South Carolina picked up a huge win in Week 12, taking down Missouri by a score of 34-30. The win moved the Gamecocks to 7-3 on the season and ended their 5-game losing streak against the Tigers.

Unfortunately, the win did not come without a cost. In a teleconference on Sunday, head coach Shane Beamer announced that tight end Brady Hunt will miss the next 2 games with a lower leg injury.

It’s a bad sign when the injury is non-contact, which is the case with Hunt. Hunt has caught 2 passes for 22 yards to this point in 2024. The TE is frequently deployed on run plays and Beamer frequently utilizes 2-TE sets.

Hunt transferred to South Carolina from Ball State, where he was one of the Cardinals’ best pass-catchers in 2022. That season, Hunt caught 46 passes for 498 yards and 5 TDs.

Without Hunt, the South Carolina TE room is rather thin. Josh Simon remains a starter, but true freshman Michael Smith and special teamer Maurice Brown will likely be asked to play larger roles over the next 2 weeks. Simon and Smith were also banged up against Missouri, but Beamer didn’t indicate any concerns for their availability going forward.

Now, the Gamecocks will finish the regular season against Wofford and Clemson. Already at 7 wins, the Gamecocks will play in a bowl game for the 3rd time in Beamer’s tenure.