5 things we learned about South Carolina from its win over Virginia Tech
South Carolina won its season opener on Sunday. A wonky 24-11 victory over Virginia Tech that included just two combined offensive touchdowns.
At times, the Gamecocks looked brilliant. Light years ahead of where they were this time last season. (Remember that Old Dominion debacle.) And then for long stretches, especially on offense, they looked helpless. Doomed. There was a lot of bad that was bookended by flashes of brilliance to help confirm whatever dreams you think this team is capable of.
Here are five things we learned from the game:
1. Maybe this defense isn’t taking a step back
There seemed to be a preseason consensus that this 2025 South Carolina defense was going to be worse than last year’s group. Because, surely, losing seven defensive starters is the catalyst to some regression. And perhaps they will be a slight slide, but Sunday seemed to indicate any effects would be minimal.
“I feel like with (people) saying that we lost a lot of players,” said linebacker Fred Johnson, “and just questioning what we had on defense, I feel like they found out today for sure. Yeah, it’s not the old team.”
South Carolina’s defense did not allow a touchdown on Sunday. Virginia Tech scored points from three field goals and a safety.
USC’s linebackers were running to the ball like missiles. The edge rushers — mainly Dylan Stewart (7 tackles, 1 sack) — were pressuring Hokies QB Kyron Drones constantly. The defensive tackles were solid — not game-wreckers, but good enough to hold Virginia Tech to 3 yards a carry.
And the defensive backs, despite some of the big plays, were fantastic. The Gamecocks threw their corners on islands and they really never got burned. Did they lose on a number of 50-50 balls? Sure. But they allowed very few yards after the catch and played well on big downs.
Can the Gamecocks continue to hold up without CB Judge Collier, who was injured early on Sunday? Time will tell. For now, any concerns about South Carolina’s defense are mellow.
2. Nyck Harbor finally does it
During Shane Beamer’s Welcome Home spring speaking tour, fans are allowed to ask the head coach a question.
On more than one occasion over the past two years, a fan gained enough courage to grab the microphone and ask Beamer a question that sounded something like, “Coach, why don’t you just have Nyck Harbor just run as fast as he can down the field and throw him the ball?”
Beamer would chuckle and explain it’s not that easy. That there are these people called defenders who make that hard.
Which is all to say, you couldn’t help but watch Sellers bomb a 64-yard rainbow to Harbor and think, “THEY WERE RIGHT!”
At long last, South Carolina drew up a play where it had Harbor just run really fast down the field and threw him the ball. And it worked! Virginia Tech tried covering Harbor with a single safety, which is like trying to wrangle a cheetah with your bare hands. It didn’t go well.
It was the highlight of a breakout performance for Harbor, who caught three passes for 99 and should’ve had a second score if not for a questionable call. The production is finally living up to the hype.
3. This offensive line is concerning
There was one sack Sunday where it was genuinely shocking Sellers hopped to his feet so quick. He was crunched and the ball popped out. On the play, it looked like left guard Rodney Newsom was basically lifted from the ground.
And that play came after the interior of USC’s offensive line folded as Virginia Tech notched a safety.
The Gamecocks gave up four sacks on the day, a number that surely would have been higher if their quarterback wasn’t Houdini. The Gamecocks were a bit thin — freshman guard Shed Sarratt was injured and didn’t make the trip. They also switched Newsom out and played Markee Anderson in the second half.
Still, for a group that’s given up 41 sacks in each of the past two seasons, Sunday wasn’t an encouraging sign that things are moving in the right direction.
4. Fred Johnson is as advertised
Beamer wasn’t the only one with some extra motivation on Sunday. The Gamecocks sophomore linebacker is from Norfolk, Virginia — which isn’t super close to Blacksburg or Virginia Tech’s campus, but means he’s still well aware of the Hokies.
“He was amped up,” Beamer said of Johnson. “That’s what the players said, sideline to sideline. One of (our players) said, ‘Man, he’s on a frickin’ mission today.’ And that’s the way he played.”
Johnson tracked the ball like a heat-seeking missile. For those who remember how Demetrius Knight looked last year for the Gamecocks, Johnson is a pretty good comp. The Virginia product is 6-foot-3, 244 pounds and has no trouble darting through traffic to find the football.
He led the Gamecocks on Sunday with 10 tackles and even snatched an interception in the first quarter. It would not be surprising if he leads South Carolina in tackles this season.
5. Running backs find a groove
The first signs of Rahsul Faison, the football player — as opposed to Rahsul Faison, the kid dealing with eligibility questions — was bleak. He kept running straight ahead ... into a sea of Hokies.
At one point, Faison and Oscar Adaway had nine yards on eight carries.
And then they started to find holes. Faison had a ridiculous 30-yard run on 2nd-and-34, juking a man in the backfield and then zooming upfield. And Adaway had a 23-yard carry later in the game.
In all, Adaway and Faison finished the day with 21 carries for 100 yards. The Gamecocks rotated both in, but weren’t afraid to keep the hot hand out there for entire drives.
It was an encouraging start.
This story was originally published September 1, 2025 at 7:00 AM with the headline "5 things we learned about South Carolina from its win over Virginia Tech."
