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Tennessee football is returning to a house of horrors next season.
The Vols will play at South Carolina, where their magical 2022 season essentially came to an end, and Hendon Hooker tore his ACL to finish his college career.
With fall camp around the corner, I spoke with Lulu Kesin of The Greenville News to get the inside scoop on where the Gamecocks are at this summer ahead of this years matchup.
Heres what she said.
More From RTI: Tennessee Quarterback Reportedly Joining Manning Passing Academy Instructors Heading into year six, whats the feeling around where the program is at under Shane Beamer? I think theres still lingering disappointment in how big of a step back 2025 was, but a lot of fans blame really went on former offensive coordinator Mike Shula.
With the Kendal Briles hire and just with time, theres been some optimism starting to flood in, but overall I think most feel like this is a make-or-break year for Shane Beamer.
His transfer portal success combined with the fact that high school recruiting didnt take a huge hit despite the 4-8 season helps a lot, but South Carolina cant miss a bowl game again.
South Carolina was able to return LaNorris Sellers at quarterback.
What are the expectations for him this season? Its rare to see a quarterback stay in one place for three seasons which is an advantage that should LaNorris Sellers has to capitalize on.
Hes had three different OCs which isnt great.
Without a spring game, its hard to tell how things are going in Briles system, but there are high expectations regardless.
LaNorris is a football junkie and often described as a perfectionist so last season was likely a harsh wake-up call in some ways.
Hes had bad protection so far but also his own issues to improve upon.
I think the expectation now is that Briles is the OC who can get him to where he needs to be, which is closer to his 2024 self.
What have the Gamecocks built around Sellers on offense? WR Nyck Harbor is the biggest piece downfield, and their chemistry took a big step forward last year.
Nitro Tuggle, a transfer WR from Purdue, is another player to keep an eye on.
South Carolina does not necessarily have a clear RB1 now, but Beamer brought in three portal RBs, which will hopefully give the offense some life on the ground.
On both sides of the ball South Carolina lacked maturity and experience last year so Beamer intentionally brought in some players who had in-game experience, even if it was limited.
A major factor was a lack of protection so South Carolina completely revamped its offensive line.
Thats a huge element to Sellers success.
He was sacked 42 times last year, the third most in DI.
What projects to be the strengths, weaknesses of the defense? South Carolinas secondary will have to operate without DQ Smith, Brandon Cisse and Jalon Kilgore and those are some big shoes to fill.
Dylan Stewart was never fully healthy towards the latter half of last season, so if hes back to 100% then theres still a lot of strength there, especially with freshman edge rusher Julian Walker coming in.
Do you have an early prediction for the game, or is it too far out to tell still? I lean more towards its too far out to tell but under Beamer, South Carolina is 1-3 in games played during that Oct.
22-26 range.
Its also after a bye week which can either hurt or help the Gamecocks but being at home is certainly an advantage.
Joe Cashs Scoundrel and Lewis Barbecue collaborate on menu items Two-star brands offer a prime rib steak mash-up for both restaurants menus.
Joe Cashs Scoundrel and John Lewis Lewis Barbecue talk collaboration.
Residents who live in Greenville know its a gem that shines brightly among other top cities in the U.S.
Word about the mid-size city is spreading with CNN Travel ranking it No.
3 on its list of best towns to visit in America in 2026.
The only other cities ahead of it were Sarasota, Florida at No.1 followed by New Haven, Connecticut.
And CNN had a lot to say about Greenvilles southern charm and vibrant downtown.
Greenvilles got a Main Street that lives up to its name, at the heart of a lively downtown connected to other parts of the city by the Swamp Rabbit Trail, a 28-mile pedestrian and bike network lined with parks and local businesses, said CNN.
Those new to the area may be enjoying all that it now has to offer, but much has changed since the 80s.
Heres how far the city has come and other aspects that make it special, according to CNN.
Greenvilles transformation decades-in-the-making Compared to other cities, Greenvilles downtown feels safe, a description worlds away from what it once was.
Russell Stall, executive director of the Greenville County Historical Society, told CNN the area currently known as Fall Parks used to be a place of prostitution and drug use.
When Greenville was known as the Textile Capital of the World, its industrial hub for cotton mills and manufacturing were powered by the Reedy River in the late 19th and 20th centuries.
As a result, dyes and chemicals polluted the rivers waters, hence the nickname the Rainbow Reedy.
What remains of the era are a few former mill house loft apartments.
In the 1990s, the citys mills began to shutter.
