South Carolina will be hitting the road five times this season. Although most of South Carolina’s away games will be played pretty far out of Columbia, several sites will still offer a fun game day experience. In case you were looking for reasons to follow after the Gamecocks on their road journeys, then look no further. Below are the ranked roadtrips of each of South Carolina’s 2022 opponents. 

#5 Arkansas 

Distance From Williams Brice By Car – 13hr 30min 925miles 

Arkansas would be an excellent road trip if you were an Ole Miss, or Mizzou fan. Sure, as a South Carolina fan, you’d experience great tailgating, friendly faces, and a great overall environment. The only issue is, you would spend most of the trip driving.

If you decided to head up earlier in the week, you’d be spending all of your time in Fayetteville, Arkansas, which isn’t completely boring, but definitely not worth a thirteen hour drive. If South Carolina were to get blown out, it would be the longest drive home ever!

If you have the time on your hands and the money go. If not, don’t. 

#4 Kentucky 

Distance From Williams Brice By Car – 6hr 45min 430miles 

Kentucky simply doesn’t offer the greatest SEC experience, plain and simple. You’re basically driving almost seven hours for average tailgating, and an average stadium environment (depends how the cats are playing). Not to mention, a lot of their fans can really suck.

Lexington really doesn’t have all that much going on, unless you’re a big time bourbon drinker. The distance is just out of day trip range, so you’d more than likely have to spend money on a hotel.

This trip could be worth it, if Carolina is playing well at the time. It could also be fun if you have friends or family who are Kentucky fans and live near the area. Otherwise, I’d steer clear. 

#3 Vandy 

Distance From Williams Brice By Car – 6hr 45min 440miles 

Everyone seems to believe Vandy is a great road trip, because you get to spend the weekend in Nashville, and watch your team win a football game. That’s the mindset I had when I drove up to Nashville, and I can tell you it definitely did not go as planned.

We spent tons of money, and really did not get much of a chance to enjoy Nashville. Sure the game went fine, but Vandy really doesn’t have much of an environment. It was near impossible to go out before or after the game on Saturday, because the bars were packed. Not to mention, the hungover drive home was quite possibly the worst experience of my life.

Basically, you’ll spend loads of money for a Friday night in Nashville, and a Carolina game against Vandy the next day. If you plan this trip right, it can be a lot of fun. If you want to really enjoy Nashville, plan a separate trip, because if you try to cram it into a weekend, you’ll be disappointed.

If you have money to spend and you take the time to properly plan the trip, it’s worth the drive. 

#2 Florida 

Distance from Williams Brice By Car – 5hr 30min 355miles 

Although Carolina’s second closest road game is still pretty far from Columbia, it’s certainly worth the drive. I believe every Carolina fan should make the trip down to Gainesville at least once.

The Swamp is regularly considered one of the top atmospheres in college football, and in most cases, I agree. Tailgating will be fun. Gators fans are kind of hit or miss, but it definitely isn’t too hard to find a fun group of them.

Gainesville, as a town, is a fun place if you’re young or in college. If you’re in your mid 30s or older, you may not find it as enjoyable.

If you have the opportunity to make the trip, definitely do it. 

#1 Clemson 

Distance From Williams Brice By Car – 2hr 15min 114miles 

Obviously, Clemson is the easiest, most affordable, and in many cases the most fun road trip on this list. The drive is right up the road. Some fans live closer to Clemson than Columbia!

You can make a day trip out of the game easily, and can still tailgate for hours (as long as you’ve got a DD). Although Clemson doesn’t tailgate as well as Carolina, they still do a good job. Every Palmetto Bowl is exciting and fun regardless of where the game is played, so expect a rowdy environment.

The only real negative here are the fans. Clemson fans tend to get a little ass hurt at the drop of a dime, so a lot of whining and maybe some aggressive behavior should be expected. Carolina’s chances in this matchup appear to be getting better as Beamer’s tenure stretches on, so now could be the best time in a long time to take the trip up to Clemson.

I encourage you to take this trip. Bring a group of friends with you and have a great time. 

Bonus 

TSUS EVENTS – TBD 

For a little while now, The Spurs Up Show has hosted watch parties and events for fans around the state of South Carolina and even out of state.

If you are unable to attend an away game this year, a TSUS watch party could be the perfect substitute. Stop by, meet some fellow Gamecocks, and enjoy yourself. I would absolutely recommend one of these events if you have not yet been. 

Regardless of which game you decide to attend, be sure to stay safe on the roads. Give South Carolina, and their fans a good name and support them in a respectful manner.

As always, Go Cocks!