---
title: "Gamecocks host Mississippi State in first SEC test"
url: https://www.herecharleston.com/2026/09/18/gamecocks-host-mississippi-state-in-first-sec-test/
date: 2026-09-18T13:13:18-04:00
modified: 2026-09-18T13:45:03-04:00
author: "Reese Calhoun"
categories: ["Sports"]
site: "HERE Charleston"
attribution: "HERE Charleston"
---

# Gamecocks host Mississippi State in first SEC test

*Source: [HERE Charleston](https://www.herecharleston.com/2026/09/18/gamecocks-host-mississippi-state-in-first-sec-test/) — September 18, 2026 by Reese Calhoun*

South Carolina brings an unbeaten record into its first Southeastern Conference test of the season Saturday, hosting Mississippi State at Williams-Brice Stadium in a game that will start to reveal what kind of team the Gamecocks are this fall.

Both programs enter at 2-0, and South Carolina holds a 10-7 edge in the all-time series against the Bulldogs. Kickoff is set for 4:15 p.m. with the game airing on SEC Network, and South Carolina opened as a 4-point favorite on its home turf. A strong showing would give the Gamecocks momentum heading into a stretch of conference games where results start to matter for postseason positioning.

Elsewhere on campus, the Gamecocks’ athletic department has a busy week across other programs — six members of the women’s tennis team are set to compete later this month at the ITA All-American Championships in Cary, North Carolina, a showcase event for some of the top collegiate players in the country.

For South Carolina fans, Saturday’s kickoff marks the real start of the season in a lot of ways: the non-conference tune-ups are over, and every result from here carries conference-standings weight.