COLUMBIA: Shane Beamer held his weekly press conference, Tuesday, as the Gamecocks prepare for their road trip to Ole Miss.
Ole Miss (7-1) is up to no. 7 in the AP poll following its 34-26 victory at Oklahoma. South Carolina, on the other hand, is looking to avoid dropping its fourth straight after consecutive defeats to LSU, Oklahoma and Alabama.
Beamer said an SEC coach whose team had played against Ole Miss told him that this year’s Rebels team is better than last year’s team. “And when you turn on the tape,” Beamer said, “you see exactly what he’s talking about.”
Ole Miss’ only loss came between the hedges at Georgia as the Bulldogs rattled off 17 straight points for a come-from-behind victory. USC knows all about squandering fourth-quarter leads after losing to Missouri and Alabama in heartbreaking fashion.
Beamer said finishing strong has always been a focus of the program, “We’ve been a good team in the fourth quarter since I’ve been here as head coach, so it’s maddening that we haven’t been better this year.”
South Carolina and Ole Miss are scheduled to kick off from Oxford, Miss., at 7 p.m., Saturday.
Key comments from Shane Beamer
- On the 2027 Clemson game possibly moving to Friday: “Yeah, I saw that. That was news to me. I’ve got more important things to worry about right now, but ultimately you want to do what’s best for your team and your fan base. There are positives and drawbacks to it, and Jeremiah (Donati) and I haven’t even discussed it yet.”
- On Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss: “He’s done a phenomenal job elevating that program and sustaining success year after year. The way they’ve kept it going, just being one of the top teams, it’s impressive. Credit to him.”
- I think it’s important to mix tempo. Some teams that go fast always go fast. That’s great, but you know what they’re going to do. Ole Miss is doing a great job of mixing tempo.
- On Jayden Sellers: “He’s just a football player. The moment’s never too big for him. He loves competing and having fun, and when the ball’s in his hands, good things happen. He’s instinctive, doesn’t say much, but when the lights come on, he hits another gear.”
Shane Beamer previews Ole Miss
USC Ranking Summary Through 10/25
Key Rankings
- #1 Nationally / #1 SEC – Blocked Punts Allowed (0)
- #1 SEC / #16 Nationally – Turnovers Gained (14)
- #9 Nationally / #2 SEC – Net Punting (43.7 avg)
- Vicari Swain – #1 Nationally / #1 SEC in Punt Return Touchdowns (3)
- Nyck Harbor – #1 SEC / #23 Nationally in Yards per Reception (18.44)
Ole Miss Ranking Summary Through 10/25
Key Rankings
- #1 Nationally / #1 SEC – Blocked Punts Allowed (0)
- #3 Nationally / #1 SEC – Net Punting (43.7 avg)
- #3 Nationally / #1 SEC – Field Goals Per Game (Lucas Carneiro – 2.0 FG per game)
- #2 Nationally / #1 SEC – Total Touchdowns (Kewan Lacy – 12 TDs)
- #4 Nationally / #1 SEC – Passing Yards Per Completion (Trinidad Chambliss – 14.56 yards)
Ranking Summaries provided by stats.ncaa.org