ChatGPT simulation Part 2: South Carolina makes College Football Playoff

If you missed it, on Wednesday, GamecockCentral asked ChatGPT to simulate South Carolina’s football season, and the AI machine provided an outcome that any Gamecock fan would sign up for — 10-2 with a home win over rival Clemson.

Was it enough to make the College Football Playoff? As many have assumed when the first article came out, yes, ChatGPT’s simulation did have the LaNorris Sellers-led Gamecocks making their first-ever CFP and hosting a postseason game at Williams-Brice Stadium (can you even imagine?).

So what happened next? We once again turn to the machine to tell us…

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Final CFP Ranking: #8

1. Michigan (Big Ten champ, 13-0)
2. Georgia (SEC champ, 12-1)
3. Florida State (ACC champ, 12-1)
4. Utah (Big 12 champ, 11-2)
5. Boise State (Mountain West champ, 12-1)
6. Ohio State (11-1)
7. Oregon (11-2)
8. South Carolina (10-2)
9. Alabama (10-3)
10. Penn State (10-2)
11. Notre Dame (10-2)
12. Ole Miss (9-3)

PLAYOFF JOURNEY

First Round: #8 South Carolina vs. #9 Alabama

Location: Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, SC

Final: South Carolina 34, Alabama 28

Game Story:
Williams-Brice roared from the opening snap, hosting South Carolina’s first-ever College Football Playoff game. Both teams started nervously—two early drives ended with missed field goals.

Rahsul Faison settled things with a bruising 11-play, 73-yard drive capped by his 4-yard touchdown. Alabama responded quickly behind their veteran QB, tying it up 7-7 with a beautiful fade to the corner. Just before halftime, Sellers connected with Malik Clark for a 38-yard go-ahead score, and the Gamecocks took a 17-14 lead to the locker room.

The third quarter belonged to South Carolina’s offensive line and Faison. The Gamecocks controlled tempo, with Faison ripping off chunk gains and Oscar Adaway pounding out tough yards inside. Sellers ran in a 9-yard option keeper to extend the lead to 24-14.

Alabama stormed back in the fourth. A 67-yard catch-and-run closed the gap, and after a defensive stop, the Tide took a 28-27 lead mid-quarter on a well-schemed screen pass. But South Carolina responded with its drive of the year: Sellers found Brian Rowe in the slot for three big third-down conversions, and Faison capped it off—with 1:44 remaining—bouncing outside for a 15-yard touchdown. The defense held on; Dylan Stewart sealed it with a timely sack on Alabama’s final possession. Williams-Brice erupted as South Carolina advanced.

Shane Beamer:
“That’s just who these guys are—tough, relentless, and never rattled. We knew Alabama would be a four-quarter fight. Every time they punched, we punched right back. I couldn’t be prouder of LaNorris, Rahsul, and every player who stepped up. Williams-Brice was electric tonight. We just made history, but we aren’t done yet.”

LaNorris Sellers:
“We’ve been dreaming about this moment all year. Coach told us to believe, and we kept fighting, no matter what the scoreboard said. The O-line was amazing, Rahsul did his thing, and those freshman receivers keep making big-time plays. Playing in front of this crowd, with a chance to keep shaping our legacy, it means everything.”

Key Stats:

• Sellers: 256 passing yards, 2 TD (1 Rushing TD, 1 Passing TD)
• Faison: 132 rushing yards, 2 TD
• Clark: 5 catches, 82 yards, 1 TD
• Defense: 3 sacks, game-sealing 4th down stop

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Quarterfinal: #1 Michigan vs. #8 South Carolina

Location: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA

Final: Michigan 24, South Carolina 21

Game Story:
Under the lights at the Rose Bowl, South Carolina looked every bit Michigan’s equal—trading blows in a physical, old-school contest. The Wolverines struck first, capitalizing after a fumble to set up a short field and a red zone score. Sellers responded, firing strikes to Harbor and Rowe as the Gamecocks tied it by the start of the second.

Michigan’s ground game started to wear on the Carolina defense in the second half. Still, Stewart and Judge Collier combined on a key third-down sack to hold Michigan to a field goal. South Carolina clawed ahead 14-13 late in the third, thanks to a slick double-move touchdown by Malik Clark and a two-point conversion.

Early in the fourth, Michigan’s 70-yard march stalled in the red zone, and the Gamecocks forced another field goal. But after South Carolina’s offense stalled, the Wolverines mounted a clock-killing drive, scoring on a fourth-and-goal QB sneak to go up 24-14.

With only 2:11 left, Sellers engineered a rapid, no-huddle drive—hitting Harbor for 31 yards and Clark for 19 more—before Faison punched it in from the 6. The Gamecocks tried an onside kick; Michigan recovered and ran out the clock, ending South Carolina’s historic playoff run.

