My way-too-early season prediction

[18IsTheMan]

VaTech -- W
SC State -- W
Vandy -- W
Mizzou -- W
UK -- W
LSU -- L
OU -- W
Bama -- L
Ole Miss -- L
A&M -- L
Coastal -- W
Clemson -- W

Don't see us winning road games at LSU, Ole Miss or A&M.

8-4 final record. I can see us getting off to a hot start, going 5-0 and combined with our buzz going into the season, jumping into top 10 range, then fading in the second half. 8-4 is nothing to be ashamed about around here, but I don't see CFP contender in this schedule.

 

[DrMickeySC]

8 wins gets you into a tie for about the 8th best season in Gamecock history. That’s how historically not-great we have been. Your prediction looks ok to me. I have us anywhere from 6-6 and 10-2 (as my dad says, I’m leading with my chin when I start thinking 10 wins). We shall see.

 

[18IsTheMan]

8 wins gets you into a tie for about the 8th best season in Gamecock history. That’s how historically not-great we have been. Your prediction looks ok to me. I have us anywhere from 6-6 and 10-2 (as my dad says, I’m leading with my chin when I start thinking 10 wins). We shall see.

Even 8 wins makes some assumptions. We needed miracles to win against Mizzou and Clemson last year. Take those out and we're back to 6-6.

 

[Gradstudent]

Even 8 wins makes some assumptions. We needed miracles to win against Mizzou and Clemson last year. Take those out and we're back to 6-6.

What was so miraculous about our win at Clemson?, seemed like a close hard fought game, by both sides that could of gone either way, and went our's.

 

[18IsTheMan]

What was so miraculous about our win at Clemson?, seemed like a close hard fought game, by both sides that could of gone either way, and went our's.

I'd say a 24 yard TD run on 3rd and 16 when trailing by 4 points when the QB dropped back 9 yards behind the LOS...making it a 33 yard run...is pretty miraculous. Throw in the shoestring pick when Clemson had driven well into FG range to tie the game up.

 

[will110]

Even 8 wins makes some assumptions. We needed miracles to win against Mizzou and Clemson last year. Take those out and we're back to 6-6.

Two gut punch losses (Alabama/LSU) that would have made us 11-1 as well if they were flipped. I'd say the "football gods" pretty much evened things out for us last year.

Edit: 11-1, not 10-2. My math skills were suffering there lol

 

[Gradstudent]

I'd say a 24 yard TD run on 3rd and 16 when trailing by 4 points when the QB dropped back 9 yards behind the LOS...making it a 33 yard run...is pretty miraculous. Throw in the shoestring pick when Clemson had driven well into FG range to tie the game

According to the first defninition on google

mi·rac·u·lous

occurring through divine or supernatural intervention, or manifesting such power.

Sellers had 16 carrier for 166 yards and 2 touchdowns in that game, or before the play you think is so miraculous, 15 carries for 146 yards.

He had made similar plays earlier in the game, a 38 yarder on the first drive, he had a 25 yard TD earlier in the game, so I'm not sure how a 20 td yarder was so miraculous?

Seller had the second most missed tackles forced in a game by anyone in the college football season, vs Clemson 18, (Only Ashton Jeanty had more with 20 in a game earlier in the season).

Sellers’ 18 missed tackles is the most ever recorded by a quarterback in PFF College’s data, going back since 2014.

He was running all over them, all game, scrambling and running, gaining yards, nothing was miraculous about it.

On that play Harbor was open as well, he could of thrown it for the game winner.

On the int, a player with enough talent to be a second rounder made a great play.

Who's to say they tie it, they could miss the FG or if they do tie it, we don't win any ways in OT. Hate to break it to you, Clemson wasn't that good and South Carolina that bad where it took "miracles" for us to win.

Just a close hard fought game between to closely matched teams where our big time players made the key plays down the stretch, and theres made some mistakes, nothing miraculous occurred, imho

 

[Lurker123]

According to the first defninition on Google.

