South Carolina football makes positive move up ESPN FPI rankings

South Carolina won its fourth game in a row over Kentucky on Saturday. The 35-13 victory moved the Gamecocks’ overall 2025 record to 3-2 and the team’s SEC record to 1-2.

The win was borderline dominant. Following a slow start, Carolina’s defense took over. Clayton White’s unit picked up two defensive touchdowns and held Kentucky to under 100 yards in the game’s final three quarters. The offense moved the ball well enough to add three touchdowns for the first time this season, as well.

With the improved play on the field, South Carolina earned a higher place in the updated ESPN Football Power Index (FPI). As of Monday morning, the Gamecocks are No. 27 nationally in the power rankings. That is a six-spot improvement from last week. USC is 12th in the Southeastern Conference.

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The upward FPI trajectory mainly comes from South Carolina’s improvement in offensive and defensive efficiency.

After a No. 98 offensive efficiency ranking last week, the Gamecocks now are No. 87 nationally. Against Kentucky, Carolina got a clean game passing from quarterback LaNorris Sellers, and the redshirt sophomore had a good day on the ground, too. He went 11-for-14 passing and did not turn the ball over. Mike Shula’s group had a season-high 178 yards rushing with three touchdowns on the ground.

Defensively, the Gamecocks moved up seven spots from No. 30 to No. 37. Clayton White’s troops limited Kentucky to fewer than 250 yards of offense. USC also forced four turnovers, including a pair of touchdowns on a JT Geer scoop-and-score and Gerald Kilgore pick-six. The D allowed just three points after halftime, a field goal that followed a failed fake punt by the USC offense.

The South Carolina special teams ranks No. 9 overall in ESPN’s FPI. The Kentucky contest was the team’s worst performance of the year in the “third phase.” Still, the snap-hold-kick exchange was perfect on all five PATs, and kick coverage units looked good again.

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This weekend, South Carolina does not play with an open week on the schedule.

However, the Gamecocks have upcoming matchups against the FPI’s No. 19 (LSU), No. 15 (Oklahoma), No. 3 (Alabama), No. 8 (Ole Miss), and No. 16 (Texas A&M) in the team’s next five games.

South Carolina-LSU next weekend will be a night game, the SEC revealed on Monday. The exact kick time and television information has not been announced, meaning that the game could be played at 7:00 p.m., 7:30 p.m., or 7:45 p.m. on ESPN, ABC, or SEC Network.

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