Juice Wells staying in SEC for next college home, will face Gamecocks in 2024 season

After somewhat surprisingly announcing Dec. 3 that he was leaving Columbia and entering the transfer portal, Antwane “Juice” Wells has found his next college home.

The 6-foot-1 pass catcher told ESPN’s Mark Schlabach on Sunday that he is joining Ole Miss.

Wells, who transferred to South Carolina from James Madison in 2022, quickly turned into one of the Gamecocks’ top receivers, racking up almost 1,000 receiving yards while starring in USC’s upsets of Tennessee and Clemson.

Then in the 2023 season, Wells was an enigma. He played sparingly in South Carolina’s first three games before missing the rest of the season with an apparent foot injury.

Toward the end of the year, the coaches painted a picture of a receiver who could have played if he wanted to but chose to sit out.

“You’ve got to make a decision about what’s best for you and hopefully it aligns with the team,” said offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains at the time. “And sometimes it doesn’t — and that’s unfortunate.”

Wells will get to have his South Carolina homecoming when the Rebels travel to Columbia on Oct. 5 to play the Gamecocks.

South Carolina transfers

A look at USC football transfers and where they have ended up

• QB Tanner Bailey

• QB Colten Gauthier

• RB Mario Anderson

• OL JonDarius Morgan

• OL Grayson Mains

• WR Antwane “Juice” Wells Jr. (Ole Miss)

• WR O’Mega Blake

• WR Landon Samson

• WR Zavier Short

• WR Kylic Horton

• DL Xzavier McLeod

• DL Felix Hixon

• DL D’Andre Martin (Charlotte)

• DL Donovan Westmoreland

• DB Kajuan Banks

• DB Isaiah Norris

• K Mitch Jeter (Notre Dame)