Countdown to kickoff prediction series: Former South Carolina QB Stephen Garcia will return to Williams-Brice Stadium this fall

Last week, when the calendar revealed that it was 100 days until South Carolina kicked off the season, I posted a story on GamecockCentral entitled “100 predictions for the 2026 Gamecocks.” Now, that countdown is down to just 94 days.

The prediction paired with day 94 read “Stephen Garcia will lead a pregame ‘Gamecocks’ chant at Williams-Brice Stadium.”

Let’s break down that prognostication.

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Garcia battling cancer

For those who haven’t seen, South Carolina football alum Stephen Garcia is battling cancer. The former Gamecock quarterback announced last month that he had stage four colorectal cancer and was starting chemotherapy immediately. He has already begun treatment.

Gamecock Nation has rallied behind their former QB. The Garcia GoFundMe raised nearly $250,000 to help with medical costs and all the other things that come with a health battle. He has shared that others outside of the fanbase have offered support, as well, including Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney.

In the updates he has provided online and to the media, Garcia has shared that the cancer has reached his liver. Even so, he and his doctors remain optimistic that he can beat this cancer in the long run.

In typical Garcia fashion, he has publicly faced this challenge with courage and boldness. He told the media, “We’re going to kick this thing in the teeth and knock it out. There is no other option. There is no other plan B; this is what we’re doing. And I have complete faith in the team that I have around me.”

Assuming that Garcia will be doing as well as he anticipates, it would make a lot of sense to get him back to Williams-Brice Stadium for a gameday. Fellow quarterback Connor Shaw led the pregame “Gamecocks” chant after having a health scare last fall. Hopefully his former teammate can receive a similar honor.

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A look back at No. 5’s career

A larger-than-life personality, Stephen Garcia was also a really good quarterback at South Carolina.

He signed with USC as a four-star prospect in the class of 2007. Garcia then redshirted before earning some playing time as a freshman in 2008. By the end of the year, he was the starter, but he missed the Clemson game with an illness.

The full-time starter in 2009 and 2010, Garcia helped the Gamecock program rise to national relevance. With over 3000 yards and 26 total touchdowns, he led Steve Spurrier’s team to an SEC East title in 2010 as a redshirt junior.

When Garcia’s career in garnet and black ended in 2011, he was third among all Gamecock quarterbacks in career passing yards (7597). Even now, he remains third in yardage, fourth in completions (589), fifth in passing touchdowns (47), and third in quarterback rushing touchdowns (15). He also never lost to Clemson as a starter, taking down the Tigers in runaway fashion in 2009 and 2010.

Garcia is one of six quarterbacks in South Carolina history to throw for at least 3000 yards in a season. He had one of his best career performances in USC’s upset over the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide in 2010, when he tossed for 201 yards and three touchdowns on 17-for-20 efficiency.

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