When a guy hits 92% of his field goals over two seasons, you don't usually expect to see him packing his bags. But that is exactly what happened with Mitch Jeter South Carolina fans watched him transition from a reliable local hero into one of the most sought-after names in the transfer portal.
College football is weird now.
It used to be that if you were the top scorer on your team—which Jeter was for the Gamecocks in both 2022 and 2023—you were a foundational piece of the roster. You stayed. You became a legend. Honestly, Jeter was already on that path in Columbia. He was the guy who nailed a 35-yard game-winner to beat Clemson in 2022. He was the only kicker in school history to drill two 50-plus yarders in the same game.
Then, he left for Notre Dame.
The Statistical Reality of Mitch Jeter South Carolina Success
Let's look at the numbers because they are actually kind of insane. In 2022, Jeter stepped into the massive shoes of Parker White, the school's all-time leading scorer. Most kickers blink. Jeter didn't. He went a perfect 11-for-11 that year.
Basically, if the Gamecocks got inside the 35-yard line, the points were already on the board.
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By the time he finished his 2023 senior season, he had connected on 23-of-25 career field goals. That 92% clip isn't just "good for college"—it’s elite. He wasn't just a placekicker either. He handled kickoff duties for four straight years, with over 60% of his boots resulting in touchbacks.
Why leave a place where you're statistically one of the best to ever do it?
The nuance lies in the "Graduate Student" status and the modern landscape of the sport. Jeter earned his degree in Biological Sciences from South Carolina in December 2023. With one year of eligibility left, the allure of a program like Notre Dame—and perhaps a different spotlight for NFL scouts—became too much to ignore.
What Really Happened During the Transfer?
When Jeter hit the portal on November 30, 2023, it felt like a gut punch to the special teams unit in Columbia. He was ranked as the No. 2 kicker in the entire transfer pool by 247Sports.
He didn't leave because of a lack of playing time. He didn't leave because he was "pushed out."
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It was a business decision.
South Carolina has a storied history of great kickers, but the chance to play for Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame offered a different kind of "Big Stage" vibe. Plus, Jeter has aspirations beyond football. His father, Andrew, is a chiropractor, and Mitch has spoken openly about wanting to follow that medical path. A degree from South Carolina followed by graduate work at Notre Dame is a powerhouse academic combo.
Life After the Gamecocks
Watching him in a different uniform during the 2024 season was jarring for many in the SEC. He started hot for the Irish, famously icing a win against Texas A&M with a 46-yarder in front of a hostile Kyle Field crowd.
But it wasn't all smooth sailing.
A groin injury six games into the 2024 season slowed him down significantly. He went through a rough patch where he was 1-for-5 on field goals while clearly playing through pain. It’s a reminder that even the most "automatic" players are human.
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The comeback, however, was pure Jeter:
- Sugar Bowl 2025: 3-for-3 on field goals.
- Orange Bowl 2025: Drilled a 41-yarder with seven seconds left to beat Penn State.
- History Maker: Became the first kicker in CFP history to make three 40-plus yarders in a single game.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Students
If you're following the trajectory of specialists like Jeter, there are a few things to keep in mind about how the game has changed:
- The Degree is the Key: For specialists, transferring as a graduate student is the "cleanest" way to move. It allows them to leverage their stats for a higher-profile program without the stigma of "quitting" on their original school.
- Special Teams Value: Jeter’s success proves that a kicker who can handle both kickoffs (touchbacks) and high-pressure field goals is worth his weight in NIL gold.
- Injury Management: Groin and hip injuries are the "Tommy John" of kicking. If you see a kicker's percentage dip suddenly, it's almost always physical, not mental.
Mitch Jeter might be wearing gold helmets these days, but his record at South Carolina remains one of the most efficient stretches of kicking in the program's history. He wasn't just a kicker; he was a scoring machine that rarely, if ever, missed.
Next Steps for Followers:
If you are tracking Jeter's path to the 2026 NFL Draft, keep a close eye on his medical reports regarding that 2024 groin injury. Scouts will prioritize his 92% career average at South Carolina, but they'll need to see that the leg strength and accuracy from his "Gamecock days" have fully returned post-rehab.