Latest local news, weather and high school sports from the Midlands

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WACH) - The South Carolina football team will open the 2013 season against North Carolina on national television.

On Monday, it was announced the Gamecocks will play the Tar Heels Thursday, August 29 at Williams-Brice Stadium. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN from Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia. The game time will be announced at a later date.

The game will mark the 56th meeting on the gridiron between the two schools and the first since 2007. North Carolina holds a 34-17-4 lead in the all-time series. The Gamecocks won the last meeting in Chapel Hill 21-15 count, and has won four of the last five games, dating back to 1988. UNC holds the advantage with a 14-9-1 record in games played in Columbia.

It will be the second straight year South Carolina will open the the season on a Thursday night.  The Gamecocks beat Vanderbilt 17-13 in the 2012 season opener.

Since head coach Steve Spurrier took over the program in 2005, South Carolina has played 10 Thursday night ESPN games. The Gamecosks are is 8-2 in those games, with a 5-1 home record at home and a 3-1 record on the road. The Gamecocks are a 6-0 in season openers on Thursdays under Spurrier. 

Thursday night games under Steve Spurrier:

09/01/05 UCF* W 24-15

08/31/06 at Miss State* W 15-0

09/28/06 Auburn L 24-17

10/04/07 Kentucky W 38-23

08/28/08 NC State* W 34-0

09/04/08 at Vanderbilt L 24-17

09/03/09 at NC State* W 7-3

09/24/09 Ole Miss W 16-10

09/02/10 Southern Miss* W 41-13

08/30/12 at Vanderbilt* W 17-13

*-Season Opener