The South Carolina Gamecocks dropped another one, and holy cow, Shane Beamer’s job is officially scorching. After blowing a massive 17-0 lead at home against Kentucky on Saturday, losing 35-34 in overtime, the team’s now sitting at a brutal 2-3 overall and winless 0-3 in the SEC. Expectations weren’t sky-high heading into this season, but nobody expected this kind of slide, especially after a disappointing 4-8 finish last year. The time to win was supposed to be now, but it feels like Beamer’s clock might be running out.
Beamer’s Losing Skid and That Massive Buyout
This is tough to watch. Under Beamer, the Gamecocks have already had two losing seasons, and by the looks of it, this one could easily be the third. What’s crazier is Beamer is locked into a contract in Columbia through 2030, and his reported buyout sits at a hefty $22.5 million. That kind of money could absolutely factor into how aggressive South Carolina gets in trying to bring in an established head coach. But after that crushing loss to Kentucky, where they let a huge early lead completely evaporate, you have to wonder how much more patience there is. The coaching carousel in college football never stops, and it seems like South Carolina’s might be revving up.
Four Potential Names to Watch
If things keep sliding for Beamer, there are definitely some intriguing candidates making noise elsewhere. You have to start looking at guys who are proven winners, and there are a few on the radar.
**The FBS Risers:**
Jake Dickert, currently leading Wake Forest, is a name that instantly jumps out. In his debut season there, he took a team that went 4-8 the year before and flipped them to a 9-4 record with a bowl win. This season? The Demon Deacons are 4-1 with a key victory over Louisville and even gave then-ranked No. 5 Miami a serious challenge. He also had a stint as acting head coach at Washington State, bringing his overall record across both schools to 32-24.
Then there’s Shannon Dawson, Miami’s offensive coordinator. The Hurricanes’ offense is absolutely sizzling under his play-calling. They’re ranked first in the nation for total offense, averaging an insane 554.8 yards per game and a national-best 8.2 yards per play. Last season, his offense led the nation in yards per play at 5.8 and even made it to the CFP National Championship game. With Cam Ward in 2024, Dawson’s offense was first in points per game at 43.9 and yards at 537.2. He’s also got previous FBS coordinator experience with Houston, Southern Miss, and West Virginia.
**The FCS Powerhouses Making the Jump:**
Don’t sleep on the FCS guys, especially when they’ve built consistent winners. Brent Vigen at Montana State just snapped an incredible 19-game win streak, and he’s fresh off an FCS national title. Hired in February 2021, Vigen boasts an overall record of 66-13 and has appeared in four national championships, going 12-3 in the FCS playoffs. He’s proven he can win at a high level.
And then there’s Tim Polasek, whose North Dakota State team is in its first season at the FBS level and is already 5-0, sitting first in the Mountain West. In three seasons as head coach, Polasek has a national championship and two Missouri Valley Football Conference championships. His FCS playoff record is 4-1, and he’s undefeated so far in FBS. He also served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Wyoming from 2021 to 2023, and had an earlier run as offensive coordinator at North Dakota State from 2014-2016, where he picked up two more national championships. This guy knows how to build winners, period.
The heat is on for Shane Beamer, and with the Gamecocks sitting at 2-3 and winless in conference play, something has to give. South Carolina has some huge decisions ahead, especially with that massive buyout. Can Beamer somehow turn this ship around, or is it time for them to start seriously considering a new leader in Columbia?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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