You know what the second definition on Google is?

highly improbable and extraordinary and bringing very welcome consequences:

Seems extremely fitting, imo.

 

[Lurker123]

VaTech -- W
SC State -- W
Vandy -- W
Mizzou -- W
UK -- W
LSU -- L
OU -- W
Bama -- L
Ole Miss -- L
A&M -- L
Coastal -- W
Clemson -- W

Don't see us winning road games at LSU, Ole Miss or A&M.

8-4 final record. I can see us getting off to a hot start, going 5-0 and combined with our buzz going into the season, jumping into top 10 range, then fading in the second half. 8-4 is nothing to be ashamed about around here, but I don't see CFP contender in this schedule.

I see that VT game being like the opener against UNC a couple years back. So pivotal. We play poorly in openers, and that game could be the hinge between a successful season and not.

I could see your scenario, but I could see losing to Clemson, mizzou and OU as well. Just too many queation marks.

 

[1vagamecock]

Living an hour from VT campus, I can tell you I'm terrified of this game. This is there superbowl.
They are going to throw everything into this game.
I'll take a win by any amount that first game.

 

[Gradstudent]

You know what the second definition on Google is?

highly improbable and extraordinary and bringing very welcome consequences:

Seems extremely fitting, imo.

I disagree, I don't think sellers game winning TD run was a miracle or improbable, he was running all over them all game.

We were a 2.5 pt. underdog at Clemson in 2024, and they were the home team, this was not some miraculous, unfathomable, improbable. un expected, never could happen, in a million years win.

im·prob·a·ble
/imˈpräbəb(ə)l/

adjective
adjective: improbable

1. not likely to be true or to happen.

 

[Harvard Gamecock]

I'm closer to 7-5. I know it's just a difference of 1 game, but as of today, I feel were closer to a 7-5 type team (or 6-6) than
a 8+ squad.

 

[18IsTheMan]

I'm closer to 7-5. I know it's just a difference of 1 game, but as of today, I feel were closer to a 7-5 type team (or 6-6) than
a 8+ squad.

I can easily see that.

 

[92Pony]

VaTech -- W
SC State -- W
Vandy -- W
Mizzou -- W
UK -- W
LSU -- L
OU -- W
Bama -- L
Ole Miss -- L
A&M -- L
Coastal -- W
Clemson -- W

Don't see us winning road games at LSU, Ole Miss or A&M.

8-4 final record. I can see us getting off to a hot start, going 5-0 and combined with our buzz going into the season, jumping into top 10 range, then fading in the second half. 8-4 is nothing to be ashamed about around here, but I don't see CFP contender in this schedule.

I'm a bit more pessimistic (that's admittedly nothing new for me); I can see us dropping that opener - We, more often than not, suck in openers (See last year as most recent evidence). I feel like we can easily drop either Mizzou or OK (possibly both ), and Clemson will get us this year. We lost too much on D (and Rocket) - 7-5/6-6.

 

[Lurker123]

I disagree, I don't think sellers game winning TD run was a miracle or improbable, he was running all over them all game.

We were a 2.5 pt. underdog at Clemson in 2024, and they were the home team, this was not some miraculous, unfathomable, improbable. un expected, never could happen, in a million years win.

im·prob·a·ble
/imˈpräbəb(ə)l/

adjective
adjective: improbable

1. not likely to be true or to happen.

Not even improbable? Okay.

That is certainly one opinion.

 

[FootballLVR]

VaTech -- W
SC State -- W
Vandy -- W
Mizzou -- W
UK -- W
LSU -- L
OU -- W
Bama -- L
Ole Miss -- L
A&M -- L
Coastal -- W
Clemson -- W

Don't see us winning road games at LSU, Ole Miss or A&M.

8-4 final record. I can see us getting off to a hot start, going 5-0 and combined with our buzz going into the season, jumping into top 10 range, then fading in the second half. 8-4 is nothing to be ashamed about around here, but I don't see CFP contender in this schedule.

