South Carolina still hasn’t officially named a starting quarterback , a fact that Vegas seems to care about as much as Shane Beamer’s toothpaste choice.
As expected, the Gamecocks are favorites for their season opening game against Old Dominion. But, in betting lines released Sunday night, Circa Sports declared South Carolina as 20-point favorites over the Monarchs when the two teams square off at Williams-Brice Stadium on August 31.
While some fans might scoff at South Carolina being nearly three-touchdown favorites to start the year, it was only a year ago that the Gamecocks played a tougher season-opening opponent and started the season on the wrong foot. As Week 1 underdogs against North Carolina, the Gamecocks lost by 14 and ultimately fell one win shy of a bowl game.
Going back to 2019, South Carolina is just 2-3 in season openers with losses to North Carolina (2023, 2019) and Tennessee (2020).
Perhaps that won’t matter against Old Dominion, an FBS Group of Five school that plays its games in the Sun Belt.
Led by fifth-year head coach Ricky Rahne and based in Norfolk, Va., the Monarchs went 6-7 last season and made a bowl for the second time in three seasons.
Old Dominion has also proven it’s mighty capable of pulling upsets against Power 4 foes. In their season opener two years ago, the Monarchs beat Virginia Tech by a field goal. In 2018, Old Dominion also beat Virginia Tech, that time by 14 points.
South Carolina, meanwhile, last suffered a defeat to a Group-of-5 school in 2019, when Appalachian State (then led by current Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz) handed the Gamecocks a 20-15 loss inside Williams-Brice Stadium.
Circa Sports, and just about everyone else, doesn’t expect a miracle on August 31.
The Gamecocks, likely to start redshirt freshman LaNorris Sellers, return a majority of their defensive starters and are loaded up with newcomers, highlighted by freshman EDGE Dylan Stewart, freshman left tackle Josiah Thompson and Arkansas transfer running back Rocket Sanders.
If South Carolina gets past Old Dominion, the Gamecocks will head to Kentucky on September 6 with a chance to start 2-0 for the first time since 2021.
SEC point spreads for Week 1
Via Circa Sports
Old Dominion at South Carolina (-20)
Temple at No. 16 Oklahoma (-43)
No. 14 Clemson vs. No. 1 Georgia (-13.5)
Colorado State at No. 4 Texas (-35)
No. 19 Miami (-2) at Florida
Southern Miss. at Kentucky (-26)
Virginia Tech (-13) at Vanderbilt
Western Kentucky at No. 5 Alabama (-30)
No. 7 Notre Dame at No. 20 Texas A&M (-2.5)
No. 13 LSU (-6) vs No. 23 Southern Cal
No available lines yet: Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Arkansas; Murray State at No. 11 Missouri; Chattanooga at No. 15 Tennessee; Eastern Kentucky at Mississippi State; Furman at No. 6 Ole Miss; and Alabama A&M at Auburn
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