South Carolina does not have many easy fixes right now, but getting Dylan Stewart back should count as a real one. The edge rusher is set to return from a one-game suspension for Saturday’s trip to No. 16 Florida, a welcome development for a team that needs all the defensive help it can get after a 2-3 start and a rough opening stretch on that side of the ball.
The timing matters because Stewart has barely been on the field this season. He missed the first two weeks with a back injury, made his season debut against Mississippi State on Sept. 19, and then was unavailable again after the Sept. 26 loss to Alabama. South Carolina has only seen him in two games, which makes this matchup at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium feel more important than a routine midseason return.
Why Stewart matters so much
This is not just about adding another body to the rotation. South Carolina’s defense ranks 102nd in points allowed per game among 138 FBS programs, and that kind of number tells the story as much as any eye test does. The Gamecocks need disruption, and Stewart is the kind of player who can change the shape of a drive even when he is not finishing plays himself.
His season line is still small, but the impact has been obvious in limited work: one tackle for loss and no sacks. The bigger picture comes from his reputation and production before this uneven season. In the 2023 season, Stewart posted 12 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in 11 appearances, which is why his return carries real significance even if he has not yet matched that level this fall.
Will Dylan Stewart play against Florida?
That part is not locked in yet. Shane Beamer said Stewart was at practice on Tuesday as South Carolina began preparing for Florida, but he also made it clear that his status for Saturday had not been determined and would be decided as the week goes on. So the best answer for now is that Stewart is trending toward availability, but South Carolina still has to finish the week before turning that into certainty.
The suspension itself came after the Sept. 26 loss, when Stewart punched an Alabama player and argued with coaches on the sidelines. South Carolina has not had Florida on the schedule since the 2023 season, which adds a little more edge to the matchup, and it is fair to say the Gamecocks would prefer to enter that game with one of their most disruptive defenders back in uniform.
That is the larger meaning here: this is not just a return from suspension, but a chance for South Carolina to stabilize a defense that has too often looked short on answers. If Stewart is available, he gives the Gamecocks something they have lacked in recent weeks — a player who can force the issue instead of waiting for it to come to him.
