Fox Sports analyst names South Carolina as one of nation's most likely first-time College Football Playoff teams
South Carolina football has never made the College Football Playoff, but the Gamecocks have been a somewhat trendy pick to change that this fall. Most national outlets have Shane Beamer’s team making the 12-team field or being one of the top non-Playoff teams left out of the postseason.
Joining that list is Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt.
Recently, on his podcast The Joel Klatt Show, Klatt ranked the top teams in college football positioned to make their first CFP in 2025. South Carolina came in at No. 3 overall.
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Klatt’s affinity for the Gamecocks stems from the team’s star power, specifically at the quarterback and EDGE positions. He explained, “I love LaNorris Sellers. Breakout star in the second half of last season as South Carolina won their last six in the regular season. He does need to cut down on turnovers. But I think that’s going to come with experience…They have one of the best pass rushers in the country. Dylan Stewart is coming off of a Freshman All-American season…They’ve got some real stars.”
However, Klatt is concerned that the difficulty of South Carolina’s schedule could make winning enough to make the College Football Playoff berth too much to ask. Said Klatt, “The issue becomes the schedule. They’ve got a real good shot at starting 5-0–the toughest game is at Missouri–but then it gets real when the calendar turns to October…at LSU, Oklahoma, Alabama, at Ole Miss, then a Bye week, then at A&M. Hello? Hello? They still have Clemson left on the back end of that schedule. That schedule is brutal.”
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The long-time college football pundit thinks the strength of schedule for the Gamecocks is among the best in the country. With that, he believes a similar finish as the one the team had in 2024 would get them in the field. “9-3, it’s going to be difficult to keep them out…9-3 for South Carolina looks very good.”
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The road to 9-3 (or better) and a first-ever College Football Playoff berth begins in less than two months. South Carolina opens its 2025 season against Virginia Tech in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Gamecocks and Hokies will play on Sunday, August 31st at 3:00 p.m. A win would put Shane Beamer and company on the right path to taking their next step.
USC will need to buck historical trends to take that step.
If Carolina wins enough games to be in CFP contention, it would mark just the 17th time they’ve won at least 8 games. It would also be the seventh time the Gamecocks have won eight games immediately after doing so the year before.
