Who are South Carolina’s toughest (and easiest) opponents in 2025?
Shane Beamer and the South Carolina football team are ranked No. 11 in ESPN’s latest Football Power Index (FPI) rankings.
The Gamecocks are projected to finish 8-4 and have a 3.6% chance of winning the SEC. South Carolina has a 36.3% chance of making the College Football Playoff, a 5.3% shot of making the national championship game and a 2.1% chance of actually winning it all in 2025.
USC will face 10 teams in the regular season who sit in the Top 50 of the FPI rankings, seven of which are in the Top 25. Three of those teams are in the Top 10.
The schedule projects as the seventh-toughest in all of college football.
Here’s a look at the toughest opponents on South Carolina’s schedule, according to ESPN’s FPI, from worst to first:
No. 12: vs. S.C. State, Sept. 6
FPI rating: N/A
Head coach Chennis Berry and the Bulldogs are really more of an honorable mention on this list than anything. ESPN’s FPI does not include FCS teams in its rankings.
That being said, S.C. State is the reigning MEAC champ and was predicted to win its conference again this season.
No. 11: vs. Coastal Carolina, Nov. 22
FPI rating: -7.5, ranked No. 101
The Chanticleers are South Carolina’s lowest-ranked opponent in ESPN’s latest FPI.
Coastal is the only team South Carolina will play this year whose FPI is currently in the negatives. The Chanticleers are projected to go 5-7 this season and have a 0.1% chance of making the College Football Playoff.
No. 10: vs. Vanderbilt, Sept. 13
FPI rating: 4.4, ranked No. 49
Vanderbilt is the first of 10 opponents on South Carolina’s 2025 schedule that are currently ranked in the Top 50 of ESPN’s FPI.
The Commodores are projected to go 5-7 this season and have a 1.4% chance of making the CFP.
No. 9: vs. Kentucky, Sept. 27
FPI rating: 5.8, ranked No. 43
Kentucky is South Carolina’s last opponent before its first bye week. The Wildcats are projected to go 5-7.
Kentucky has a 0.1% of winning the SEC and a 2.2% chance of making the playoffs.
No. 8: vs. Virginia Tech (in Atlanta), Aug. 31
FPI rating: 8.1, ranked No. 31
South Carolina’s opener in Atlanta versus Virginia Tech is slated to be its eighth-toughest matchup, per ESPN’s FPI.
The Hokies are projected to go 8-4 this year. Virginia Tech has an 8.9% chance of winning the ACC and a 10.4% of making the College Football Playoff.
No. 7: at Missouri, Sept. 20
FPI rating: 10.4, ranked No. 23
Missouri is the first of seven opponents on South Carolina’s 2025 schedule that are ranked in the Top 25 in the FPI.
The Tigers are projected to go 7-5. Missouri has a 0.8% chance of winning the SEC and an 11.8% chance of making the playoffs.
No. 6: vs. Oklahoma, Oct. 18
FPI rating: 10.09, ranked No. 20
Oklahoma is projected to go 6-6. The Sooners have a 0.3% chance of winning the SEC and a 13.6% chance of advancing to the CFP.
No. 5: vs. Clemson, Nov. 29
FPI rating: 13.7, ranked No. 16
South Carolina’s arch-rival is the first opponent to crack the Top 20 in the latest FPI rankings. Clemson is projected to go 9-3 and has the best odds to win the ACC (31.8%). The Tigers have a 38.2% of making the playoffs and a 2.1% chance of winning the national championship game.
No. 4: at LSU, Oct. 11
FPI rating: 14.8, ranked No. 12
LSU is right behind South Carolina in the ESPN FPI rankings.
The Tigers are projected to go 8-4. LSU has a 2.5% chance of winning the SEC, a 32.8% chance of making the playoffs and a 1.7% chance of winning the national title.
No. 3: at Ole Miss, Nov. 1
FPI rating: 15.2, ranked No. 10
Ole Miss is the first opponent on South Carolina’s 2025 schedule ranked ahead of the Gamecocks in ESPN’s latest FPI rankings.
The Rebels are projected to go 9-4 this season. Ole Miss has a 3.8% chance of winning the SEC, a 35.8% chance of making the CFP and a 2.1% chance of winning the national championship.
No. 2: at Texas A&M, Nov. 15
FPI rating: 15.5, raked No. 9
Texas A&M is projected to go 8-4 in 2025. The Aggies have a 4.1% chance of winning the SEC, a 38.8% chance of making the playoffs and a 2.1% chance of winning the national title.
No. 1: vs. Alabama, Oct. 25
FPI rating: 20.7, ranked No. 3
Alabama is the third-highest team in the latest FPI rankings from ESPN, making it the highest-ranked opponent on South Carolina’s 2025 schedule.
The Crimson Tide are projected to go 10-3. Alabama has the third-best odds to win the SEC (17.8%) and have a 72.1% chance of making the college football playoffs. The Crimson Tide have a 11.3% chance of winning the national title this year — the highest of any South Carolina opponents this season.
