South Carolina on outside looking in for playoff. Here’s the latest CFP Top 25

South Carolina will most likely miss this year’s College Football Playoff.

Despite finishing the regular season on a six-game winning streak, despite knocking off No. 12 Clemson on Saturday, despite having three victories over ranked teams and despite being arguably the hottest team in America, the Gamecocks appear set to be on the outside looking in.

We know that with high certainty after the penultimate CFP Top 25 was released on Tuesday night and South Carolina (9-3) was ranked 14th, behind No. 13 Ole Miss, No. 12 Miami (10-2) and No. 11 Alabama

Because the Gamecocks, Rebels and Hurricanes are not playing in the SEC Championship, it seems unlikely that their standings would change before the final rankings and official bracket are released on Sunday at noon.

Last week — before the No. 15 Gamecocks beat No. 12 Clemson — South Carolina was behind Alabama and Ole Miss with committee chair Warde Manuel citing the Crimson Tide’s and Rebels’ head-to-head victories over South Carolina as the reason for the ordering.

It seems that South Carolina’s victory over the Tigers wasn’t enough for the committee to chance its thinking.

And the ironic part is that Clemson — despite falling at home to its rival — still has a great shot of making the playoff. The Tigers, which dropped to No. 17 in the new CFP Top 25, will play No. 8 SMU in the ACC Championship on Saturday. The winner will earn an automatic spot in the College Football Playoff.

Perhaps that ACC outcome would bolster South Carolina’s resume, but it seems unlikely that it would be enough for the committee to move up the Gamecocks without them playing another game.

If South Carolina indeed does not make the playoff, the Gamecocks will still learn their bowl fate on Sunday afternoon. The top option in play would be the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl in Orlando — which often includes the highest-ranked SEC team not in the playoff. The Gamecocks have not played in the Citrus Bowl since 2014.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL RANKINGS (Dec. 3)

1. Oregon (12-0)
2. Texas (11-1)
3. Penn State (11-1)
4. Notre Dame (11-1)
5. Georgia (10-2)
6. Ohio State (10-2)
7. Tennessee (10-2)
8. SMU (11-1)
9. Indiana (11-1)
10. Boise State (11-1)
11. Alabama (9-3)
12. Miami (10-2)
13. Ole Miss (9-3)
14. South Carolina (9-3)
15. Arizona State (10-2)
16. Iowa State (10-2)
17. Clemson(9-3)
18. BYU (10-2)
19. Missouri (9-3)
20. UNLV (10-2)
21. Illinois (9-3)
22. Syracuse (9-3)
23. Colorado (9-3)
24. Army (10-1)
25. Memphis (10-2)

This story was originally published December 3, 2024 at 7:09 PM.

Jordan Kaye

The State

Support my work with a digital subscription