Before Shane Beamer was ever at South Carolina, he was on staff with Mississippi State. From 2004-2006, Beamer worked as an offensive assistant for the Bulldogs and still has family in Starkville today.

That’s why the Sept. 23 matchup between the two universities will mean a little extra to the Beamer family when game time rolls around.

“It will be big. My mother-in-law is already making plans for all of the people from Starkville coming to the game. It will be a big challenge,” Beamer said during SEC Media Days. “[Zach] Arnett has a great team returning, and a lot of returning production as well. We know that will be a battle as well, but that’s exciting.

“I have great memories of my time in Starkville. Met my wife there. My in-laws still live there. My father-in-law is the sheriff of Oktibbeha County. We love to go to Starkville and visit. And it’s going to be pretty cool playing those guys as well. My first year at Carolina was as an assistant coach in 2007 and Mississippi State came and played in Columbia as well. So now it’s pretty cool as the head coach that they are coming back, also.”

Beamer is 1-1 in the series — losing with Mississippi State in 2006 before coming back in 2007 with the Gamecocks and winning with South Carolina. The 16-year-long wait for the rubber match is almost all over.

With both programs being in opposite divisions within the conference, dissolving the divisional format after the additions of both Oklahoma and Texas in 2024 could see the two programs meet more often with the random rotation of the SEC scheduling format. Though, commissioner Greg Sankey has said that the scheduling rotation could be subject to change after next season.

Historically, the two teams have met just 16 times despite sharing the same conference for over three decades. The Gamecocks lead the series 9-7 — and 2023’s game will serve as the first time Carolina and MSU will face off since 2016. That outing saw the Bulldogs defeat the Gamecocks 27-14 — the first win for Mississippi State over South Carolina since 1999.

Beamer won’t want that trend to continue — and it helps that it’s inside Williams-Bryce Stadium. With many tabbing South Carolina as a potential dark horse to contend in the SEC East in 2023, it’s imperative the Gamecocks come away with a victory against the Bulldogs.