Three Stretches On South Carolina's Schedule That'll Define The 2023 Season

South Carolina's Football team once again has a hard schedule in 2023, but three different stretches will shape their final win-loss record.

Shane Beamer and the South Carolina Gamecocks will try to match what they did last season on the football field and possibly take another step forward in 2023. However, winning more than eight games in the regular season will be challenging as life in the SEC goes. Throw a tougher-than-usual non-conference slate, and the Gamecocks are staring down the barrel of potentially the toughest overall schedule in college football this Fall.

When looking at the 2023 slate, three different stretches will determine South Carolina's end results in year three under Shane Beamer.

The Entire Month Of September

The Gamecocks will have little time to work out any kinks, as they'll play three games away from home in the first month of the season. Those matchups include a border war against North Carolina in Charlotte, a daunting visit to the home of the back-to-back national champions in Georgia, and a trip to Knoxville to face a team in Tennessee who'll be looking for revenge of the highest order after what happened last November. Throw in a tricky home game against Mississippi State between the Georgia and Tennessee matchups, and South Carolina won't have much time to catch their breath if things go sideways early on.

The Dreaded Back-To-Back SEC Road Games

No team in the SEC takes back-to-back conference games on the road lightly due to how much talent and fan support most teams typically possess. The Gamecocks will leave Williams-Brice for two straight weeks in late October to take on the Missouri Tigers and Texas A&M Aggies. South Carolina hasn't defeated the Tigers since 2019, and the Aggies have one of the most renowned home-field advantages in all of college football. The Gamecocks will have to try and take one of these games to take another step forward.

The Final Two Weeks

The Gamecocks will close out the 2023 regular season with two challenging games against Kentucky and their arch-rivals in Clemson. The Wildcats look to be an improved bunch this Fall and are noted in the SEC for their physical play. That game could bring lingering effects heading into the Palmetto Bowl against a Tigers squad seeking payback for their loss this past season at Memorial Stadium. Despite having home-field advantage, South Carolina must bring their "A-game" in both contests, especially if they stumble enough to where bowl eligibility is in question

You Might Also Like:

• Gamecock Football Target Elijah Griffin Named A Consensus Five-Star
• Gamecock Target Jonathan Paylor Earns Under Armour All-American Game Invite
• Keylen Adams Releases Top Five, Announces Commitment Date

Join the community:

• Follow Andrew Lyon on Twitter: @ALyon_SC
• Follow Arvon Bacon on Twitter: @baconnetworkllc
• Follow Christian Dart on Twitter: @ChristianJDart
• Follow Fisher Brewer on Twitter: @USCTalk
• Follow Matt Bishop on Twitter: @ThatsABishop
• Follow Locked On Gamecocks on Youtube or wherever you get your podcasts

You can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the top right-hand corner of the page. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook @GamecocksDigest & follow us on Twitter at @GamecocksDigest.