I see about 5-7. I hope I'm wrong.

 

[PrestonyteParrot]

VaTech -- W
SC State -- W
Vandy -- W
Mizzou -- W
UK -- W
LSU -- L
OU -- W
Bama -- L
Ole Miss -- L
A&M -- L
Coastal -- W
Clemson -- W

Don't see us winning road games at LSU, Ole Miss or A&M.

8-4 final record. I can see us getting off to a hot start, going 5-0 and combined with our buzz going into the season, jumping into top 10 range, then fading in the second half. 8-4 is nothing to be ashamed about around here, but I don't see CFP contender in this schedule.

I agree with the 8-4 but that is dependent on winning the opener. Also, the W's could vary from yours but still end up at 8 with an unexpected win and unexpected loss.

 

[18IsTheMan]

I agree with the 8-4 but that is dependent on winning the opener. Also, the W's could vary from yours but still end up at 8 with an unexpected win and unexpected loss.

Yeah, I guess I see 8–4 as the ceiling? There are definitely a couple games in there we could easily drop to be 6–6 or worse.

 

[18IsTheMan]

I'm a bit more pessimistic (that's admittedly nothing new for me); I can see us dropping that opener - We, more often than not, suck in openers (See last year as most recent evidence). I feel like we can easily drop either Mizzou or OK (possibly both ), and Clemson will get us this year. We lost too much on D (and Rocket) - 7-5/6-6.

I could probably count on one hand the number of times we have looked impressive in an opener.

 

[Lurker123]

I could probably count on one hand the number of times we have looked impressive in an opener.

It is good for us when we play a patsy first. VT isn't good, but they aren't old dominion.

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

I predicted 5-7 last year and look what happened. I'm tempted to predict 5-7 again this year. In fact, maybe 4-8 would turn out better.

 

[Statepawdog]

Oklahoma will be a major problem. They will not commit all of those turnovers like last year. Their defense will be very tough. Clemson is loaded. 8-4. Good luck!

 

[18IsTheMan]

Oklahoma will be a major problem. They will not commit all of those turnovers like last year. Their defense will be very tough. Clemson is loaded. 8-4. Good luck!

OU was just really, really bad last year. Offensively, we didn't do much in the game. One real offensive score, if I recall correctly. Did next to nothing in the 2nd half offensively. They will surely be better than they were last year, but we do get them at home this year, so that helps.

 

[18IsTheMan]

I see about 5-7. I hope I'm wrong.

That would rank this as one of our most ever disappointing seasons ever. When's the last time we went into a season with a QB who was even in the Heisman conversation? Whether all the hype is justified or not, it's there. 5-7 would be a catastrophic result.

 

[Piscis]

That would rank this as one of our most ever disappointing seasons ever. When's the last time we went into a season with a QB who was even in the Heisman conversation? Whether all the hype is justified or not, it's there. 5-7 would be a catastrophic result.

Sellers in the Heisman conversation is sort of silly in my opinion. If you look at this stats, he is good but nowhere near Heisman numbers. Without a running game threat and a serviceable OL, Sellers scrambling ability is going to have to be pretty much the entire offense and that doesn't bode well. Sellers is a great athlete but I'm not sure he is a great qb. Opposing DCs are going to focus on him and that is going to limit his ability to do magic when the pocket breaks down. Harbor may step up and that will be a big help but I'll have to see it to believe it.

I think the record could be anywhere from 5-7 to 8-4 depending on how strong some of the opponents end up being. Kentucky might be better, OU will have to be better, I think Venables might be coaching for his job this year, A&M is schizophrenic, could be very good and could be bad and Clemson is going to be loaded. The Va Tech and Missouri games are huge. I think those two games will determine whether our season is good or bad.

 

[Tngamecock]

VaTech -- W
SC State -- W
Vandy -- W
Mizzou -- W
UK -- W
LSU -- L
OU -- W
Bama -- L
Ole Miss -- L
A&M -- L
Coastal -- W
Clemson -- W

Don't see us winning road games at LSU, Ole Miss or A&M.

