule Full FBS slate with kickoff times and TV networks. |
| → 2026-27 College Football Playoff Bracket The 12-team bracket, dates, and projected matchups. |
| → 2026-27 Bowl Game Schedule Every bowl game, date, and matchup in one place. |
| → SEC Football Standings Live SEC standings, records, and results. |
