Football season is going to look a little different this year, but it doesn't change the fact this is a very pivotal and important year for Will Muschamp and the Gamecocks.
Coming off a lackluster 4-8 season in 2019, South Carolina needs to show improvement in 2020 with Mike Bobo as the offensive coordinator.
They'll have to do it playing all SEC teams, which is a tall task, but with it comes a few big games on the schedule to show their mettle this season and progress after the eternal offseason.
Tennessee (Sept. 26)
Even before the schedule was reshuffled, this game was going to be massively important to both teams and now it's even more so with this game moving to the season opener.
The Gamecocks want to avenge last year's big loss in Knoxville while the Vols are trying to capitalize on some momentum they've built over the offseason.
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In the grand scheme of the SEC East, it looks like Florida and Georgia are the clear top two teams with four teams fighting for pecking order after that. South Carolina is one of those, as is Tennessee.
Winning this game makes getting to 2-3 or 3-2 a lot more manageable before the bye week and gives South Carolina an early win in the East hierarchy as some team has to step up.
Plus, playing the Vols early gives the Gamecocks a nice litmus test for where the newly-installed offense early in the season.
at Kentucky (Dec. 5)
Very similar to the Tennessee game, the Kentucky game was going to be a big one for South Carolina's fight to bowl eligibility and it's even more magnified now.
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It's especially interesting now with two of the most important games on the schedule being bookends to the season.
Both of these teams have aspirations on increasing their win totals from last season and this could turn into a big game for South Carolina depending how the first nine games of the season goes.
Beating Kentucky would help them solidify a place in the upper half of the SEC East, but a loss could mean sliding down on that order this season.
Kentucky should be better than last season, but still has question marks entering the season like every other team.
Texas A&M (Nov. 7)
Until South Carolina takes down the Aggies, this will always be a big game on the schedule.
The Gamecocks haven't beaten Texas A&M since the school joined the SEC a little less than a decade ago.
To get to five wins, South Carolina will need to win games the Gamecocks are underdogs in, and A&M gives them a chance to do that.
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The Aggies are sometimes overvalued and, if the offense comes together for South Carolina, could give the Gamecocks a chance to take down A&M for the first time.
Plus, the timing works out with the Gamecocks getting a bye week before the game, which gives them more time to prepare for the game. Last season South Carolina upset Georgia coming off the bye week.
Missouri (Nov. 21)
With ESPN's FPI projecting the Gamecocks to win either three or four games this season, wins might be hard to come by this season (in reality, wins are going to be hard to come by for every SEC team this year).
But, to get to .500 or even 6-4, the Gamecocks are going to need to win the games they're favored in, and early in the season it looks like Missouri might be one of the few they're the favorites.
South Carolina gets Missouri at home and will play the Tigers breaking in a new coaching staff and replacing a lot of production from last year's team.
Entering the season the Gamecocks are given a 71.5 percent chance to win that game. If that stands, the Gamecocks absolutely need to capitalize on that and take care of business against Missouri.
