Kent State to face South Carolina in 2026 season opener

college football Kent State South Carolina Gamecocks SEC MAC

The Kent State Golden Flashes are set to open their 2026 season against the South Carolina Gamecocks on Saturday, September 5, at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina.

Kent State enters the matchup following a significant turnaround in 2025, where the team improved to a 5-7 record after a winless 2024 campaign. Head coach Mark Carney leads a roster that includes 14 returning starters and redshirt junior quarterback Dru DeShields, who ranked highly in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) for passing efficiency and yards per completion last season.

South Carolina, competing in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), seeks to build on a season that saw them finish 4-8 in 2025. This marks the first meeting between the two programs since 1995, when South Carolina won 77-14.

Entities

Kent State Golden Flashes · Mark Carney · South Carolina Gamecocks · Williams-Brice Stadium

Sources

Kent State vs South Carolina Prediction 9/5/2026 Today's College Football Picks [pickdawgz.com]

8 days ago

Men’s Soccer Falls to Gardner-Webb in Saturday Matchup - Coastal Carolina University Athletics [goccusports.com]

6 days ago

Golden Flashes Open 2026 at South Carolina, Face Experienced Gamecocks in SEC Opener - Kent State Golden Flashes [kentstatesports.com]

7 days ago

South Carolina uses red-hot offense, stifling defense in 57-0 rout of Kent State [www.saturdaydownsouth.com]

6 days ago

LaNorris Sellers throws for 3 TDs as South Carolina whipped Kent State 57-0 to begin season [www.newsday.com]

6 days ago

Everything Shane Beamer said after a win over Kent State [www.postandcourier.com]

6 days ago

FINAL SCORE: South Carolina Gamecocks Dominate Kent State, Win 57-0. [www.si.com]

6 days ago