Stall called downtowns uplift one of the most significant revitalizations in the history of the city, referencing the Hyatt Hotel, Peace Center, music venues Coach Music Factory and The Mockingbird, and Fluor Field among key precursors of city change.
Although many positives have come with Greenvilles rise, there have been some downfalls, like the loss of the historic City Fall.
We tore down a lot of the historic structures that we shouldnt have, Stall told CNN.
CNN spotlights Greenvilles sights, recreation, dining scene Often referred to as a city with a small town feel, Greenville has a wealth of things to do, so dont let the saying mislead you.
Sightseeing is an activity that doesnt cost a dime, with CNN highlighting Liberty Bridge and the Falls as two places with amazing views.
The Grand Bohemian Lodge was mentioned due to its rustic wood-and-stone aesthetic, accessible through Reedy Rivers paths.
Other things to do include riding a bike along the Swamp Rabbit Trail, visiting the Greenville Zoo, and exploring the Village of West Greenville, the citys art district.
CNN also spotlighted Michelin-starred restaurant Scoundrel and Chef Joe Cash, a Greenville native with experience in New York and Copenhagens restaurants scene.
You come home and you see, you know, theres some new restaurants, some fun things to do.
Some more interesting, a little more modern, a little less steak and potatoes, a little more farm-to-table, Cash said.
And so kind of just watching that over the years, it made sense for me to come back.
CNNs Top 10 best towns to visit in America 2026 - Sarasota (Florida) - New Haven (Connecticut) - Greenville - Bethlehem (Pennysylvania) - Fort Collins (Colorado) - Burlington (Vermont) - Juneau (Alaska) - Iowa City (Iowa) - Lawrence (Kansas) - Roanoke (Virginia) Nina Tran is the breaking news and education reporter for The Greenville News, part of the USA TODAY Network.
Reach her via email at [email protected].
COLUMBIA Coach Dawn Staley gave fans an early look at whats to come with South Carolina womens basketball and Nike.
The university officially switched to the brand as its uniform supplier on July 1 after 19 years with Under Armour.
This move brings the chance to support Aja Wilson, a former Gamecocks star who has had her own signature shoe with Nike since May 2025.
In the contract of the Nike agreement, it specifically stated Staleys team would get Wilsons shoes, including custom team colors.
On July 2, Staley posted photos of the shoes.
While its unconfirmed as of now if they are the exact shoes the team will get and wear, the ones Staley posted are garnet, black and white ATwos with Gamecocks logos.
One shoe has a black top, the other with white, with matching logos and garnet detail around the base of the shoe.
The bottom of each shoe has Wilsons logo from her Nike line, in addition to the signature Nike swoosh.
Staley captioned the post, Why are my feet on fire? Heres why?!! @GamecockWBB 1 of 1s but are @_ajawilson22 ATwos! Wilson started with her shoes called the AOne and then released a second version in May called the ATwos.
South Carolina players can now wear any Nike shoes they want, but the contract specifically mentions the latest version of the ATwos.
Staley had her own Nike signature shoe released in 1999 called the Nike Zoom S5.
Having been a Nike athlete most of my life, Im well-versed in what partnership with them means to an organization and its athletes, Staley said in the July 1 news release.
I am excited that all of our teams at South Carolina will get to feel that, too.
For our womens basketball team, only good things have happened when weve partnered with Aja Wilson, so I look forward to whats coming next in that legacy.
Five South Carolina athletes signed signed NIL deals as part of Nikes new Blue Ribbon Elite NIL program, including womens basketball stars Joyce Edwards and Chloe Kitts.
Quarterback LaNorris Sellers, wide receiver Nyck Harbor and edge rusher Dylan Stewart round out the group of five Gamecocks who are part of the inaugural Blue Ribbon class for South Carolina.
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network.
Email her at [email protected].
Follow her on X@Lulukesin and [email protected] LANCASTER COUNTY, S.C.
(WPDE) Police said two people were hurt in a plane crash on Thursday morning, according to reporting from WSOC.
They said it happened near a scrap yard near West Brooklyn Avenue and Springdale Road.
Online flight records show a Beechcraft airplane owned by Pressley Aviation LLC was last seen flying near the crash site at 1 a.m.
Furthermore, the records show the plane had been flying from Laredo, Texas before heading towards the Carolinas.
WSOC reported seeing wreckage of the plane among trees near the scrap yard.
The two involved both reportedly survived the crash but were sent to hospital for burns, according to WSOCs reporting.
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