re: 2013 football schedule is now out

We have made some changes to our schedule for next season:

quote:

---

Oct. 31, 2012

The University of South Carolina has announced its four non-conference games for the 2013 football season, finalizing its entire slate of games for the 2013 campaign, it was announced today.

The Gamecocks will open the 2013 schedule against North Carolina on Saturday, August 31, at Williams-Brice Stadium. That contest will mark the Tar Heels first trip to Columbia since 1990. The teams have met 55 times over the years, most recently in 2007 with South Carolina posting a 21-15 win in Chapel Hill.

The Gamecocks will travel to Orlando to face the Central Florida Knights on Saturday, September 28. South Carolina has won each of the previous three meetings with UCF, most recently in 2005 in the first game coached by Steve Spurrier as the Gamecocks' head coach. This will mark South Carolina's first trip to Bright House Networks Stadium (45,323) in Orlando.

South Carolina and in-state FCS opponent Coastal Carolina will meet for the first time in history on Saturday, November 23. The Chanticleers will take the place of South Carolina State on the 2013 docket, with the Bulldogs returning to the Gamecocks' schedule during the 2016 season.

"Since moving to a 12-game football schedule, we have annually played one of our in-state FCS schools," said South Carolina Athletics Director Ray Tanner. "We are happy to add Coastal Carolina to that rotation with a game at Williams-Brice Stadium on November 23, 2013. It will mark the first meeting ever on the gridiron between the Gamecocks and Chanticleers, and we look forward to seeing a great turnout from both teams' fans from the beach area as they make their way to Columbia for that contest."

The Gamecocks will close the 2013 regular season with the traditional Palmetto State Showdown against the Clemson Tigers. The Tigers will make their way to Columbia on Saturday, November 30, two days after Thanksgiving.

---

Official Website Announcement

So we're no longer starting the 2013 season with UNC on Thursday as one of the first games of the 2013 season, but playing them on a Saturday. We've removed SC State from the schedule, and replaced their date with one of the 2 bye weeks. Then we've replaced the date of the bye week we've moved with Coastal Carolina, who will now be representative for our annual in-state FCS opponent. At least for the 2013 season.


August 31 NORTH CAROLINA
September 7 at Georgia*
September 14 VANDERBILT*
September 21 Open
September 28 at Central Florida
October 5 KENTUCKY*
October 12 at Arkansas*
October 19 at Tennessee*
October 26 at Missouri*
November 2 MISSISSIPPI STATE*
November 9 Open
November 16 FLORIDA*
November 23 COASTAL CAROLINA
November 30 CLEMSON

*-Denotes SEC Game

As much as I liked the schedule before, I like this one even better with one of the bye weeks moved to earlier in the schedule. The home game with Coastal will be almost like an exhibition game (they have been out-scored 243-41 in their 5 games versus FBS opponents, with 28 of those coming in a loss to Toledo this season), and we should be able to play our back-ups mostly in that game.

Still have the bye for the UF game, which IMO will be our toughest game on the season. The MSU game still concerns me, though...

IMO it's one of the easiest schedules we've had in many years....