As you might be aware, the plug gets pulled on GamecockScoop at midnight tonight. We've been with you for three of Shane Beamer's four football seasons - even though the end is near, we are going to finish what we've started.

For the first time since the final years of the Spurrier Era, South Carolina felt like the superior program to Kentucky after this game. The Gamecocks were never going to challenge the hierarchy of the league while losing seven-of-eight to Kentucky. The Cats beat Carolina in Shane Beamer's first season, since then Beamer has put a stop to all that nonsense.

For the first since 2012-2013, South Carolina entered this rivalry game have won consecutive meetings. In 2022, the Gamecocks won by in 10 in Lexington as future first draft pick Will Levis watched from the sideline with an injury. In 2023, the Gamecocks pulled out a nail-bitter at home, 2024 would feel like a long-awaited return to normalcy.

LaNorris Sellers didn't quite have his season legs yet. The Gamecock offensive only posted 13 first downs and 252 yards of offense. It would matter on a sunny afternoon in Lexington. Nick Emmanwori would score as many points as the Kentucky offense thanks to a fourth quarter pick-six. The Wildcats could only muster 183 yards of total offense. Wildcat starting QB, and UGA transfer, Brock Vandagriff was a deer in headlights. The Gamecocks racked up five sacked and put pressure on Kentucky nearly every time they attempted to pass. Kentucky quarterbacks were 6-for-17 with 44 yards and two interceptions.

“We’ve been beaten pretty badly by some really good football teams, but I felt like our team always fought back,” coach Mark Stoops said. “Today, it didn’t look like we were a very well-coached team and it didn’t look like a team that, that really, wanted to respond.” Maybe there is a culture problem in Lexington.

Auburn came into Williams-Brice Stadium as a seven point favorite. The Tigers had blown a 28-3 lead to Mississippi State the week prior. They came out of the gates hot racing to a 14-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. The Gamecocks would battle back in the second quarter behind running back ZaQuandre White. White would finish the game as the Gamecocks' leading rusher and receiver. He had 99 yards on 16 carries and three catches for 69 and a touchdown.

Quarterback Jason Brown's play wasn't always pretty, but he added an element to the Gamecocks offense that it didn't have under Zeb Noland or Luke Doty. Brown could extend plays with his legs and make throws on the run from outside of the pocket. For a team that looked like it would be blown off the lines of scrimmage by SEC competition back in September, the Gamecock offensive front wore down the Tigers in the fourth quarter nursing a four point lead. The Gamecocks would only attempt three passes in the final quarter and used the combo or White and Kevin Harris to milk the clock. The game would end when R.J. Roderick recovered a punt that had glanced off the Auburn's return man's leg with 2:00 remaining and the Tigers out of timeouts.

The win would make the Gamecocks bowl eligible in Beamer's first season. Something that didn't look possible throughout the first seven weeks of the season. “This is just the start,” Beamer said. “Our goal isn't to just win six games and go to a bowl.”

The Kentucky Wildcats have had a formidable football team under Mark Stoops, I'm surprised a bigger fish in the college football pond hasn't caught Stoops yet. The Wildcats had won seven of the last eight meetings between these two teams. South Carolina hadn't won in Lexington since Connor Shaw was under center handing the ball off to Marcus Lattimore. Mark Stoops was even trolling Shane Beamer in the offseason. (C'mon coach! This was clearly a shot at Beamer and the Gamecocks).

South Carolina had lost its first two SEC games of 2022 and had yet to win a conference game on the road under Beamer, four of the five SEC road losses were by 14 points or more. Kentucky was 4-1 and ranked 13th. They were 4.5 point favorite even without future second round NFL pick Will Levis under center. Levis was injured and did not play in this game. (Had Levis played - this game would have been ranked higher). On the first play from scrimmage, David Spaulding forced a fumble that was picked up Tonka Hemingway and returned to the Wildcat 2-yard-line. South Carolina would score on the next play via a Marshawn Lloyd two-yard run. Lloyd had his best game against SEC competition, carrying 22 times for 110 yards and a score.

