Get Up, It's Gameday!

South Carolina will take on Notre Dame in one of the biggest games of their season.

The closer. That's what head coach Shane Beamer has been since he arrived at South Carolina on the football field and the recruiting trail.

The Gamecocks are 4-2 against SEC teams in November since Beamer took over, including a program-defining win over Tennessee. Furthermore, they are coming off one of the biggest games for the program of the decade, defeating Clemson in Death Valley.

While the season can be marked as a success, work is still to be done. South Carolina faces Notre Dame later this afternoon in an intriguing challenge for both programs.

Several major powers have fallen during recent months, but these two teams are playing their best football of late. Beamer and Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman are two young stars in coaching circles, making waves in their programs.

Neither team needs a victory, but momentum heading into the offseason is critical. South Carolina expects to leap over the hump next season and become a legitimate player in the SEC East, while the Fighting Irish has a standard of excellence to maintain.

Opt-outs are a topic of conversation. Several high-level players left each team for the NFL Draft, while others entered the transfer portal searching for new homes.

• Isaiah Foskey, NFL
• Michael Mayer, NFL
• Cam Smith, NFL
• Darius Rush, NFL
• Zacch Pickens, NFL
• Drew Pyne, TRANSFER
• MarShawn Lloyd, TRANSFER
• Jaheim Bell, TRANSFER
• Austin Stogner, TRANSFER
• Gilber Edmond, TRANSFER

These are just a few of the names that will not play on Friday. Nonetheless, each squad expects to execute and take care of business, which they expressed all week at the podium.

The Gator Bowl may ultimately come down to physicality. Multiple backups are getting opportunities, and their preparation and mental toughness will tell fans a lot about where both teams are going.

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