South Carolina's season opener vs. North Carolina on Aug. 29 will kick off at 6 p.m., it was announced Tuesday.
The Thursday game will be televised nationally on ESPN from Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia.
The Aug. 29 game will mark the 56th football meeting between the two schools and the first since 2007. North Carolina holds a 34-17-4 lead in the all-time series, but South Carolina won that last meeting 21-15 in Chapel Hill and has won four of the last five contests, dating back to 1988. UNC holds a 14-9-1 advantage in games played in Columbia.
Since head coach Steve Spurrier took over the program in 2005, South Carolina has played 10 Thursday night ESPN contests. The Gamecocks are 8-2 in Thursday night games under Spurrier, including a 5-1 record at home and a 3-1 mark on the road.
The Gamecocks are 6-0 in season openers on Thursdays under Spurrier.
FULL SCHEDULE FOR 2013
| Day | Date | Opponent | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday | Aug. 29 | North Carolina | Columbia, S.C. |
| Saturday | Sept. 7 | Georgia | Athens, Ga. |
| Saturday | Sept. 14 | Vanderbilt | Columbia, S.C. |
| Saturday | Sept. 28 | Central Florida | Orlando, Fla. |
| Saturday | Oct. 5 | Kentucky | Columbia, S.C. |
| Saturday | Oct. 12 | Arkansas | Fayetteville, Ark. |
| Saturday | Oct. 19 | Tennessee | Knoxville, Tenn. |
| Saturday | Oct. 26 | Missouri | Columbia, Mo. |
| Saturday | Nov. 2 | Mississippi State | Columbia, S.C. |
| Saturday | Nov. 16 | Florida | Columbia, S.C. |
| Saturday | Nov. 23 | Coastal Carolina | Columbia, S.C. |
| Saturday | Nov. 30 | Clemson | Columbia, S.C. |
SEC issues: Are tougher nonconference schedules ahead?
