South-Carolina
Is Kentucky vs. South Carolina a coaching graveyard game? And if so, who’s heading off?
Could Kentucky vs. South Carolina be a coaching hot-seat game? In Week 2? For 2 of the less storied traditions in the SEC?
Sure, the winner Saturday probably doesn’t lap Georgia, Bama or Texas. But in an SEC where getting into position to get into position is now a thing, the South Carolina-Kentucky winner still has a shot. In theory. The loser? Well, not so much.
Only 5 times since this game became an annual event in 1992 has this loser gone on to win even 8 games, and only twice has the loser won 9 games.
In fact, Kentucky-South Carolina has become something of a coach’s graveyard game.
After owning Kentucky for decades, Steve Spurrier took multiple losses to Kentucky in the early 2010s that seemed to hasten his retirement. Kentucky owned Will Muschamp, which did him no favors. A 54-3 loss to Carolina in 2011 probably started Joker Phillips’ move away from Lexington.
Carolina won 10 in a row under Lou Holtz and Spurrier to open the 2000s, but times began to change in 2010. Kentucky won 7 of 8 from 2014-2021, but the Gamecocks have won the past 2 seasons. Each loss seemingly forced Kentucky down to a 7-win season. So does that put more heat on Mark Stoops this week?
After all, Stoops is coming off those back-to-back 7-6 seasons and spent much of the offseason complaining about the difficulty in maintaining NIL, fundraising and coaching roles in the SEC. He flirted very heavily with Texas A&M and might even be flirting with retirement.
For all of the talk about Florida’s daunting schedule, Kentucky didn’t get off easy: The Wildcats still have to play No. 1 Georgia, No. 3 Texas, No. 6 Ole Miss and No. 14 Tennessee.
Beating teams like South Carolina is a necessity, and not simply because the Wildcats are a heavy favorite playing at home.
“South Carolina is a team we always seem to have good games with through my many years here,” Stoops told reporters this week. “Always a very good game, always evenly matched.”
But is it very evenly matched this year?
Kentucky QB Brock Vandagriff was fairly sharp in his first start, against Southern Miss (12-for-18 for 169 yards, 3 TDs). Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers struggled (10-for-23 for 114 yards). The Wildcats cruised to an easy 31-0 win, while South Carolina had to go down to the wire to wrestle a 23-19 victory from Old Dominion. Kentucky is favored by 10 points via DraftKings, the biggest point spread in the series since the 2020 matchup, which was Will Muschamp’s final game.
So maybe it’s Shane Beamer who should be concerned?
After all, he’s 21-18 at Carolina — and coming off a 5-7 campaign. For every 2-1 mark against Kentucky or upset of Clemson or Tennessee (both in 2022), there’s been an ugly loss to North Carolina or Florida or Texas A&M or Missouri. Up and down. Rinse, repeat. Looking at the back end of South Carolina’s schedule this season makes it clear that this game is huge if the Gamecocks have any hope of surpassing their over/under win total of 5.5, set by FanDuel, and getting back to a bowl.
Beamer talked about looking forward to traveling to Kentucky, as he grew up in Murray, Kentucky, when his dad coached FCS Murray State. He noted his personal respect for Stoops and the Kentucky program, but in an ever-tougher SEC, how many more 5-7 campaigns can Beamer survive?
Both coaches were optimistic in comments this week, both seeing good things from Week 1 wins.
But the seat under the loser of Kentucky/South Carolina is going to get a good deal warmer. So all that positivity might be two coaches whistling past the coaching graveyard. Somebody’s path is going to look much easier Saturday evening, but somebody else’s path is going to be looking pretty uncomfortable.
Just like always in this series.
Prediction: Kentucky 27, South Carolina 17
South Carolina freshman Dylan Stewart is one of the most amazing players in the SEC and he could have Brock Vandagriff running for his life.
Still, the offense that has looked substantially better has to get the early edge.
Advantage, Kentucky.
Joe Cash’s Scoundrel and Lewis Barbecue collaborate on menu items
Two-star brands offer a prime rib steak mash-up for both restaurants’ menus. Joe Cash’s Scoundrel and John Lewis’ Lewis Barbecue talk collaboration.
Residents who live in Greenville know it’s a gem that shines brightly among other top cities in the U.S.
Word about the mid-size city is spreading with CNN Travel ranking it No. 3 on its list of best towns to visit in America in 2026. The only other cities ahead of it were Sarasota, Florida at No.1 followed by New Haven, Connecticut.
And CNN had a lot to say about Greenville’s southern charm and vibrant downtown.
“Greenville’s got a Main Street that lives up to its name, at the heart of a lively downtown connected to other parts of the city by the Swamp Rabbit Trail, a 28-mile pedestrian and bike network lined with parks and local businesses,” said CNN.
Those new to the area may be enjoying all that it now has to offer, but much has changed since the 80s. Here’s how far the city has come and other aspects that make it special, according to CNN.
Greenville’s transformation ‘decades-in-the-making’
Compared to other cities, Greenville’s downtown feels safe, a description worlds away from what it once was. Russell Stall, executive director of the Greenville County Historical Society, told CNN the area currently known as Fall Parks used to be a place of prostitution and drug use. When Greenville was known as the “Textile Capital of the World,” its industrial hub for cotton mills and manufacturing were powered by the Reedy River in the late 19th and 20th centuries. As a result, dyes and chemicals polluted the river’s waters, hence the nickname the “Rainbow Reedy.” What remains of the era are a few former mill house loft apartments. In the 1990s, the city’s mills began to shutter.
