Greg McElroy explains why South Carolina vs. Clemson is a Top 10 non-conference game in 2025

Going into the 2025 season, ESPN analyst Greg McElroy has picked his top non-conference games. And Clemson at South Carolina will check in at No. 8 nationally.

The ESPN analyst broke down the pick on his show, the Always College Football podcast. He started by introducing the matchup in the top 10.

“Clemson at South Carolina, this will be the final week of the regular season,” McElroy said. “And I look at both these teams.”

Both teams give him reason to believe it will be a top-10 matchup. Both have playoff aspirations in 2025. Clemson, of course, made the playoffs last year. South Carolina missed by a few spots in the final rankings.

So what does McElroy see from each team to lead him to believe this meeting could contain some magic? He started with the Gamecocks.

“South Carolina, I’m not sure they’re going to be as good as they were last year on defense,” McElroy said. “But I think offensively they have a chance to take a significant step forward.”

That’ll be the key for the Gamecocks. They return quarterback LaNorris Sellers, who could finish the year as one of the nation’s best. If he takes the next step, South Carolina could be deadly.

And for Clemson? McElroy likes just about everything he sees.

“For those of you that have listened to this show the last couple months, you probably know that I think Clemson has a legit chance to start the season in the Top 5,” McElroy said. “And I would not be surprised at all if at season’s end they’re No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 in college football.”

That makes for a good matchup. Clemson and South Carolina has the stakes. It has the talent on both sides. It has the animus. Now it just needs to deliver.

“A legitimate national championship contender having to go on the road in the final game of the regular season against their SEC foe in-state, that’s always one of my favorite rivalries and it will be an awesome one to consume here again in ’25,” McElroy said.