Soccer Opens 2025 Marketing campaign with 24-11 Win over Virginia Tech – College of South Carolina Athletics

ATLANTA (AP) —Vicari Swain returned a punt 80 yards for a landing to interrupt open an in depth recreation, LaNorris Sellers threw a 64-yard landing cross to Nyck Harbor, and No. 13 South Carolina beat Virginia Tech 24-11 on Sunday within the opener for each groups.

Gamecocks coach Shane Beamer used his model of “Beamerball” to drag away from the college the place his dad, Frank Beamer, originated the model of play that emphasizes turnovers and large performs on particular groups. The elder Beamer was in attendance at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, wearing South Carolina black.

“Thought you’d like a special teams touchdown,” Shane Beamer told his dad as they shared a postgame hug.

South Carolina intercepted two passes by Virginia Tech’s Kyron Drones. Fred Johnson made a decide within the pink zone to halt a first-quarter drive, and Peyton Williams’ interception within the fourth quarter helped seal the win.

The Gamecocks led 10-8 early within the fourth when Swain fielded a punt by Nick Veltsistas, turned upfield and made several would-be tacklers miss on the best way to the top zone. After a Virginia Tech discipline aim, Sellers discovered Harbor large open on a deep publish route to revive South Carolina’s two-score benefit.

Swain muffed a punt earlier within the recreation and narrowly averted catastrophe by recovering the ball. Beamer comforted the sophomore on the sideline after that play.

“Coach Beamer was like, ‘This is going to happen,’” Swain mentioned. “‘It’s your first time being out there, just make sure on the next one, just take it to the house.’ So I took it to the house, and my thought process was like, I messed up the first time, can’t mess up again. This is my only shot.”

Beamer’s religion in Swain, a defensive again and part-time return man, was rewarded.

“So proud of Vicari Swain,” Beamer mentioned. “He’s a weapon, and it was really neat for him to do that and how fitting that is playing Virginia Tech with their history, my dad’s history at special teams.”

Sellers scored South Carolina’s first landing on a 15-yard rush and was 12 of 19 passing for 209 yards and the TD to Harbor, who had three catches for 99 yards. Harbor had one other potential landing taken away by a replay assessment.

Virginia Tech’s offense was held with no landing. John Love kicked three discipline objectives, together with a 56-yarder, and the Hokies’ protection contributed a security within the first quarter when Kelvin Gilliam Jr. and Kody Huisman took down Sellers in the long run zone.

Drones went 15 of 35 for 221 yards and two interceptions.

Up subsequent

Virginia Tech hosts Vanderbilt on Saturday.

South Carolina hosts South Carolina State on Saturday.