College Football

South Carolina’s Shane Beamer gives telling Dylan Stewart update ahead of Gators matchup

October 6, 2026

South Carolina edge rusher Dylan Stewart returned to team activities Tuesday after serving an indefinite suspension imposed by head coach Shane Beamer following the Gamecocks’ 49–18 loss at Alabama on September 26. Stewart attended the team’s 8 a.m.

meeting and later participated in practice, though his availability for Saturday’s 12:45 p.m. ET showdown at No.

4 Florida remains undecided. Beamer emphasized that Stewart’s status will be evaluated on a daily basis, noting that the star defensive player has engaged in ‘open and honest’ conversations with him since the Alabama game, where he was penalized for throwing a punch at Alabama tight end Josh Ford and defying substitution instructions.

The SEC’s one-game suspension for the Ford incident was already served during South Carolina’s 35–34 overtime loss to Kentucky on October 3, leaving Beamer to determine Stewart’s role against the Gators independently. With the Gamecocks at 2–3 overall and 0–3 in SEC play, Beamer faces pressure to balance accountability with on-field contributions as South Carolina travels to face a ranked Florida squad in Gainesville.