On third-and-15 with 4 minutes left within the first quarter, l edge rusher t gained the battle in opposition to s offensive lineman and used his size to take down quarterback Aaron Philo for a lack of 7 yards.
Stewart acquired up and did a light celebration, dancing for a couple of seconds earlier than shifting to the subsequent play.
It was his first sack since Nov. 15, 2025, and simply the primary of many key performs he made within the 38-19 upset of a on Oct. 10, which knocked s (4-2, 2-2 SEC) from No. 15 to unranked within the l.
And for the junior, his efficiency was an enormous leap ahead after a rocky begin to the season.
Stewart missed just one sport in his first two seasons however three of the primary 5 this yr.
The potential top-10 choose within the 2027 NFL Draft harm his again and was sidelined the entire spring and just about all summer season.
He began training in early September earlier than making his season debut on Sept. 19 in opposition to Mississippi State. One week later, Stewart was d by coach r and the SEC after he was concerned in a number of incidents throughout the Alabama sport on Sept. 26, together with punching a participant within the helmet.
Stewart wasn't with the Gamecocks (2-3, 1-3) for the 35-34 extra time loss to Kentucky on Oct. 3, however returned to the group Oct. 6.
"I believe he was very annoyed (the previous couple of video games) as a result of he didn't really feel like he was enjoying properly. He didn't really feel like he was making an impression as a result of he didn't really feel 100%," Beamer mentioned Oct. 11. "My message to him was, 'Dylan, you being 50% and solely enjoying 10 performs a sport, you're going to make an impression greater than most guys' . . . so he continues to get higher. He's an impactful participant. There's no query about it. He brings one other aspect to the move rush."
Towards a, he had his finest efficiency of the season by far, with 5 tackles (4 solo), two compelled fumbles, one sack and one deal with for loss. Professional Soccer Focus gave him a career-best 95.8 grade for his protection and a 92.7 strain grade, the second-highest in his three seasons.
Per South Carolina, Stewart is one in every of 18 gamers within the FBS and one in every of two within the SEC to have a number of compelled fumbles in the identical sport this season. Stewart now has had three video games with 2-plus compelled fumbles, one thing solely seven different gamers have carried out as soon as in program historical past.
"He was superior all through the sport, his impression on the sphere is clear," Beamer mentioned. "He's a particular expertise in the best way that he's in a position to have an effect on different groups' offenses . . . I believed he did a terrific job, not simply in opposition to the move, however I actually suppose thought he performed the run properly, simply becoming gaps and being the place he was purported to be."
Beamer informed Stewart that Florida was possible going to "attempt to provoke" him as a result of he placed on tape that he has "to be higher about dealing with (his) feelings." He was happy with how Stewart was "poised" and performed "disciplined all through."
South Carolina has an open date earlier than internet hosting Tennessee (5-1, 2-1) on Oct. 24.
"This can be an enormous couple weeks for him and will see an excellent higher model of him in opposition to Tennessee," Beamer mentioned.
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville Information and the USA TODAY Community. E-mail her at >. Observe her on X> and Bluesky >
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