The University of South Carolina opens the 2024 football season at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, Saturday. The Gamecocks take on Old Dominion at 4:15 p.m. Clemson, ranked No. 14, opens the season in Atlanta against the No. 1 ranked Georgia Bulldogs at noon, Saturday. 

There’s a lot of excitement in the air with the start of the season and some local establishments are anticipating crowds. 

“We get lots of traffic on game day,” said Billy Rentz, owner of D’s Wings on Meeting Street in West Columbia. “We’ll have a good crowd before the game because it’s in the afternoon.”

He said D’s will sell lots of wings inside the restaurant and there will be a high volume of take-out orders. 

“We’ll have several games on different TVs,” said Rentz. “We’ll be packed. College football brings people out, especially when the Gamecocks are playing.” 

Jayson Larman is the daytime bartender at Calloways Sports Bar and Grill in the Danwood Shopping Center, 2410 Augusta Highway, West Columbia. Calloways is a casual sports bar with great food, pool tables, interactive golf games and bowling. 

“We’ll have a full bar on football Saturdays,” Larman said. “This is a football town and we’re really looking forward to the first game of the season. And it’s not just Carolina fans. There will be Clemson fans and Georgia fans in here, too. We’re a sports bar and we have lots of fans in here watching games all year, but college football is big.” 

Another venue in West Columbia that attracts USC football fans is Café Strudel at 300 State Street in West Columbia.

“We’ll get customers coming in to dine before the game,” said Trip Turbyfill, owner of Cafe Strudel. “It’s a festive time of the year and we look forward to it.”

Encore is a bar that opened about six months ago at 743 Meeting Street in West Columbia. The bar has television sets and they will be tuned to football games on Saturday.

“We’ll have customers who come in and they are going to want to see the game,” said Payton Wingate, Encore’s bartender. “We’re looking forward to it.” 

West Columbia hotels will also welcome guests in town to see the Gamecocks.

So don’t miss the fun this Saturday as the season kicks off. Get out and watch some college football at one of the many West Columbia venues. 

List of West Columbia restaurants:
Calloways Sports Bar & Grill – 2410 Augusta Hwy. – 803-926-1199
Grecian Gardens Restaurant – 2312 Sunset Blvd – 803-794-7552
Café Strudel – 300 State St. – 803 – 926-5255
Savage Craft Ale Works – 430 Center St. – (803) 888-6005
WECO Bottle and Biergarten – (803) 851-1279
The Hideout in WECO – State Street
La Cienega Mexican Grill & Seafood – (803) 888-7471
Breads and Such – 1220 C Ave. – (803) 851- 0566
Encore – 743  Meeting St. 803-638-4129
Buttercream Dreams – 1230 C Ave. – (803) 708-4485
Hite’s BBQ – 240 Dreher Rd. – (803) 794-4120
Jimmy’s Mini Mart/Citgo – 812 Meeting St. – (803) 794-0090
Maurice’s Piggie Park – 1600 Charleston Highway – 803-796-0220
Nick’s House of Pizza Restaurant- 1082 A Sunset Blvd – 803-794-9240
DeLuccas 1720 Sunset Blvd. – 803- 926-5255
Breakfast at Ruiz – 116 State Street – (803) 550-9681
Ariana’s Greek Restaurant – 1720 Sunset Blvd. – (803) 796-4430
Lizard’s Thicket – 2234 Sunset Blvd. 803 – 794-0923
True BBQ – 1237 D Ave – (803) 791-9950
Chick-fil-A -2299 Augusta Rd. – (803) 939-1600
Rush’s 2332 Sunset Blvd. – (803) 796-5034
Another Broken Egg – 101 State St. – (803) 829-0223

West Columbia Hotels
Hilton Garden Inn Columbia Airport
Residence Inn by Marriott Columbia West/Lexington
TownePlace Suites by Marriott Columbia West
Hampton Inn and Suites