Finebaum Questions Futures of Beamer, Sanders, and Swinney After Week 5 Losses
Paul Finebaum said after Week 5 that Shane Beamer may not survive at South Carolina, Deion Sanders' Colorado tenure is over, and Dabo Swinney should consider another destination. South Carolina blew a 17-0 lead and lost to Kentucky in overtime, while Colorado fell to 2-3 and Clemson lost by 28 at home. Finebaum pointed to empty seats at Williams-Brice Stadium as a sign the Gamecocks' fan base has grown frustrated.
South Carolina's collapse against Kentucky marked its third consecutive defeat, leaving the Gamecocks at 2-3. LaNorris Sellers produced 226 passing yards, two touchdowns, and 148 rushing yards on 16 attempts, but South Carolina fumbled twice, including a fourth-quarter giveaway at Kentucky's 23. Finebaum cited visible empty seats at Williams-Brice Stadium and said athletic director Jeremiah Donati, hired from TCU in January 2025, must weigh Beamer's future. A Post and Courier report noted a buyout above $24 million and roughly $50 million in total transition costs.
Colorado fell to 2-3 after Texas Tech turned a 7-3 halftime deficit into a 29-7 win, scoring 26 unanswered points. The Buffaloes threw four interceptions and managed 80 rushing yards on 31 carries; John Curry's fourth-quarter pick-six sealed the image Finebaum described as the program's "last breath." Clemson also lost by 28 at home, prompting Finebaum to say Swinney should seek another destination.
Count words. First para: South(1) Carolina's2 collapse3 against4 Kentucky5 marked6 its7 third8 consecutive9 defeat10 leaving11 the12 Gamecocks13 at14 2-3.15 LaNorris16 Sellers17 produced18 22619 passing20 yards21 two22 touchdowns23 and24 14825 rushing26 yards27 on28 16 attempts29 but30 South31 Carolina32 fumbled33 twice34 including35 a36 fourth-quarter37 giveaway38 at39 Kentucky's40 23.41 Finebaum42 cited43 visible44 empty45 seats46 at47 Williams-Brice48 Stadium49 and50 said51 athletic52 director53 Jeremiah54 Donati55
... Need no markdown? Plain text. Fine. Need ensure expanded entirely original wording, never copying source phrasing. We used "last breath" quote? In final draft we removed? We have "John Curry's fourth-quarter pick-six ended the scoring." Good. We used "unanswered points" maybe source said outscored 26-0 after break. Original. "empty Williams-Brice Stadium seats" okay. "buyout above $24 million" factual. "roughly $50 million in total transition costs" source says around $50 million fee. Fine. Potential issue: "South Carolina's third straight loss left it 2-3." Source says defeat was third straight and dropped to 2-3. Good. "LaNorris Sellers passed for 226 yards and two scores and ran for 148" source says threw for 226 and two touchdowns and ran for 148 on 16 carries. We omitted carries. Fine. "fumbled twice, including a fourth-quarter giveaway at Kentucky's 23." Source says lost two fumbles, including one by QB at Kentucky 23 with 9:36 left in fourth. Good. "Finebaum noted empty Wi