South Carolina host Charleston Southern to open home season

With Hurricane Dorian bearing down on the Palmetto State, many were wondering if Saturday’s scheduled game between the Charleston Southern Buccaneers (0-1) and South Carolina Gamecocks (0-1) would even be able to take place.

After all, Charleston was one of the areas hit hardest by the storm.

However, thanks to good foresight on Charleston Southern’s part and cooperation on South Carolina’s part, the game will go on as scheduled. The Buccaneers evacuated Charleston and secured a block of hotel rooms in Charlotte, and have been traveling back and forth between Charlotte and Columbia all week. South Carolina has been allowing use of its facilities and providing means for the Bucs.

No team ever wants to have a game get cancelled, so it’s very cool to see cooperation from both sides to make this happen.

It’s also easy to see why both sides would have extra motivation to keep this game on the schedule. Charleston Southern is getting a $400,000 payout for coming to Columbia, and following the injury to starting QB Jake Bentley, South Carolina is looking for an easy test for Ryan Hilinski before the rigors of SEC play get started.

Hilinski comes in as a true freshman, and really wasn’t expected to play this year as Bentley looked to close the book on his South Carolina career. But, injuries happen, and as is the credo of every college football program, it’s next man up for the Gamecocks.

South Carolina has to feel a bit of pressure to bounce back from an ugly season-opening loss to North Carolina, a game which the Gamecocks led by 11 points going into the fourth quarter. Charleston Southern provides them with that opportunity before the schedule gets shifted into overdrive.

How to watch or stream

Time: Noon ET

TV: SEC Network

Streaming: WatchESPN

Odds

Line: South Carolina -33.5

Total: 39.5