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South Carolina keeps finding new ways to lose. Last Saturday, it was a 35-34 overtime defeat to Kentucky, the Gamecocks’ second straight game blowing a double-digit lead.
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They’re now 2-3 overall and 0-3 in SEC play, and Shane Beamer’s seat is hotter than it has ever been.
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Saturday Down South noted that the Gamecocks led by 16 and 17 points in their last two losses and couldn’t close either one. That’s what makes this stretch so hard to defend. Beamer’s team isn’t being overwhelmed, it’s coming apart late.
The numbers are ugly. According to Yardbarker, South Carolina took a 49-18 beating at Alabama earlier in the month, extending a seven-game SEC losing streak that dates back to last season.
Beamer’s buyout would cost $22.55 million before December
Money is the biggest reason a change isn’t automatic. Per contract details obtained by USA Today and cited by Saturday Down South, Beamer’s buyout would be $22.55 million if South Carolina fired him by Dec. 1, 2026.
The school would pay 65 percent of his remaining base salary and additional compensation in monthly installments through the end of 2030.
That’s a long tail of payments, and it explains why the speculation keeps focusing on the end of the season instead of the middle.
Dylan Stewart’s future is still unresolved
The other storyline is star edge rusher Dylan Stewart. He threw a punch at an Alabama player and was suspended indefinitely, then received a one-game suspension handed down jointly by the SEC and the school, according to Saturday Down South.
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Asked who would decide whether he returns, Beamer’s answer was just one word: “Me.”
On Monday, ClutchPoints reported that Beamer offered “no update” and said he’d met with Stewart almost daily.
The outlet noted there’s been plenty of speculation he may not come back. Stewart had 11 sacks in two seasons and is projected as a first-round pick in the 2027 draft.
The schedule offers no easy way out
Now comes a road game that could define the year. AP’s preview lists South Carolina visiting Florida, which is 4-1 and coming off its own embarrassing loss. Kickoff is Saturday afternoon. After that, the Gamecocks still face a run of ranked SEC opponents, with Georgia later in the schedule.
Why this may come down to the final months of the season
My view: the buyout makes a quick move unlikely, but the program’s trajectory makes a long wait uncomfortable. South Carolina went 4-8 last year and is winless in conference play this season.
If the Gamecocks lose again, the pressure will shift from fans to donors and the athletic director.
There’s also a locker-room question. A team that blew two big leads and suspended its best defensive player has to trust the people in charge. Beamer built goodwill with earlier winning seasons, but goodwill doesn’t stop a fourth quarter collapse.
What happens in Gainesville will tell us a lot.
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This story was originally published October 11, 2026 at 6:03 AM.