Where South Carolina sits in the rankings ahead of bowl season
Back-to-back wins over top 10 teams in the final two weeks of the season helped launch South Carolina back into the national rankings last week.
With the regular season officially over, the Gamecocks found themselves back in the polls again as bowl season is officially underway in a few weeks.
In most polls this week, their ranking did not change since it didn’t play in the SEC Championship game.
Subscribe to Gamecock Central until the 2023 football season for only $10!
Here’s where the Gamecocks sit in the rankings ahead of their bowl game:
ASSOCIATED PRESS POLL
South Carolina was No. 20 in the Associated Press Poll last Sunday, and remained there again this week. It’s still the program’s highest ranking since 2014.
It was the second time Shane Beamer’s team was ranked in the AP Poll this season, with the first time coming after the Gamecocks were ranked No. 25 after beating Texas A&M.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF
Last week South Carolina also earned a spot in the College Football Playoff, coming in at No. 19.
This was the second time ever that South Carolina has been ranked in the CFP rankings. The last time came in 2017 when the Gamecocks were ranked No. 24 for one week before falling out.
This week South Carolina stayed still at No. 19 in the CFP rankings. A win in a bowl and the Gamecocks could find itself ranked in the CFP’s final rankings for the first time in the nine-year history of the playoff.
Top 10
- 1
Danny Stutsman Jersey Theft
OU star's Senior Day jersey stolen
- 2
SEC fines OU twice
Sooners get double punishment
- 3
Big 12 title game
Scenarios illustrate complexity
- 4Hot
AP Poll Shakeup
New Top 25 shows Saturday carnage
- 5
Auburn punished
SEC fines Tigers for field storming
Win a football autographed by Rattler, Bell, Wells, Gwyn, Kroeger
COACHES POLL
Last week’s coaches across the country ranked this team at No. 20 in the AFCA Coaches Poll. This week, the Gamecocks moved up one spot to No. 19 in the poll.
South Carolina essentially swapped spots with Notre Dame in this week’s coaches poll. Last week the Fighting Irish were ranked No. 19.
HOW THEY GOT THERE
The Gamecocks got back to national relevance this year with wins over three top 25 teams in Kentucky, Tennessee and Clemson. Wins over those three teams as well as Georgia State, South Carolina State, Charlotte, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt helped South Carolina finish its season 8-4 (4-4 SEC).
Beamer’s Gamecocks finished with bowl eligibility for the second time in as many years. After beating North Carolina in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl last year, South Carolina will have an opportunity to showcase its talents on a larger bowl stage this year.
