Nyck Harbor Score in First Game of the Year- His Importance to the Gamecocks for 2025

The South Carolina Gamecocks are officially 1-0 to start the 2025 college football season after defeating the Virginia Tech Hokies, 24-11. In what was for the most part a defensive battle, the offensive players who were able to make plays had a big impact on the game.

Junior receiver Nyck Harbor was one of those offensive guys who left his imprint on the game. Throughout the off season, there was a noteworthy buzz around Harbor, who had given up his collegiate track and field career to focus strictly on football. According to the Washington D.C. product, he felt more prepared than he could have ever imagined after deciding to stick to the gridiron.

LaNorris Sellers connected to Harbor early in yesterday’s game on a slant that ended up being a first down, which was an initial indicator that Harbor may be in for a big game. Despite the initial success, Harbor’s production was quiet as the entire offense began to sputter and stagnate. That was until the fourth quarter, when the two again connected for a 64-yard touchdown on a post route that was put right in the hands of Harbor, who had created immense separation between him and the cornerback. This touchdown was the final dagger in the game, as the Gamecocks were able to get a stop and run the clock down to zero. It's also worth noting that Harbor had a touchdown catch controversially overturned iin the second quarter as he attempted the snag while falling out of bounds.