8-4 final record. I can see us getting off to a hot start, going 5-0 and combined with our buzz going into the season, jumping into top 10 range, then fading in the second half. 8-4 is nothing to be ashamed about around here, but I don't see CFP contender in this schedule.

I think we beat Ole Miss or Bama

 

[18IsTheMan]

Sellers in the Heisman conversation is sort of silly in my opinion. If you look at this stats, he is good but nowhere near Heisman numbers. Without a running game threat and a serviceable OL, Sellers scrambling ability is going to have to be pretty much the entire offense and that doesn't bode well. Sellers is a great athlete but I'm not sure he is a great qb. Opposing DCs are going to focus on him and that is going to limit his ability to do magic when the pocket breaks down. Harbor may step up and that will be a big help but I'll have to see it to believe it.

I think the record could be anywhere from 5-7 to 8-4 depending on how strong some of the opponents end up being. Kentucky might be better, OU will have to be better, I think Venables might be coaching for his job this year, A&M is schizophrenic, could be very good and could be bad and Clemson is going to be loaded. The Va Tech and Missouri games are huge. I think those two games will determine whether our season is good or bad.

I agree on Sellers. Last year was a tale of 2 seasons. First 6 games vs last 6. And, as much as folks hate to hear it, his biggest plays were breaking tackles in the back field for big gains running/throwing. There's not a lot of tape on him just dropping back and slinging the ball around. Nevertheless, the hype and discussion is there and with a nationally televised game to start the season, as the game in that slot, all eyes will be on Sellers.

Part of the problem I think he'll face this year is that now there's a full season of tape on him. Illinois bottled him up pretty well in the bowl game, with a few weeks to prepare (also think some of that was coaches getting in his head...a number of plays look like he could have taken off with the ball but he didn't. Seemed hesitant to run).

 

[18IsTheMan]

I think we beat Ole Miss or Bama

If given the choice, I would choose beating Ole Miss in Oxford. Hate Kiffin.

 

[Lurker123]

Illinois bottled him up pretty well in the bowl game, with a few weeks to prepare (also think some of that was coaches getting in his head...a number of plays look like he could have taken off with the ball but he didn't. Seemed hesitant to run).

I mentioned something like this after the bowl game. I wondered if the staff didn't treat it as a practice/scrimmage. It seemed like he was intentionally not running at times to try and force the pocket passer work.

Jmo. Maybe he was protecting a sore leg or something.

 

[Piscis]

I mentioned something like this after the bowl game. I wondered if the staff didn't treat it as a practice/scrimmage. It seemed like he was intentionally not running at times to try and force the pocket passer work.

Jmo. Maybe he was protecting a sore leg or something.

Coaches may have realized he was pretty much the whole offense and an injury on a scramble turned into a running play would be devastating. The same thing is going to be true for the upcoming season.

 

[treyno2722]

I'm a bit more pessimistic (that's admittedly nothing new for me); I can see us dropping that opener - We, more often than not, suck in openers (See last year as most recent evidence). I feel like we can easily drop either Mizzou or OK (possibly both ), and Clemson will get us this year. We lost too much on D (and Rocket) - 7-5/6-6.

And three starters on the O-Line. The front seven on D worries me.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Sellers in the Heisman conversation is sort of silly in my opinion. If you look at this stats, he is good but nowhere near Heisman numbers. Without a running game threat and a serviceable OL, Sellers scrambling ability is going to have to be pretty much the entire offense and that doesn't bode well. Sellers is a great athlete but I'm not sure he is a great qb. Opposing DCs are going to focus on him and that is going to limit his ability to do magic when the pocket breaks down. Harbor may step up and that will be a big help but I'll have to see it to believe it.

I think the record could be anywhere from 5-7 to 8-4 depending on how strong some of the opponents end up being. Kentucky might be better, OU will have to be better, I think Venables might be coaching for his job this year, A&M is schizophrenic, could be very good and could be bad and Clemson is going to be loaded. The Va Tech and Missouri games are huge. I think those two games will determine whether our season is good or bad.

