The South Carolina Gamecocks host the Mississippi State Bulldogs in their Southeastern Conference opener Saturday, September 19, 2026, with kickoff set for 4:15 p.m. ET at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia. The game airs on SEC Network.
South Carolina enters the matchup at 2-0 following a 57-0 season-opening win over Kent State on September 5 and a 45-9 win over Towson on September 12. The Gamecocks’ nine-game SEC schedule begins with the Bulldogs and continues at Alabama on September 26.
Head coach Shane Beamer’s team is picked to compete for a bowl berth in the sixth year of his tenure. Quarterback LaNorris Sellers returns to lead the offense against a Mississippi State defense that has struggled early in the year. The Gamecocks are expected to start Ethan Sanchez at kicker Saturday, taking over kickoff duty for the SEC opener.
South Carolina’s 2026 conference slate runs through late November and concludes with the annual rivalry game at Clemson on November 28. The Gamecocks’ non-conference schedule finished with the wins over Kent State and Towson, and each of the remaining twelve regular-season games carries either an SEC or rivalry designation.
The Gamecocks program continues to draw fans from across South Carolina to Williams-Brice Stadium, which underwent renovations before the 2026 season. Saturday’s game is the third straight home date to open the season.
