More bad news for the South Carolina football team ahead of the 2026 season.
Two South Carolina stars – edge rusher Dylan Stewart and offensive tackle Jacarrius Peak –are unlikely to be ready for the start of the season, according to On3’s Chris Low.
Stewart is dealing with a back injury that has been nagging him since last season. Peak is recovering from a knee injury that he suffered while playing basketball in February and subsequently missed spring drills.
Stewart, a rising junior, has earned preseason first-team All-American honors from multiple media outlets. Peak is a prized transfer portal addition who joined the Gamecocks in January after spending four seasons at NC State.
“Stewart is one of the top pass-rushers in college football,” Low noted, “and Peak is South Carolina’s top offensive lineman. When he returns, he will step in at left tackle.”
Neither player has been a full participant in practices during South Carolina’s fall camp.
“Several inside the program made it clear to On3 that neither player will be rushed back until they are 100 percent ready to play in a game,” Low wrote.
“Stewart watched practice from the sideline Wednesday. Peak was doing some rehab work with the strength staff in the weight room.”
Stewart was a unanimous Freshman All-American, Freshman All-SEC selection and a finalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award in 2024 and a second-team All-SEC performer in 2025. The 6-foot-5, 250-pounder owns 22.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks among his 56 career tackles with a dozen quarterback hurries in 24 games, including 22 stars.
At NC State, Peak appeared in 38 games, including 32 as a starter, with 14 of those starts coming at left tackle and 18 at right tackle. The 6-foot-4, 305-pounder has accumulated more than 2,200 offensive snaps over the past three seasons.
The Gamecocks’ depth is already being tested after losing wide receivers Jayden Gibson and Jayden Sellers to season-ending lower-body injuries.
South Carolina opens the season on Sept. 5 against Kent State at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia. The Gamecocks will travel to Clemson on Nov. 28 for the annual rivalry clash.