It's takes like the one below that give me pause:

"If he can grow and develop as a passer, you're talking about a guy that has All-SEC caliber written all over him," Klatt said.

South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers Not a Top Five Quarterback in Latest QB Rankings

The 2025 college football season has a lot of talent returning at the quarterback position across the nation. South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sell

www.si.com

Always makes me cringe when I hear someone say about a QB "He'll be great if he improves as a passer." That's kind of the main part of the job.

 

[Piscis]

It's' takes like the one below that give me pause:

"If he can grow and develop as a passer, you're talking about a guy that has All-SEC caliber written all over him," Klatt said.

South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers Not a Top Five Quarterback in Latest QB Rankings

The 2025 college football season has a lot of talent returning at the quarterback position across the nation. South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sell

www.si.com

Always makes me cringe when I hear someone say about a QB "He'll be great if he improves as a passer." That's kind of the main part of the job.

I think that sentiment can be made for every qb in football that isn't great.

 

[JoeMorrisonLives]

You never know for sure what each team will be, so in not going game by game, but in thinking 5-0 start to finish 8-4 too. I will say, despite not being a Kelly fan, I think LSU is gonna be dangerous this year. It wouldn't shock me to be wrong, especially with the fact we always improve as the year goes on under Beamer, but I need to see depth emerge on the DL.

I think Willis and Johnson can give reliable floor to LB, and some of the others could bring more depth and maybe even be a bit better than one of them. I just don't know what to expect from DT and idk our ceiling at the other EDGE spot. Only thing I'm very concerned on offense is if Faison can play. I expect receiver will be better, Sellers will continue to grow in confidence and the technical aspect from where he was last year, OL should be better with the great young players going into year 3, and Smith is just enough of an athletic freak to not be worried about a major drop off from Simon at TE. We have numbers, depth, experience and coaching at DB to keep me from worrying about that for years to come. And lastly, we need a damn kicker to perform at a high end, one would've made us 11-1 last year.

 

[JoeMorrisonLives]

Even 8 wins makes some assumptions. We needed miracles to win against Mizzou and Clemson last year. Take those out and we're back to 6-6.

What miracles? Mizzou was a shootout and it was just well called. Clemson we tried to throw away with 3 TOs, at least 2 I believe to be in the red zone, without re-watching. Beyond that, Sellers was not only making plays all day, but making them consistently the whole month. Nothing miraculous about the hottest player in cfb for the end of the season making plays he made the whole season.

We also squandered 2 games and nothing was miraculous about that either. We made the plays we needed twice and had crappy plays the other two.

 

[Piscis]

What miracles? Mizzou was a shootout and it was just well called. Clemson we tried to throw away with 3 TOs, at least 2 I believe to be in the red zone, without re-watching. Beyond that, Sellers was not only making plays all day, but making them consistently the whole month. Nothing miraculous about the hottest player in cfb for the end of the season making plays he made the whole season.

We also squandered 2 games and nothing was miraculous about that either. We made the plays we needed twice and had crappy plays the other two.

I think the fact we won with 3 TOs, 2 in the red zone, against a team that won its conference and played in the CFP is pretty much the definition of a "miracle" win.

 

[18IsTheMan]

I think the fact we won with 3 TOs, 2 in the red zone, against a team that won its conference and played in the CFP is pretty much the definition of a "miracle" win.

Yeah, against we Mizzou took the lead with just over a minute left in the game. The offense got the ball back at our 30 with 53 seconds left in the game and then proceeded to drive 70 yards on 6 plays to take the lead in 47 seconds. I've seen enough Gamecock football to call that a miracle, particularly against who a team who simply had our number the previous 5 seasons. We, historically, simply do not win games like that. We cough up the lead late, and that is that.

