LaNorris Sellers set the tone early and finished with grit in South Carolina’s 24-11 season-opening win over Virginia Tech. The sophomore quarterback delivered the first score himself on a 16-yard touchdown run.
The opening drive established the physical tone Sellers brought all game.
“I probably could have went right, but when I was going to go right, he jumped right,” Sellers said about the touchdown run. “Then when I went left, he jumped left. So it was kind of like I will just go through him, I guess.”
LaNorris Sellers gave the game ball to Frank Beamer pic.twitter.com/MYLhKI3ehQ
— ESPN (@espn) August 31, 2025
Sellers completed 12 of 19 passes for 209 yards. His highlight came on a 64-yard strike to Nyck Harbor.
“When we got it, safety came down, we just knew we had it,” he said.
Harbor benefited from a full football offseason after transferring from track. “He is putting in the work for it,” Sellers said. “He just looks more natural.”
The quarterback praised younger teammates who weren’t overwhelmed by the moment. “I am just glad they was not shellshocked or anything,” Sellers said. “They played in front of a lot more people than they have in high school and stuff like that.”
Vicari Swain’s 80-yard punt return touchdown drew a smile from Sellers.
“Vicari just make plays all the time at corner,” he said. “To let him go out there and do that, it was just good to see because everybody in the building knows he can do that.”
The win capped an offseason of scrutiny for Sellers, who’s expected to lead South Carolina’s offense this season. “It is always good to get a win,” he said. “It is a hard win. It is a good team, a lot of tradition, a lot of history in that program.”
South Carolina’s complementary football approach impressed Sellers most.
“We just preach on playing complementary football, special teams picking up the offense, offense picking up the defense, defense to offense and vice versa. So I feel like we did a good job of that today.”
The Gamecocks fought through a tight game and pulled away in the fourth quarter. “Just to go out and fight like we did and come through in the fourth quarter, it just felt good,” Sellers said.
