Preseason standings for every team on South Carolina's schedule

South Carolina football plays one of the toughest schedules in the country in 2025. That isn’t anything new for the Gamecocks, though, as an eight-game SEC slate, plus Clemson, plus (often) another power conference opponent creates a challenging road every year.

The 2025 schedule includes that typical eight-game SEC schedule (four games at home and one on the road), a home rivalry matchup against Clemson, a neutral-site meeting in Atlanta against ACC foe Virginia Tech, and non-conference home tilts against South Carolina State and Coastal Carolina.

Below is a look at the schedule, plus each team’s place in their conference’s respective preseason standings and each team’s preseason all-conference selections.

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Sunday, August 31st: Virginia Tech Hokies at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia

The media at the Atlantic Coast Conference Kickoff voted Virginia Tech 11th in the league. Brent Pry’s team earned one first-place vote, and the ACC pundits did not pick any preseason all-conference representatives from VT. However, quarterback Kyron Drones finished tied-for-fourth in preseason ACC Player of the Year voting.

Saturday, September 6th: South Carolina State Bulldogs

The South Carolina State Bulldogs are the preseason Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference favorites. SC State also earned five of 12 first-place votes from the MEAC head coaches. Though Chennis Berry’s team is well regarded, the Bulldogs put just three players on the league’s preseason All-MEAC team, including defensive back Jarod Washington, defensive lineman Josh Barker, and offensive lineman Roger Smith.

Saturday, September 13th: Vanderbilt Commodores

Vanderbilt sits in 13th in the preseason SEC standings. The Commodores picked up a pair of first-place votes. Clark Lea’s bunch also put one player on the preseason All-SEC team, as tight end Eli Stowers earned first-team inclusion.

Saturday, September 20th: @ Missouri Tigers

Eli Drinkwitz’s Missouri Tigers team earned the preseason No. 12 ranking in the SEC. Two players from “the other Columbia” found themselves on the preseason All-SEC teams, as offensive lineman Cayden Green and wide receiver Kevin Coleman, Jr. earned the recognition for Mizzou.

Saturday, September 27th: Kentucky Wildcats

Kentucky isn’t expected to have a very good year again in 2025. As such, the SEC media voted the Wildcats 15th in the conference. Mark Stoops’ group had just one preseason all-conference inclusion: punter Aidan Laros made the third team. No team had fewer all-league selections than the Big Blue.

Saturday, October 11th: @ LSU Tigers

Fourth-place in the preseason SEC standings belongs to Brian Kelly’s LSU Tigers. The Bayou Bengals also earned the fourth-most first-place votes with 20. LSU put eight players on the preseason All-SEC team, too. Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, running back Cayden Durham, wide receiver Aaron Anderson, linebackers Whit Weeks and Harold Perkins, and return man Barrion Brown made the team. Wide receiver Zavion Thomas also made the team twice, once as an all-purpose contributor and once as a returner.

Saturday, October 18th: Oklahoma Sooners

Brent Venables’ Oklahoma Sooners hope to bounce back in 2025, but the SEC media doesn’t think it will happen. The media voted the Sooners 10th in the preseason SEC standings. They did own three first-place votes, good for sixth-best in the league. Oklahoma’s preseason all-conference nominees include running back Jaydn Ott, defensive lineman R Mason Thomas, and long snapper Ben Anderson.

Saturday, October 25th: Alabama Crimson Tide

The Alabama Crimson Tide is third in the preseason SEC standings. Kalen DeBoer’s team also finished with the third-most first-place votes from the media, 29. Wide receiver Ryan Williams, offensive linemen Kadyn Proctor, Jaeden Roberts, and Parker Brailsford, running back Jam Miller, defensive linemen LT Overton and Tim Keenan III, linebacker Deontae Lawson, defensive backs Domani Jackson, Keon Sabb, and Bray Hubbard made the preseason All-SEC squad. The 11 selections are more than any team other than Texas and Georgia.

Saturday, November 1st: @ Ole Miss Rebels

Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss lost a lot of talent from 2024, resulting in them earning just one first-place vote and the No. 7 overall spot in the conference’s preseason standings. Predicted All-SEC contributors in Oxford include defensive lineman Zxavien Harris, linebackers/EDGE players Suntarine Perkins and Princewill Umanmielen, and kicker Lucas Carniero.

Saturday, November 15th: @ Texas A&M Aggies

The Texas A&M Aggies are 8th in the preseason SEC standings and didn’t earn a first-place vote from the media. Mike Elko’s second team in College Station includes preseason All-SEC selections running back Le’Veon Moss, offensive linemen Ar’Maj Reed-Adams, Chase Bisontis, and Trey Zuhn III, linebacker Taurean York, and defensive back Will Lee III.

Saturday, November 22nd: Coastal Carolina Chanticleers

The in-state Coastal Carolina Chanticleers have been predicted to finish fourth in the Sun Belt’s Eastern Division. However, Tim Beck’s squad picked up a first-place vote from the league’s coaches. Offensive lineman Nick Del Grande, wide receiver Jameson Tucker, and linebacker Shane Bruce have earned preseason All-Sun Belt nods.

Saturday, November 29th: Clemson Tigers

As expected, the ACC media has picked Clemson to win the conference again in 2025. The preseason prediction also included 167 of 180 possible first-place votes. It is no surprise then that the preseason All-ACC team is loaded with Dabo Swinney’s players. The Tigers placed quarterback Cade Klubnik, wide receivers Antonio Williams and Bryant Wesco, offensive linemen Blake Miller, Walker Parks, and Ryan Linthicum, EDGE TJ Parker, defensive tackle Peter Woods, linebackers Sammy Brown and Wade Woodaz, and cornerback Avieon Terrell on the team. Klubnik is also the league’s preseason Player of the Year.

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At SEC Media Days, South Carolina finished fifth overall in the preseason media rankings. The Gamecocks also picked up the fifth-most first-place votes in the conference with five. Despite the prominent spot in the rankings, just three USC players earned preseason All-SEC tabs. Quarterback LaNorris Sellers (first team), EDGE Dylan Stewart (first team), and defensive back Jalon Kilgore (second team) earned the honor.

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