Could South Carolina really go to a bowl? Ray Tanner offers a little bit more clarity
In normal times, it would be unprecedented for a college football team with two or three wins to go bowling — but this year is already without precedent.
South Carolina sits at 2-7, days away from a regular season finale at Kentucky. The coronavirus pandemic led to the NCAA opening things up and making every team bowl-eligible, which could create some different dynamics.
Conferences usually control the selections of mid-tier bowls to a large degree, and without the limits created by bowl eligibility, they can fill all their allotted spots. Gamecocks interim coach Mike Bobo said the decisions on the front were in the hands of athletic director Ray Tanner, and Tanner gave a little insight on the process to The State in a short statement.
“The SEC has a process to place its teams into bowl games and we will work with them in that process,” Tanner’s statement said.
The conference has nine bowl tie-ins, minus a canceled Las Vegas Bowl, plus however many spots it gets in the New Year’s Six bowl games. Chances are good that at least three teams — Alabama, Florida and Texas A&M — make NY6 games, maybe four if Georgia can bull its way in. So you could be talking at least 11 spots and maybe 12.
If they go strictly by standings, South Carolina still doesn’t have a great chance unless they pull off the double-digit upset this weekend, which would force a tie with Kentucky and maybe Tennessee. Winless Vanderbilt will finish behind the Gamecocks, but USC needs a win this weekend to not finish in a tie for second-to-last place in the conference.
But if a team or two chooses not to accept a bid, South Carolina could slot right in. ESPN’s bowl projections still have the Gamecocks heading to the Gasparilla Bowl in Tampa.
