South Carolina’s road trip to face No. 23 Missouri carries even more intrigue than usual in the Mayor’s Cup showdown. Both programs have entered the season with high expectations, but they arrive in Columbia, Missouri, with very different storylines.
The Tigers are unbeaten with an early key victory over Kansas under head coach Eli Drinkwitz. On the other hand, South Carolina is reeling from a 31-7 defeat at Vanderbilt and is desperate to avoid an 0-2 start in SEC play.
The biggest question heading into Saturday is the status of quarterback LaNorris Sellers. The dual-threat leader of the Gamecocks’ offense exited last week’s game against the Commodores just before halftime after sustaining a blow to the head, which left him with concussion symptoms. Sellers did not return and backup Luke Doty struggled to generate much on offense, as South Carolina managed only 168 total yards with three turnovers after Sellers’ departure.
South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer has expressed optimism that Sellers could be available, noting his presence at practice earlier in the week. However, the first official injury report listed Sellers as questionable. His availability will be a game-time decision, and without him the Gamecocks face an uphill climb against a stout Missouri defense.
Beamer also addressed what he called “conspiracy theories” about the coaching staff restricting Sellers’ running opportunities. He pushed back strongly, insisting that South Carolina has not changed its approach and that many of Sellers’ decisions are dictated by reads and run-pass options.
Whether Sellers plays or not, his health and performance will be the defining factor in South Carolina’s chances of their first SEC win on Saturday (7 p.m. ET, ESPN). At 2-1, the Gamecocks can ill afford to lose momentum this early in conference play.
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