After a long and arduous offseason, Gamecocks football is finally at hand. Much has changed over the last nine months, and not just for Carolina. College football as a whole was hit with some pretty sizable shakeups. Conference realignment, playoff expansion, and the retirement of the greatest college coach of all time is a lot of change for several years let alone one offseason.
Some things though, are so right that they are destined to remain the same forever. While the rest of the college football world is constantly shifting around us, we can always fall back on one constant. Fall Saturdays are meant for college football, and if you reside in Columbia South Carolina, then that means Fall Saturdays are meant for Gamecocks football. So, with that being said, let’s dive into the first matchup of the 2024 season for your South Carolina Gamecocks.
Old Dominion Monarchs: Tune Up, or Potential Upset?
Week one of the college football season typically goes one of two ways for big-name programs. Either they schedule a marquee matchup with another well-known Power Four opponent, or they pay a smaller school a bunch of money so they can use them as a tune-up game. South Carolina opted for the latter, as their first opponent of the season will be the Old Dominion Monarchs.
Traditional wisdom suggests that this should be an easy victory for the Gamecocks. Vegas also appears to agree with this sentiment, as they currently have Carolina listed as a 21-point favorite. South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer isn’t overlooking the possibility of a week one upset, however.
“For teams to, quote-unquote, ‘pull upsets,’ you need an athletic quarterback. They have one,” said Beamer in a press conference on Tuesday. “You need an opportunistic defense, they have one. They’ve got size up front. They play a unique style that makes it difficult, particularly in the run game, to get everybody blocked and communicate to get a hat on a hat.”
While many may dismiss this as “coach speak” the Monarchs have played the role of week one spoiler in the past. It was only two seasons ago when they rolled into a raucous Lane Stadium and stunned the Virginia Tech Hokies. Beamer is sure to have the loss Old Dominion handed to the program his father built in the back of his mind come Saturday.
Old Dominion Rundown
Members of the Sunbelt Conference, Old Dominion is looking to rebound from a 6-7 campaign last year. While their record was certainly lackluster, five of those losses were by six points or less. This stood out to Beamer as he previewed the matchup.
“You look back at last year, they could have easily been an 11-win team,” said Beamer. “They had five losses last year by six points or less, so they very easily could be a team that we’re talking about as an 11-win team that was in the mix for a New Year’s Six bowl game.”
The Monarchs also return two key leaders from last season, the first being All-American Linebacker Jason Henderson. While he may play in the Sunbelt, Henderson possesses legit power four talent. He finished second in the nation last year in tackles with 170, and also holds the Old Dominion record for career tackles at 436. A likely NFL draft selection, Henderson is the anchor for the Monarch’s defense, and without question the best player on the team.
They also return quarterback Grant Wilson. The redshirt junior started 11 games for the Monarchs last season finishing with 2,419 passing yards, 17 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. An opportunistic rusher, Wilson also gained 289 yards, and four touchdowns with his feet. With a full offseason of first-team reps under his belt, Wilson has the potential to be a problem if the Gamecocks are unable to contain him in the pocket.
Now that we’ve covered the Monarchs, here’s what to look for with the Gamecocks.
First Start for a Young Quarterback
What most people are likely to have their eyes glued to on Saturday is how LaNorris Sellers performs in his first start. The redshirt sophomore has garnered more hype than just about any other Gamecock in recent memory. Carolina fans have been salivating at the thought of seeing Sellers in action since he set foot on campus, and now that time has finally come. Sellers spoke to the media on Tuesday about what making this moment means to him.
“I’m very excited,” Sellers said. “You dream about things like this from the time you were a kid until now, and it finally came true so now it’s just time to go out there and play.”
Sellers also spoke on what goes into preparing for a game knowing you’re the starter as opposed to the backup.
“I think you go into it the same way. You prepare the same way,” noted Sellers. “Just because last year you need to be prepared if something happened. This year, I have to be prepared knowing I’m the guy.”
While Saturday is unlikely to represent a massive test for Sellers, it will be interesting to see how he processes everything in real-time. It also represents an opportunity for the offense to work through any kinks, as the schedule becomes exponentially harder for Carolina over the following weeks.
Carolina Defense to Show Out?
Gamecock Nation will also get their first look at what should be an extremely formidable defense. Carolina returns eight starters from last year’s squad and added some quality depth across the board. The defensive line in particular is of note, as it’s probably the deepest position group on the entire team. Defensive coordinator Clayton White gave his thoughts on the group ahead of Saturday’s matchup.
“I think all of our guys have put the work in to deserve reps,” White said. “As the game goes on it’s really up to us as coaches to evaluate who’s going to finish the game for the Gamecocks. Our players are smart you know, it’s really about whenever you’re out there take advantage of your shot and play as hard as you can.”
White also touched on the Monarchs’ quarterback and the challenges he represents.
“Grant Wilson is an intangible quarterback,” White said. “You can tell he brings energy to the offense, and they rely on him when it’s crunch time. He makes plays you know. He technically had 600 yards rushing last season when you take away the sacks so he’s a dynamic player.”
Final Thoughts
On paper, Carolina should have no issues handling Old Dominion. The talent gap across the board is obviously massive. In my view, that alone is too much for the Monarchs to overcome. Carolina would have to make critical mistakes in every stage of the game for an upset to occur.
While we have seen tails like this many times before, I don’t believe the Gamecocks will fall victim to the upset. Their defense will be too much for the Monarchs, particularly along the line of scrimmage. Combine this with Sellers having an even okay performance, and the Gamecocks should coast to a victory.
