What national voices think about South Carolina's College Football Playoff chances

About a month ago, some optimistic South Carolina football fans began wondering, “What would it take for the Gamecocks to make the College Football Playoff?” Most laughed at the thought, understanding it would take a 6-game winning streak to end the year PLUS some outside help. However, with just two weeks left in the regular season, the possibility seems much more realistic.

South Carolina is riding a 4-game heater in which they have knocked off four SEC teams in a row. Three of the games were blowouts, and the latest three all came against ranked opponents. Meanwhile, there have been plenty of teams ahead of the Gamecocks in the polls who have lost. Some of them even have lost multiple times.

When the updated College Football Playoff Ranking releases, South Carolina will not be in the top 12. In fact, they likely won’t be that close. However, the Gamecocks are threatening with a “guaranteed” win and a possible ranked win both remaining. USC gets Wofford this weekend and then has a chance for a resume-booster against the rival Clemson Tigers. Could the seemingly impossible actually happen?

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According to some prominent college football voices, the answer is “Yes.”

On3’s Andy Staples argued several weeks ago that a 9-3 South Carolina team (or a 9-3 Georgia squad) would have a good enough resume to challenge for a spot with a little help around them.

Following the win over Missouri, On3’s Ari Wasserman has the Gamecocks on his CFP bubble. Based on Wasserman’s projection of Tuesday’s ranking, Carolina is five spots from the 12-team field. Channeling his inner Joe Lunardi, he lists Shane Beamer’s team as the first of his “Next Four Out.” He also places Clemson among that group, meaning the November 30th Palmetto Bowl is even more consequential than usual.

The Athletic reporter David Ubben listed South Carolina as a team to “keep an eye on” in the SEC. With seven teams in the conference with a possible path to the Playoff, according to Ubben, the Gamecocks will need to jump at least two (probably three) SEC teams to make the field.

ESPN’s FPI (Football Power Index) gives Carolina a 10.9% chance of making the field. However, if the Gamecocks win out, ESPN’s College Football Playoff Predictor ups that chance to 34%.

NCAA.com writer Stan Becton believes the Gamecocks are close to CFP contention but not quite there. However, teams above USC in Becton’s rankings (like Colorado and BYU, Indiana and Ohio State, Texas and Texas A&M, and Miami and SMU) all still have to play each other, and someone has to lose those games.

Josh Pate, who doubts the Gamecocks will make the CFP, argued that South Carolina would be a “nightmare” for other teams if they did crack the 12-team field. He also acknowledged that the final contest against Clemson should be one of the most important games of that weekend.

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While still a longshot, South Carolina’s College Football Playoff dream seems much less farfetched now than it did following a 3-3 start to the season.

In order to win out (and, thus, even have a chance at the Playoff, the Gamecocks must handle business this Saturday. The Wofford Terriers will travel from Spartanburg to Columbia for a 4:00 p.m. kickoff. Fans not at Williams-Brice Stadium can stream the game on ESPN+, SEC Network+, or the ESPN app.

Even if they win out, South Carolina still will be at the mercy of the College Football Playoff selection committee. This week’s CFP Ranking will drop on Tuesday night. The selection show begins at 7:00 p.m. and will air on ESPN and stream on the ESPN app.

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