Stall called downtown’s uplift “one of the most significant revitalizations in the history of the city,” referencing the Hyatt Hotel, Peace Center, music venues Coach Music Factory and The Mockingbird, and Fluor Field among key precursors of city change.
Although many positives have come with Greenville’s rise, there have been some downfalls, like the loss of the historic City Fall.
“We tore down a lot of the historic structures that we shouldn’t have,” Stall told CNN.
CNN spotlights Greenville’s sights, recreation, dining scene
Often referred to as a “city with a small town feel,” Greenville has a wealth of things to do, so don’t let the saying mislead you. Sightseeing is an activity that doesn’t cost a dime, with CNN highlighting Liberty Bridge and the Falls as two places with amazing views. The Grand Bohemian Lodge was mentioned due to its “rustic wood-and-stone aesthetic,” accessible through Reedy River’s paths.
Other things to do include riding a bike along the Swamp Rabbit Trail, visiting the Greenville Zoo, and exploring the Village of West Greenville, the city’s art district. CNN also spotlighted Michelin-starred restaurant Scoundrel and Chef Joe Cash, a Greenville native with experience in New York and Copenhagen’s restaurants scene.
“You come home and you see, you know, there’s some new restaurants, some fun things to do. Some more interesting, a little more modern, a little less steak and potatoes, a little more farm-to-table,” Cash said. “And so kind of just watching that over the years, it made sense for me to come back.”
CNN’s Top 10 best towns to visit in America 2026
- Sarasota (Florida)
- New Haven (Connecticut)
- Greenville
- Bethlehem (Pennysylvania)
- Fort Collins (Colorado)
- Burlington (Vermont)
- Juneau (Alaska)
- Iowa City (Iowa)
- Lawrence (Kansas)
- Roanoke (Virginia)
Nina Tran is the breaking news and education reporter for The Greenville News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her via email at ntran@usatodayco.com.
COLUMBIA — Coach Dawn Staley gave fans an early look at what’s to come with South Carolina women’s basketball and Nike.
The university officially switched to the brand as its uniform supplier on July 1 after 19 years with Under Armour. This move brings the chance to support A’ja Wilson, a former Gamecocks star who has had her own signature shoe with Nike since May 2025.
In the contract of the Nike agreement, it specifically stated Staley’s team would get Wilson’s shoes, including custom team colors. On July 2, Staley posted photos of the shoes.
While it’s unconfirmed as of now if they are the exact shoes the team will get and wear, the ones Staley posted are garnet, black and white “A’Twos” with Gamecocks logos. One shoe has a black top, the other with white, with matching logos and garnet detail around the base of the shoe.
The bottom of each shoe has Wilson’s logo from her Nike line, in addition to the signature Nike swoosh.
Staley captioned the post, “Why are my feet on fire? Here’s why?!! @GamecockWBB 1 of 1s but are @_ajawilson22 A’Twos!”
Wilson started with her shoes called the “A’One” and then released a second version in May called the A’Twos. South Carolina players can now wear any Nike shoes they want, but the contract specifically mentions the latest version of the A’Twos.
Staley had her own Nike signature shoe released in 1999 called the “Nike Zoom S5.”
“Having been a Nike athlete most of my life, I’m well-versed in what partnership with them means to an organization and its athletes,” Staley said in the July 1 news release. “I am excited that all of our teams at South Carolina will get to feel that, too. For our women’s basketball team, only good things have happened when we’ve partnered with A’ja Wilson, so I look forward to what’s coming next in that legacy.”
Five South Carolina athletes signed signed NIL deals as part of Nike’s new Blue Ribbon Elite NIL program, including women’s basketball stars Joyce Edwards and Chloe Kitts. Quarterback LaNorris Sellers, wide receiver Nyck Harbor and edge rusher Dylan Stewart round out the group of five Gamecocks who are part of the inaugural Blue Ribbon class for South Carolina.
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at LKesin@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X@Lulukesin and Bluesky@bylulukesin.bsky.social
LANCASTER COUNTY, S.C. (WPDE) — Police said two people were hurt in a plane crash on Thursday morning, according to reporting from WSOC.
They said it happened near a scrap yard near West Brooklyn Avenue and Springdale Road.
Online flight records show a Beechcraft airplane owned by Pressley Aviation LLC was last seen flying near the crash site at 1 a.m.
Furthermore, the records show the plane had been flying from Laredo, Texas before heading towards the Carolinas.
WSOC reported seeing wreckage of the plane among trees near the scrap yard.
The two involved both reportedly survived the crash but were sent to hospital for burns, according to WSOC’s reporting.
-
San Francisco, CA9 minutes agoMarina braces for Golden Gate Bridge fireworks show, massive crowds
-
Dallas, TX11 minutes agoMaradona’s ‘Hand of God’ ball heads to auction in Dallas
-
Miami, FL17 minutes agoMiami-Dade sheriff urges residents to celebrate Fourth of July safely
-
Boston, MA24 minutes agoJaylen Brown says Celtics showed ‘lack of respect’ after trade to 76ers – The Boston Globe
-
Denver, CO27 minutes agoWho are the Top 5 offensive linemen in Denver Broncos history?
-
Seattle, WA32 minutes agoSeattle’s Lake Union to light up with big July 4 fireworks show for America’s 250th
-
San Diego, CA39 minutes agoNew training program grants tribal members access to reservation land during emergencies
-
Milwaukee, WI42 minutes ago
Leaders of ‘United for Venezuela Emergency Relief Campaign’ grateful for support