Against Clemson, we had a freaking QB scramble on basically a make-or-break 3rd and 16 for a TD with just over a minute left in the game (on a run that was actually 30 yards total when we count how far he dropped back). How many 3rd and 16 QB scrambles for TDs have we had in our team's history, much less in that situation and in our biggest rival's stadium? It seemed like typical Gamecock fate was going to bite us again as we allowed Clemson to move effortlessly down the field to easy FG range to at least tie the game up. Then we come up with a closer-than-a-shoestring catch interception to seal the win.

Yes, I've seen WAY too much Gamecock football to not call these games miracles. When Mizzou took the lead late and when Clemson drove down the field for what appeared to be at least a game-tying FG attempt, every Gamecock fan everywhere was thinking the same thing: here we go again.

 

[Lurker123]

Yeah, against we Mizzou took the lead with just over a minute left in the game. The offense got the ball back at our 30 with 53 seconds left in the game and then proceeded to drive 70 yards on 6 plays to take the lead in 47 seconds. I've seen enough Gamecock football to call that a miracle, particularly against who a team who simply had our number the previous 5 seasons. We, historically, simply do not win games like that. We cough up the lead late, and that is that.

Against Clemson, we had a freaking QB scramble on basically a make-or-break 3rd and 16 for a TD with just over a minute left in the game (on a run that was actually 30 yards total when we count how far he dropped back). How many 3rd and 16 QB scrambles for TDs have we had in our team's history, much less in that situation and in our biggest rival's stadium? It seemed like typical Gamecock fate was going to bite us again as we allowed Clemson to move effortlessly down the field to easy FG range to at least tie the game up. Then we come up with a closer-than-a-shoestring catch interception to seal the win.

Yes, I've seen WAY too much Gamecock football to not call these games miracles. When Mizzou took the lead late and when Clemson drove down the field for what appeared to be at least a game-tying FG attempt, every Gamecock fan everywhere was thinking the same thing: here we go again.

Okay, but did you run that qb scramble on Madden? That's the only way to know for sure if it was a miracle or not.

 

[JoeMorrisonLives]

I think the fact we won with 3 TOs, 2 in the red zone, against a team that won its conference and played in the CFP is pretty much the definition of a "miracle" win.

Nothing that happened on the field was way outside of our abilities. Clemson didn't deserve the CFP and the ACC was down last season.

 

[JoeMorrisonLives]

Yeah, against we Mizzou took the lead with just over a minute left in the game. The offense got the ball back at our 30 with 53 seconds left in the game and then proceeded to drive 70 yards on 6 plays to take the lead in 47 seconds. I've seen enough Gamecock football to call that a miracle, particularly against who a team who simply had our number the previous 5 seasons. We, historically, simply do not win games like that. We cough up the lead late, and that is that.

Against Clemson, we had a freaking QB scramble on basically a make-or-break 3rd and 16 for a TD with just over a minute left in the game (on a run that was actually 30 yards total when we count how far he dropped back). How many 3rd and 16 QB scrambles for TDs have we had in our team's history, much less in that situation and in our biggest rival's stadium? It seemed like typical Gamecock fate was going to bite us again as we allowed Clemson to move effortlessly down the field to easy FG range to at least tie the game up. Then we come up with a closer-than-a-shoestring catch interception to seal the win.

Yes, I've seen WAY too much Gamecock football to not call these games miracles. When Mizzou took the lead late and when Clemson drove down the field for what appeared to be at least a game-tying FG attempt, every Gamecock fan everywhere was thinking the same thing: here we go again.

You can say how many went for a TD, but we didn't need the TD, we didn't even NEED the first down. We were in the red zone and could've won with a fourth and short converted and a couple of cracks at it in short yardage before we would've run out of regulation. We got a big play, but many small ones would've done. Sellers had 5 rushes that went at least 20 yards. He ran 9 times in the 4th quarter, only 3 of those were less than 10 yards, that's not a miracle, that's conditioning and a unique talent.

Klubnik's 18 yard TD scramble including beating Emmanwori to cross the line was more of an outlier, based on the day the two QBs had.