South Carolina cracks College Football Playoff top 25 for second time ever
For the second time in the nine-year history of the College Football Playoff, South Carolina finds itself inside the CFP top 25.
The Gamecocks–after a pair of playoff-changing wins–check in at No. 19 in the latest rankings, which were released Tuesday night. It’s the highest CFP ranking in program history.
South Carolina was last ranked in the CFP rankings in 2017, coming in at No. 24 late in the season. The Gamecocks were ranked for one week before falling out and finishing the season unranked.
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That CFP ranking comes on the heels of South Carolina achieving its highest ranking in the AP Poll since 2014.
The Gamecocks check in at No. 20 in the AP Poll, which is the highest ranking since 2014 and the first time they’ve been ranked in the top 25 in November since 2013.
This ranking had been longtime coming after a dominating victory over then-No. 5 Tennessee followed by a 31-30 win on the road against Clemson.
It’s the first win in the rivalry since that 2013 season. It catapulted the Gamecocks from No. 27, where they were last week, to the top 25.
The voters ranked South Carolina earlier in the year after a four-game win streak, putting the Gamecocks at No. 25 overall. That ranking was short-lived after a 23-10 loss to Missouri.
Since then the Gamecocks are 3-1 with wins over Vanderbilt, the Vols and then the Tigers with a loss on the road at Florida.
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“We were the feel-good story in college football last week. But nobody thought we were good enough to win this game,” Beamer said. “We were the team that just kind of caught lightning in a Bottle last week and ‘no way they can come back and do it again.’”
Tennennesse checks in at No. 7 this week while Clemson slips three spots to 10.
South Carolina’s regular season is now over. The Gamecocks, now 8-4 and 4-4 in the SEC, await their bowl game destinations.
It could range anywhere from the Citrus Bowl to the Outback and potentially to the Gator Bowl. A lot will depend on the results during championship Saturday.
Regardless, it looks like the Gamecocks are being sent somewhere warm. Bowl announcements will come out a week from today, Dec. 4, after the College Football Playoff is announced.
The eight wins are the most since the 9-4 2017 season. It’s just the second time the Gamecocks have hit the eight-win threshold since the three-straight 11-win seasons.
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“We’re here and we’re here to stay,” Nate Adkins said. “I’m glad I was part of this and glad I could come over here and help out as much as possible and make memories like this. These are memories that me, and all my teammates, and all the coaches and all the staff, are going to remember for the rest of our lives.”
