South Carolina Confirms LaNorris Sellers’ Availability Status in First Injury Report as Mizzou Remains Unchanged

The wait is on in Columbia. South Carolina’s first SEC injury report dropped this week, and all eyes immediately went to one name: LaNorris Sellers. The redshirt sophomore quarterback — the guy who’s supposed to be the heartbeat of this Gamecocks offense — is officially listed as questionable for Saturday’s showdown with No. 23 Missouri.

The concern started last weekend against Vanderbilt. With less than two minutes left in the second quarter, Sellers took a nasty hit to the head from linebacker Langston Patterson. The officials didn’t hesitate — Patterson was tossed for targeting, but the damage was done. Sellers stayed down, and by halftime, Shane Beamer confirmed his QB1 wasn’t coming back. The Gamecocks never recovered, falling 31–7 in a game where sixth-year senior Luke Doty had to step in. Doty went 18-of-27 for 148 yards, but he tossed a pick and never found the end zone. South Carolina didn’t score once in the second half.

On September 17th. Tigers beat writer Eli Hoff summed it up on X about LaNorris’ availability: “Unsurprisingly, South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers is listed as questionable on the Gamecocks’ first injury report of the week. #Mizzou has a clean report aside from the season-long injuries to K Blake Craig and QB Sam Horn, plus a longer-term absence for OL Logan Reichert.”

Fast forward to midweek, and there’s at least a flicker of hope. Sources told ESPN on Wednesday that Sellers has been on the practice field, giving South Carolina a reason to believe he might be cleared by kickoff. But Beamer isn’t one to bend his own rules. “We’ve got a policy,” he said earlier this week, noting that players who don’t practice on Tuesdays and Wednesdays won’t suit up Saturday. So, Sellers still has some boxes to check.

The timing couldn’t be tougher for South Carolina. Sellers isn’t just another starter; he’s one of the most electric players in the country, a guy already pegged as a future first-rounder if he enters the 2026 NFL Draft. Last year, he threw for 2,534 yards and 18 touchdowns while adding another 674 yards and seven scores on the ground.

Now it’s a waiting game. Sellers is listed as questionable, Doty is on standby, and Beamer’s keeping things close to the vest. Come Saturday, South Carolina will either get its star back under center — or face another SEC test with its offense on shaky legs.

Mizzou remains the favorite to win the game against the Gamecocks

Week three wasn’t just rough for South Carolina — it was flat-out humbling. The Gamecocks were sitting pretty inside the AP Top 15. By the time the final whistle blew against Vanderbilt, they were staring at a 31–7 home loss and watching LaNorris Sellers get carted off after a nasty shot to the head. In one afternoon, all the shine got wiped clean. Now, heading into week four, the Gamecocks don’t just have to regroup — they’ve got to do it on the road against a ranked Missouri squad.

Missouri, for their part, is sitting in a much better spot. The Tigers slid up to No. 23, setting the stage for South Carolina’s first road trip of the year to come with even higher stakes. And Vegas isn’t exactly buying into the Gamecocks pulling a surprise. FanDuel has Missouri favored by 11.5, with the over/under sitting at 47.5. Funny thing is, that number actually came down from the 12.5 opening line, so maybe a few bettors see some fight left in Beamer’s crew.

And history doesn’t do South Carolina any favors here either. Missouri holds a 9–5 edge in the series, and last year’s meeting was a gut punch for the Gamecocks. They led 21–6 at one point, only to watch it slip away. Missouri closed it late, capped by Raheim Sanders busting a 15-yard score with seconds left.  It’s one thing to lose, another thing to give away a win you thought was yours.

This week, South Carolina doesn’t have the luxury of slipping again. Sellers’ health looms large, because without him, their offense trips. Backup Luke Doty showed heart against Vanderbilt, but no touchdowns and an interception won’t cut it against a ranked SEC team. The Gamecocks are now unranked with one blemish already on the record, and the path only gets tougher from here. Another loss, and playoff hopes aren’t just dented — they’re gone.