The game was tied heading into the locker room. Carolina took the opening drive of the second half and went 75 yards on six plays, capped off by a 42-yard Juice Wells TD reception. Carolina's next drive took up more seven minutes and ended with a field goal. At 17-7, the lead felt safe unless South Carolina gave Kentucky life. They didn't. The Gamecocks would push the lead to 24-7 on a 24-yard Jalen Brooks touchdown run. The Wildcats would manage a score against a prevent defense but the Gamecocks won the game easily 24-14, defeating a Top 15 team on the road.

You can bet the sunglasses comment wouldn't go unanswered.

Something happened to the 2021 Florida Gators when the calendar flipped from September to October. Florida finished September with a 3-1 record with their only loss being a 2-point defeat to SEC Champion Alabama. The Gators were ranked as high as #11. By the time they rolled into Columbia the first weekend of November, they were 4-4. Despite their recent struggles, Vegas had instilled Dan Mullen's club as a three-score favorite over the Gamecocks despite both teams carrying 4-4 records. Florida had been blown out by rival Georgia the week before, the Gamecocks had two weeks to lick their wounds following a dominating loss in College Station. Carolina was turning the season over to St. Francis transfer signal-caller Jason Brown, who was making his first SEC start against the Gators.

Brown wasn't spectacular, but he was mobile enough to escape the pocket and extend plays. He would finish 14 for 24 passing with 175 yards and two touchdowns. Brown was aided by 2020 SEC rushing leader Kevin Harris' best game of an injury-plagued 2021 season. Harris went for 128 yards on 16 carries. Not to be outdone by his backfield mate,, ZaQaundre White rushed for 111 yards on just 13 carries. All-SEC candidate Josh Vann had seven catches for 111 yards and a score. Parker White had a career-best four field goals and defensive tackle Jabari Ellis had an 18-yard fumble recovery touchdown to put South Carolina up 30-10 at halftime. The Gamecocks cruised in the second half to a surprisingly easy win.

For Coach Shane Beamer the game brought back fond memories. "I remember days and nights like this" when he was here from 2007-2010, Beamer said. "We're not there yet," Beamer cautioned. "We're still a work in progress, but we took a big step tonight."

In 127 seasons of Gamecock football, South Carolina hadn't won many games like this. Oklahoma is an unquestioned blueblood of the sport. Memorial Stadium is not an easy place for a visiter to play. Make no mistake, the 2024 Sooners were not a vintage Oklahoma team, but South Carolina's defense manhandled the Oklahoma offense as if they were a lower-tier Group of 5 opponent.

South Carolina was in the middle of the most difficult stretch of opponents that any team in the country would face in the regular. The Gamecocks had LSU beat and were a play away from beating Alabama on the road. Oklahoma, on the road, was a must-win game if the Gamecocks wanted the season they expected of themselves. Four turnovers, two defensive scores and nine sacks later - the Gamecock defense had turned the first ever Sooner/Gamecock meeting into a stress free afternoon in Norman.

South Carolina jumped out to a 21-0 lead before many fans had found their seats. Nick Emmanwori picked off OU on the first play from scrimmage. Carolina would convert that turnover into a quick score. Three more Oklahoma plays would result in a 14-0 Gamecock lead after Demetrius Knight forced a fumble on a sack that was picked up by Tonka Hemingway. The big Conway native would rumble 36 yards for the scoop and score. Five OU plays later, Emmanwori would pick up his second interception and take it back 65 yards. Credit Dylan Stewart for hammering Sooner QB Michael Hawkins Jr., as set to throw. It was 21-0 with 9:33 left in the first quarter. From that point on, seeing the Sooner offensive front was completely outmatched, the Gamecock went into to Lou Holtz no turnover mode en route to cruising to a 35-9 win. It felt cathartic watching Brent Venables squirm on the sideline as his offense was blasted back on their heels all day.