Main Story

No. 24 South Carolina opens the Sun Belt men’s soccer tournament Sunday night against No. 3 seed UCF, with a place in the semifinals on the line. The No. 6 seed Gamecocks return to the postseason after missing it last year; the winner advances to face Marshall or Kentucky on Nov. 11.

By the Numbers
  • South Carolina is 10-5-2 overall; UCF is 9-4-3.
  • The Gamecocks lead the all-time series 9-5-4, but UCF has won the teams’ last three meetings.
  • South Carolina is 1-3 in Sun Belt tournament play.
  • The Gamecocks have four wins over ranked opponents, the most in Division I this season.
Yes, But

South Carolina has the stronger all-time record against UCF and beat the Knights in the 2023 Sun Belt tournament. But UCF won the teams’ most recent matchup, 3-2, on Oct. 25, and has a three-game winning streak in the series.

State of Play
  • South Carolina and UCF meet Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. in Huntington, West Virginia; Marshall is hosting the first two rounds.
  • The winner faces the winner of Marshall-Kentucky on Nov. 11 at 7 p.m.
  • South Carolina enters ranked No. 24 in the United Soccer Coaches poll and No. 12 in the latest NCAA RPI.
What's Next

A win sends South Carolina into the Nov. 11 semifinal. The Gamecocks will need to reverse their recent trend against UCF to keep their tournament run alive.

Bottom Line

South Carolina’s season résumé is strong, but the tournament starts with a familiar opponent that has had the recent edge. Sunday is a chance to turn the rivalry’s history—and the Gamecocks’ national standing—into postseason progress.