South Carolina weighs Peak, Stewart absences for Kent State opener

What Happened

South Carolina left tackle Jacarrius Peak and edge Dylan Stewart are unlikely to play in the Gamecocks’ 2026 season opener against Kent State. The expected absences are now part of the public depth-chart discussion, with South Carolina’s opening lineup still being shaped two weeks before the game. Peak’s status affects the left side of the offensive line, while Stewart’s status affects the edge rotation on defense. The available source does not identify replacements, provide injury details, or include an official school statement confirming either absence. The depth-chart scenarios remain projections rather than a final game-day lineup.

Why It Matters

• South Carolina may need a different left-tackle setup, changing how it protects the quarterback and starts the run game.
• Stewart’s absence would remove a projected edge presence and force South Carolina to distribute snaps differently on defense.
• The opener becomes an early test of the Gamecocks’ depth at two different points of the roster.

THE PATE STATE READ

THE PATE STATE READ: The hard part comes before either player takes a snap. South Carolina has to prepare an offensive line without its expected left tackle and a front without its expected edge, while Kent State gets a chance to test both adjustments immediately. That doesn’t move the earth, but it does move the opener’s margin. The watch point is assignment control: whether the replacement at tackle keeps pressure off the quarterback and whether the replacement edge can hold contain without changing the front. Those two answers will tell us whether this is a lineup change or a weekly problem.(Josh has not yet commented.)

What's Next

• South Carolina’s next depth-chart update before the season opener against Kent State.
• South Carolina’s season opener against Kent State, identified in the report as two weeks from the referenced Saturday.