South Carolina’s football team snapped its five-game losing streak after picking up a much-needed 51-7 win over in-state rival Coastal Carolina. 

The Gamecocks shook off a shaky stretch of games and picked up a win for the first time since September. The game was a nice confidence boost for a team that has had trouble finishing this season. 

It was also the first time since September that the Gamecocks were not playing a team ranked inside the top-15 nationally. The schedule has been rough for South Carolina, and while bowl eligibility is out of reach, the team is still playing for pride. 

“We've had a heartbreak all season, but today was an opportunity to go out and put all that on display, our culture on display, and we did that,” head coach Shane Beamer said after the game. “Proud of our guys, happy to get a win, it's been a minute. We’re certainly are going to enjoy the heck out of this one. We know what's coming next Saturday at noon.”

South Carolina’s season will conclude next week at home against the king of all rivals, Clemson. Under Beamer, the Gamecocks are 2-2 against the Tigers, with both wins coming on the road. 

A win at home against the Tigers would dampen some of the negative noise surrounding the program.

But before that game is played, here are three major takeaways from the win over Coastal Carolina. 

The Gamecocks didn’t play with their food

South Carolina grabbed control from the first snap and never looked back. 

Quarterback LaNorris Sellers hit his brother, Jayden Sellers, on a quick screen pass to start the game. He caught the ball, turned upfield and weaved around defenders on his way to a 75-yard touchdown. 

South Carolina had a 7-0 lead less than 15 seconds into the game, and it just kept growing from there. 

A few minutes later, the Gamecocks found themselves up 20-0 with over seven minutes left in the first quarter. By halftime, the lead had grown to 37-0. If not for a blocked punt late in the fourth quarter, South Carolina probably could’ve secured a shutout. 

“For the most part, thought our guys did a nice job of executing,” Beamer said. “We lost that game last week, give A&M credit, but we lost that game last week because we did not execute well in the second half.” 

There would be no blown lead in this one like there was last week. While the offense was clicking, the Gamecock defense also did a great job of getting Coastal off the field. 

The Chanticleers finished with 220 yards of offense to South Carolina’s 579. No offensive points were scored and the team only reached the red zone once. 

“Love the way that our defense played throughout the night, the stops that they made on fourth down, the responses our guys always had. It was just a great team effort and really good in two phases,” Beamer said. 

South Carolina’s offense is much more effective under Mike Furrey

One of the biggest reasons for the Gamecocks' struggles this year has been the offense’s inability to sustain drives and score. It led to the midseason firing of offensive coordinator Mike Shula and cost the team multiple games this season. 

In six out of eight quarters under new playcaller Mike Furrey, the unit looks way more productive. 

Under Furrey, the team is having more success getting the ball to its key playmakers. There is less pressure on LaNorris Sellers to make a crazy play out of nothing, and most importantly, the Gamecocks are scoring more points. 

“That whole offensive staff has done a really nice job of just being creative, having some fun,” Beamer said. “We have some stuff that we didn't run tonight that we'll save for next week, that our guys get creative with. We let them name some of it, which is scary. They're just having fun with it, and guys are playing with confidence, and LaNorris is doing a nice job.”

In the past two games, South Carolina had its most productive offense performances. The 579 yards against Coastal is a season-high, and the 388 last week against Texas A&M is second. 

While the unit went cold in the second half collapse against A&M, the group has still come a long way since its early-season struggles. 

Beamer will have a decision to make when the year is up. Does he hire from within and keep Furrey as OC, like he did with Shula last season? Or, does he look outside the program to find a hidden gem? 

It will be one of the biggest choices for Beamer during his Gamecock tenure. His seat has never been hotter, and a successful hire could make or break his time with the team. 

Next week’s game against Clemson can be a sweet end to a sour season

With a (5-7) record, the Gamecocks enter their final game of the season unable to reach bowl eligibility, but that doesn’t mean the team has nothing to play for. 

Bragging rights are on the line as South Carolina looks to beat archrival Clemson at home for the first time in the Beamer era. The coach is 2-2 over Clemson, with both wins coming on the road. 

It’s been a bit of a down year for the Tigers, as well, as they enter the game (6-5) overall and (4-4) in ACC play. 

No matter how down either team is, when they get together on the same field, records are thrown out the window, and for 60 minutes, it’s the only game that matters. 

A win would also give the Gamecocks the potential to reach a bowl. While it’s not guaranteed, five-win teams can be invited if there aren't enough six-win teams to fill all the bowls. 

Beamer previously said the team would accept an invite if given the chance. 

A loss gives the Gamecocks their worst record since Beamer came on. A year of high expectations and playoff hopes has not gone to plan, but ending the year on a win can give the program a boost of momentum to regroup heading into the offseason.