Last month, when the calendar revealed that it was 100 days until South Carolina kicked off the season, I posted a story on GamecockCentral entitled “100 predictions for the 2026 Gamecocks.” Now, that countdown is down to just 68 days.
The prediction paired with day 68 read, “Quarterback LaNorris Sellers will return to his high level of play in 2026. In fact, he will post more total yardage and touchdowns than he did in 2024 when he was an All-SEC performer.”
Let’s break down that prognostication.
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2024
When the 2024 season ended, South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers was an All-SEC selection and a Freshman All-American.
It was easy to see why No. 16 picked up those major accolades. After a somewhat up-and-down start to the year, Sellers borrowed Superman’s cape down the stretch.
In South Carolina’s final six games of the regular season, the redshirt freshman led the team to a 6-0 record that included wins over four ranked teams. USC knocked off Oklahoma in Norman, No. 10 Texas A&M at home, No. 24 Vanderbilt in Nashville, No. 24 Missouri at Williams-Brice Stadium, Wofford at home, and then No. 12 Clemson on the road.
Sellers also set a new program record. In the month of November, the Gamecock signal-caller produced 16 touchdowns, throwing for 12 and rushing for four. No other player has ever bested that mark in garnet and black.
Thanks in large part to Sellers, South Carolina was very much in the College Football Playoff conversation. The Gamecocks got left out of the 12-team field, but they earned a Citrus Bowl berth as the top SEC team available.
When the dust settled at the end of the year, Sellers had thrown for 2534 yards and 18 touchdowns on 65.6% passing efficiency. He added 674 yards as a rusher and seven scores. He also caught a 21-yard pass.
2026
To make this prediction come true, Sellers will need to have more total yards and touchdowns in 2026 than he did in 2024. That would mean more than 3229 yards and 25 touchdowns.
After a less-than-stellar 2025 campaign, some have forgotten just how good Sellers can be. With new offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Kendal Briles in town, there is optimism around the program that the Gamecocks’ starting quarterback will return to form.
Briles has guided successful offenses everywhere he has been, and some of those units have been flat-out elite. He has coached top-10 overall national rushing attacks and top-10 overall national passing offenses. He has made dual-threat quarterbacks extremely dangerous, as well. All of that bodes well for Sellers. Reports from spring and summer workouts have been positive, too.
Assuming he stays healthy, Sellers will be a major bounce-back candidate this fall.
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