South Carolina football's latest bowl projections following win over rival Clemson Tigers
South Carolina handled everything they could control. After a 3-3 start to the season, the Gamecocks did all within their power to surge back into relevancy. A six-game winning streak was capped off with Carolina’s road victory in the Palmetto Bowl over the rival Clemson Tigers.
Because of the Gamecocks’ charge back into the picture, some national voices believe South Carolina belongs in the College Football Playoff. However, if Tuesday’s College Football Rankings mirror Sunday’s AP and USA Today Coaches Polls, they won’t make the field.
If South Carolina does not make the 12-team College Football Playoff, the Gamecocks have done a good job of securing a prominent bowl game this winter. In the current format, the Citrus Bowl typically will take the highest-ranked SEC team from the non-Playoff bowl field. If not included in the CFP then USC has a good chance of being that SEC team.
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Below are some of the latest bowl projections for Shane Beamer’s squad.
ESPN’s Mark Schlabach and Kyle Bonagura did not agree on South Carolina’s postseason fate. Schlabach included the Gamecocks among his potential CFP at-large bids but, ultimately, decided to project USC to the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl against the Illinois Fighting Illini. Bonagura thinks Carolina will play the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the Music City Bowl. South Carolina has never played Illinois or Minnesota. The program also has never been to the Music City Bowl. The team’s only appearances in the Citrus Bowl came following the 1975 season (a loss to the Miami (OH) Redskins/RedHawks in what was then called the Tangerine Bowl), the 2011 season (a win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers in what was then called the Capital One Bowl), and the 2013 season (a win over the Wisconsin Badgers in what was then called the Capital One Bowl).
CBS analyst Jerry Palm has a different view of South Carolina’s bowl season. According to Palm, the Gamecocks could match up with the Syracuse Orange in the Gator Bowl. The two teams have never met on the gridiron. However, USC has been to the Gator Bowl on five occasions. They lost all five times to Wake Forest, Pittsburgh, Oklahoma State, LSU, and Notre Dame in those appearances.
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Athlon Sports’ Steven Lassan also suggests, like Schlabach, that South Carolina will play Illinois in the Citrus. However, Lassan has the Gamecocks on “College Football Playoff Bubble Watch” this week, as well.
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No matter where South Carolina plays this bowl season, the Gamecocks have a chance to make some history. With a win, USC will reach the 10-game threshold for just the fifth time in school history.
A clearer picture will be available after Tuesday. At 7:00 p.m., ESPN will broadcast its weekly College Football Rankings show. If the Gamecocks remain behind Alabama and/or Ole Miss like last week, it seems unlikely that they could reach the CFP. However, if USC moves up more than one spot, things could get interesting. South Carolina was 15th last week but beat No. 12 Clemson. If the CFP Selection Committee moves the Gamecocks up to 13th or higher, fans will want to tune in to next week’s Selection Sunday show. ESPN will air that one, too, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
