South Carolina vs Georgia State football kickoff time, odds, stream, radio, weather

Jeremiah Holloway
Tim Dominick/tdominick@thestate.com

At long last, the college football season is here.

South Carolina will finally kick off its second year under Shane Beamer on Saturday as the team takes on Georgia State. It’s the first time the teams have ever faced off.

Here’s your guide to keep up with the Gamecocks’ season opener.

What channel is the South Carolina game on?

Who: Georgia State Panthers (0-0) at South Carolina Gamecocks (0-0)

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: Williams-Brice Stadium (77,559) in Columbia, S.C.

TV: Not on traditional TV

Stream: SEC Network Plus and ESPN+

On-air announce crew: Courtney Lyle (play-by-play), Chris Doering (analyst), Tamara Brown (sideline)

Radio: 107.5 FM in the Columbia area (Todd Ellis, play-by-play; Tommy Suggs, analyst; Jamar Nesbit, sideline) … See all the radio affiliates around South Carolina here.

Satellite radio: Sirius/XM 132 or 191

Series history: First meeting

Top storylines for the game

  • Shane Beamer, Year 2: Off the heels of a winning season, Beamer enters his second year as a head coach with even more talent than a year ago. How USC performs against a solid Georgia State squad could serve as a litmus test for where the Gamecocks stand at this point in the Beamer era.

  • Welcome back, Shawn Elliott: The former USC assistant will coach against his former team for the first time. Elliott also served as USC’s interim head coach after Steve Spurrier’s resignation in 2015. He and Beamer coached together for one year at South Carolina before Beamer left for Virginia Tech.

  • Spencer Rattler debut: Rattler makes his long-awaited debut as a Gamecock. He’ll step on the field Saturday with 49 total touchdowns in 23 games at Oklahoma under his belt. After USC ran through quarterbacks last year, Rattler is expected to be the QB1 throughout this season if healthy.

  • New lights at night: The 7:30 p.m. kickoff gives Williams-Brice Stadium the opportunity to display its new LED lights for the first time. Videos have already circulated the internet with the lights flashing garnet and white, but Saturday will be the first time fans get to see things up close.

  • Jadeveon Clowney jersey retirement: At halftime, iconic South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney will have his No. 7 honored by the team. He is the first player since 1987 to have his jersey retired by the team.

  • Jordan Strachan is ready: Strachan — nicknamed “Stretch” while playing at Georgia State – will face his former team on Saturday. Strachan transferred from GSU after the 2020 season and still has close friends on the Panthers. He got the Stretch nickname because his strength coach in Atlanta did not initially know how to pronounce his name.

  • Jamyest Williams returns: Once a USC defensive back, Jamyest Williams will compete against his former team as a ball carrier. Williams transferred from South Carolina to Georgia State in 2019, making the switch to running back in the process. He was in the same recruiting class as Eric Douglas, Sherrod Greene, Tyreek Johnson and a few other active Gamecocks.

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Weather forecast for Columbia, SC

Columbia will be mostly sunny with a daytime high of 87 degrees. There’s a 60% chance of rain in the late afternoon, according to the National Weather Service, with rain chances decreasing after that. The temperature will be in the low 80s at kick, then upper 70s during the game.

Game prediction

ESPN’s Football Power Index gives South Carolina an 82.5% chance to win over the Panthers. Bill Connelly of ESPN has the Gamecocks winning 32-19 with a 78% chance of winning.

Point spread for USC Gamecocks vs. Georgia State

South Carolina is a 12.5-point favorite, according to the consensus line from Vegas Insider that factors in 11 sportsbooks.

Final thoughts, prediction for South Carolina season opener vs. Georgia State

Week 1 SEC college football betting lines

Odds according to VegasInsider consensus.

