South Carolina unranked in first major poll of 2018. But they’re close

South Carolina’s football team has only been ranked for one week since early in the 2014 season.

The Gamecocks will open the 2018 season just short of the top-25 in at least one major poll.

Will Muschamp’s squad came in one spot outside top 25 of the preseason USA Today coaches poll. USC was briefly ranked before the 2017 Clemson game, but fell from No. 24 in the College Football Playoff rankings.

The Gamecocks got 138 points. No. 25 Oklahoma State had 168. Alabama was No. 1, with Clemson at No. 2 and Ohio State at No. 3.

USC was ranked for all but one week from 2010-2013. Then a 3-2 start in 2014 dropped them from the preseason top 10 to a long absence from the rankings.

The Gamecocks finished two and three spots outside the AP and Coaches polls respectively after going 9-4 in 2017 and winning the Outback Bowl against Michigan.

USC opens the season Sept. 1 against Coastal Carolina at noon in Williams-Brice Stadium.

USA Today/Amway coaches poll

1. Alabama (13-1) Points: 1,621 (61 first-place votes)

2. Clemson (12-2) 1,547 (3)

3. Ohio State (12-2) 1,458 (1)

4. Georgia (13-2) 1,452

5. Oklahoma (12-2) 1,288

6. Washington (10-3) 1,245

7. Wisconsin (13-1) 1,243

8. Miami (Fla.) (10-3) 1,091

9. Penn State (11-2) 1,050

10. Auburn (10-4) 1,004

11. Notre Dame (10-3) 892

12. Michigan State (10-3) 870

13. Stanford (9-5) 768

14. Michigan (8-5) 752

15. Southern California (11-3) 691

16. TCU (11-3) 530

17. Virginia Tech (9-4) 524

18. Mississippi State (9-4) 407

19. Florida State (7-6) 328

20. West Virginia (7-6) 310

21. Texas (7-6) 265

22. Boise State (11-3) 261

23. Central Florida (13-0) 259

24. LSU (9-4) 254

25. Oklahoma State (10-3) 168

Other receiving votes: South Carolina (9-4) 138; Florida (4-7) 135; Oregon (7-6) 105; Utah (7-6) 81; Northwestern (10-3) 67; Texas A&M (7-6) 67; Kansas State (8-5) 35; Florida Atlantic (11-3) 27; Boston College (7-6) 23; Memphis (10-3) 23; North Carolina State (9-4) 22; Arkansas State (7-5) 19; Troy (11-2) 19; Appalachian State (9-4) 16; San Diego State (10-3) 15; Iowa (8-5) 8; Iowa State (8-5) 8; Kentucky (7-6) 8; Washington State (9-4) 7; South Florida (10-2) 6; Duke (7-6) 5; Fresno State (10-4) 4; Louisville (8-5) 3; Arizona (7-6) 2; Houston (7-5) 2; Army (10-3) 1; Northern Illinois (8-5) 1.

This story was originally published August 2, 2018 at 12:26 PM.