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COLUMBIA — South Carolina football kicks off its third season under coach Shane Beamer with a major Week 1 challenge against No. 20 North Carolina.
The Gamecocks head to the Carolina Panthers’ Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte to face North Carolina on Saturday (7:30 p.m., ABC). The game, dubbed the Duke’s Mayo Classic, is a rematch of the 2021 Duke’s Mayo Bowl that South Carolina won 38-21. ESPN’s “College GameDay” will be in attendance, marking the Gamecocks’ first appearance on the show since 2014.
North Carolina leads the all-time series 45-20-4. However, the Gamecocks have dominated in recent history with wins in four of their five meetings since 2000. The Tar Heels won 24-20, in 2019.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Gamecocks’ season opener:
Spencer Rattler vs. Drake Maye
Drake Maye and Spencer Rattler have taken wildly different journeys to their highly anticipated meeting. Rattler, the No. 1 quarterback prospect in the Class of 2019, started at Oklahoma and transferred to South Carolina for a fresh start after getting benched. Maye was a four-star recruit in the Class of 2021 and stuck with an average North Carolina team despite his rapid ascension to elite NFL draft prospect.
Maye was one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the nation last season with 4,321 yards and 38 touchdowns passing, plus 937 yards and seven touchdowns rushing. He finished with a 66.15% completion percentage, giving up just seven interceptions.
The expectation for Rattler isn’t to outplay Maye, but to perform the way he did against Tennessee and Clemson in 2022. If he can’t keep up, the score may get away quickly from the Gamecocks.
Can Gamecocks stop the UNC run game?
While Maye rightfully draws much of the offensive spotlight, North Carolina quietly brings one of the deepest running back rooms South Carolina will face. The Tar Heels had six players record at least 100 rushing yards last season, led by Elijah Green with 558 yards and eight touchdowns. They also brought in new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey, who had three players record 800-plus rushing yards last season as the OC at Central Florida.
South Carolina’s run defense was one of its biggest weaknesses in 2022, and the situation doesn’t look much better entering Week 1. Defensive linemen Tonka Hemingway and Alex Huntley have starting experience, but both grappled with injuries throughout last season. Health is a concern for the Gamecocks’ edge rushers as well: Jordan Strachan and Terrell Dawkins are recently recovered from season-ending injuries, Tyreek Johnson spent most of preseason in a no-contact jersey and Jatius Geer was questionable to play as of Tuesday.
WEEK 1 DEPTH CHART:See South Carolina football’s depth chart vs. North Carolina in Week 1 of 2023 season
Breaking down North Carolina’s defense
For all of its offensive success, North Carolina had one of the worst defenses in the country last season. It ranked No. 102 out of 131 FBS teams in team defense, giving up an average of 30.79 points and 436.5 yards per game. The Tar Heels also lost top cornerbacks Storm Duck and former five-star Tony Grimes to the transfer portal, and they graduated linebacker Noah Taylor, who led the team in sacks.
The vulnerabilities in the secondary are ripe for Rattler and his experienced receiving corps to exploit, but North Carolina’s shaky defense also gives South Carolina a chance to figure things out at running back and on the offensive line. With transfer starters at both tackle and guard, plus Dakereon Joyner’s transition from wide receiver, the Gamecocks can use this matchup to build confidence against a Power Five team before they run into Georgia in Week 3.
Prediction
North Carolina 38, South Carolina 30: Defense will be a struggle on both sides, but the Duke’s Mayo Classic puts on a back-and-forth offensive showdown for the national TV audience. Despite a strong night from Spencer Rattler, Maye’s talent wins out on a late drive.