  • Saturday, noon: Sam Houston vs. Texas A&M (-31)

  • Saturday, 3:30 p.m.: Cincinnati vs. Arkansas (-6.5)

  • Saturday, 3:30 p.m.: Georgia (-17) vs. Oregon

  • Saturday, 4 p.m.: Troy vs. Ole Miss (-21.5)

  • Saturday, 7 p.m.: Miami/OH vs. Kentucky (-18.5)

  • Saturday, 7 p.m.: Elon vs. Vanderbilt (-20)

  • Saturday, 7 p.m.: Utah (-3) vs. Florida

  • Saturday, 7 p.m.: Mercer vs. Auburn (-31.5)

  • Saturday, 7:30 p.m.: Utah State vs. Alabama (-41.5)

  • Saturday, 7:30 p.m.: Memphis vs. Mississippi State (-16)

  • Saturday, 7:30 p.m.: Georgia State vs. South Carolina (-12.5)

  • Sunday, 7:30 p.m.: LSU (-3.5) vs. Florida State

Players to watch

  • Jaheim Bell, TE, South Carolina: Bell’s versatility was on full display in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, as he lined up all over the field. The way South Carolina uses him could create matchup problems across the field.

  • Cam Smith, DB, South Carolina: Smith plays in the nickel often for the Gamecocks, and he’s recognized as one of the best cornerbacks in the nation entering this year. In 2021, he recorded three interceptions.

  • Blake Carroll, LB, Georgia State: Carroll led the Panthers in sacks last season with 5.5 and came second in tackles with 89. His activity on the field could disrupt South Carolina’s offensive flow due to his playmaking abilities.

  • Tucker Gregg, RB, Georgia State: Gregg was Georgia State’s leading rusher with 953 yards, adding nine touchdowns to his statline. He was an efficient runner as well, averaging five yards per carry. Gregg’s productivity presents a challenge to a Gamecock team that gave up 178.9 yards per game on the ground in 2021.

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South Carolina 2022 football schedule

  • Sept. 3: vs. Georgia State, 7:30 p.m. (SEC Network Plus/ESPN+)

  • Sept. 10: at Arkansas, noon (ESPN)

  • Sept. 17: vs. Georgia, noon (ESPN)

  • Sept. 24: vs. Charlotte

  • Oct. 1: vs. South Carolina State

  • Oct. 8: at Kentucky

  • Oct. 22: vs. Texas A&M

  • Oct. 29: vs. Missouri

  • Nov. 5: at Vanderbilt

  • Nov. 12: at Florida

  • Nov. 19: vs. Tennessee

  • Nov. 26: at Clemson

USC depth chart

——OFFENSE——

  • QB: Spencer Rattler (Luke Doty)

  • RB: MarShawn Lloyd (Juju McDowell —OR— Christian Beal-Smith)

  • TE1: Jaheim Bell (Nate Adkins)

  • TE2: Austin Stogner (Traveon Kenion)

  • WR1: Xavier Legette —OR—Antwane Wells

  • WR2: Ahmarean Brown —OR— Dakereon Joyner —OR— Corey Rucker

  • WR3: Josh Vann —OR— Jalen Brooks

  • LT: Jaylen Nichols (Jakai Moore)

  • LG: Vershon Lee (Trai Jones)

  • OC: Eric Douglas (Hank Manos)

  • RG: Jovaughn Gwyn (Wyatt Campbell)

  • RT: Dylan Wonnum (Tyshawn Wannamaker)

——DEFENSE——

  • DE1: Jordan Burch (Tyreek Johnson)

  • DE2: Jordan Strachan (Gilbert Edmond, Terrell Dawkins)

  • DT1: Zacch Pickens (Tonka Hemingway)

  • DT2: Alex Huntley (MJ Webb)

  • MLB: Mo Kaba (Sherrod Greene)

  • WLB: Brad Johnson (Debo Williams)

  • NICK: Cam Smith (David Spaulding)

  • CB1: Marcellas Dial (Kajuan Banks, Keenan Nelson)

  • CB2: Darius Rush (O’Donnell Fortune, Emory Floyd)

  • SS: RJ Roderick (Nick Emmanwori)

  • FS: Devonni Reed (DQ Smith)

——SPECIAL TEAMS——

  • PK: Mitch Jeter —OR— Alex Herrera

  • KO: Mitch Jeter (Alex Herrera)

  • P: Kai Kroeger —OR— Alex Herrera (William Joyce)

  • LSN: Hunter Rogers (Matthew Bailey)

  • SSN: Matthew Bailey (Hunter Rogers)

  • H: Kai Kroeger —OR— William Joyce

  • KOR: Xavier Legette (Juju McDowell)

  • PR: Josh Vann (Ahmarean Brown)

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