Shane Beamer:
“First off, hats off to Michigan—heck of a football team and program. But let me tell you, our team showed the world what Carolina football is about. We battled, we responded to adversity, and we kept coming. This loss hurts, but that locker room is the future of this program. We’ll learn from this and be back—and everyone in the country saw our fight tonight.”

LaNorris Sellers:
“It stings, no doubt. We all left it out there; that’s all you can ask for. Michigan played a great game, but so did we. I’m proud of this team—proud of the seniors, proud of the freshmen, proud of the effort. Coach always tells us to dream big, and we did. We’ll carry this into next year, because this is just the start for South Carolina football.”

Key Stats:

• Sellers: 219 passing yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
• Faison: 87 rushing yards, 1 TD
• Harbor: 6 catches, 112 yards, 1 TD
• Stewart: 2 sacks

AWARDS & HONORS

• LaNorris Sellers: All-SEC First Team, Davey O’Brien Award Finalist, Manning Award Finalist
• Rahsul Faison: All-SEC First Team, Doak Walker Award Semifinalist, SEC Newcomer of the Year
• Nyck Harbor: All-SEC First Team, Biletnikoff Award Semifinalist
• Dylan Stewart: All-SEC First Team, Bednarik Award Finalist, SEC Defensive Player of the Year Finalist
• Malik Clark: SEC All-Freshman Team, Freshman All-American
• Shane Beamer: SEC Coach of the Year, Dodd Trophy Finalist

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SEASON NARRATIVE

The 2025 Gamecocks exceed expectations with their most complete team in years. The offense becomes one of the SEC’s most balanced attacks, with Sellers maturing into an elite dual-threat quarterback, Faison emerging as a workhorse back, and a dynamic receiving corps featuring Harbor and freshman sensation Clark.

The defense remains stout despite facing several high-powered offenses, with Stewart cementing his status as one of the nation’s premier pass rushers. The team’s only regular-season losses come in nail-biters to LSU and Alabama.

South Carolina’s playoff appearance—including a home victory over Alabama in the first round—energizes the fan base and establishes the program as a legitimate SEC contender. The close loss to Michigan in the quarterfinals, while disappointing, shows the Gamecocks can compete with anyone in the country.

With most key contributors returning in 2026, South Carolina enters the offseason as a consensus preseason top-5 team and legitimate national championship contender.

COMPLETE PLAYOFF

1. Michigan (Big Ten champ, 13-0)
2. Georgia (SEC champ, 12-1)
3. Florida State (ACC champ, 12-1)
4. Utah (Big 12 champ, 11-2)
5. Boise State (Mountain West champ, 12-1)
6. Ohio State (11-1)
7. Oregon (11-2)
8. South Carolina (10-2)
9. Alabama (10-3)
10. Penn State (10-2)
11. Notre Dame (10-2)
12. Ole Miss (9-3)

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First Round (on campus, higher seed hosts):

• (5) Boise State vs. (12) Ole Miss
  Result: Ole Miss 31, Boise State 28
  Ole Miss’s passing attack rallies late to stun the Broncos on the blue turf.
• (6) Ohio State vs. (11) Notre Dame
  Result: Ohio State 30, Notre Dame 17
  Veteran QB leads Buckeyes to steady win at home.
• (7) Oregon vs. (10) Penn State
  Result: Oregon 28, Penn State 24
  Back-and-forth battle in Eugene, sealed by a Ducks’ defensive stand.
• (8) South Carolina vs. (9) Alabama
  Result: South Carolina 34, Alabama 28
  Gamecocks win a thriller in Columbia; Faison and Sellers star again.

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Quarterfinals (NY6 Bowls, neutral sites):

• (1) Michigan vs. (8) South Carolina (Rose Bowl)
  Result: Michigan 24, South Carolina 21
  Wolverines rally late to escape a Gamecock upset bid.
• (2) Georgia vs. (7) Oregon (Peach Bowl)
  Result: Georgia 31, Oregon 27
  Bulldogs hold off a late Oregon drive.
• (3) Florida State vs. (12) Ole Miss (Orange Bowl)
  Result: Florida State 38, Ole Miss 35
  FSU outlasts a wild, high-scoring affair.
• (4) Utah vs. (6) Ohio State (Fiesta Bowl)
  Result: Ohio State 27, Utah 20
  Buckeyes make critical stops in the second half.

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Semifinals

• (1) Michigan vs. (6) Ohio State (Sugar Bowl)
  Result: Michigan 28, Ohio State 21
  Another classic edition of The Game, this time with Michigan advancing late.
• (2) Georgia vs. (3) Florida State (Cotton Bowl)
  Result: Georgia 35, Florida State 28
  Explosive offenses duel; Georgia breaks through against FSU’s tough defense.

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National Championship

(1) Michigan vs. (2) Georgia
Result: Georgia 28, Michigan 23
Bulldogs capture the title, outlasting Michigan with a late defensive stand.

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