The Kent State Golden Flashes take on the South Carolina Gamecocks in a non-conference battle to start the season. The game kicks off at 12:45 p.m. ET on Friday in Columbia, South Carolina.
The Gamecocks are listed as 35.5-point home favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at O/U 54.5 points. Below is my full preview, prediction and best bet for this Week 1 matchup.
South Carolina vs. Kent State prediction, preview
South Carolina Preview
This is a pivotal season for Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks. In 2024, Beamer showed what this program could be capable of. The Gamecocks won nine games and came up just short of a College Football Playoff spot. The program managed to retain superstar freshman quarterback LaNorris Sellers and superstar freshman EDGE Dylan Stewart after that season. It seemed like everything was set up for success in 2025, but South Carolina instead took a massive step back, winning just four games. Sellers and Stewart are both back for one more season, before likely heading off to the NFL Draft. Beamer needs to put together a good season, starting with this non-conference slate.
Kent State Preview
Mark Carney is hoping to keep things going in the right direction at Kent State. It was a miserable two seasons for the Golden Flashes in 2023 and 2024. Kent State went 1-23 over that stretch, failing to win a single conference game. Carney took over in 2025 and won five games. He is now going to try to get Kent State back to a bowl game, along with last year’s starting quarterback, Dru DeShields. All of that being said, this Golden Flashes team is still not expected to be very competitive in the MAC this season.
South Carolina vs. Kent State Pick
My best bet is for South Carolina to cover as 35.5-point favorites. While Kent State was much more competitive in the MAC last season, they were dominated in their non-conference games. Kent State lost to Oklahoma 44-0, to Florida State 66-10 and to Texas Tech 62-14. They had absolutely no answer for any of those offenses, despite none of those offenses being particularly explosive last season. This is a big chance for LaNorris Sellers to start the season strong and get into a rhythm with his skill position players. Shane Beamer should let his team keep pushing and cover this big spread.
