South Carolina has 'higher goals' after win, AP top 25 ranking
South Carolina has had a lot to celebrate in the past 24 hours.
Not only did it beat Texas A&M for the first time in program history, but it also found itself in the AP top 25 for the first time in four years.
The Gamecocks are now ranked No. 25 in the country, the first time South Carolina was ranked since being No. 24 in September 2018.
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“I told the team in our team meeting, it’s a great testament to their hard work,” Shane Beamer said. “It’s a great testament to what they’ve done, and last night was an awesome environment and a big game that we won.”
But now is not the time to reflect on what they’ve done thus far. Beamer expressed his team can do more this season.
“We have higher goals, and I don’t think anybody went into the season saying, ‘Okay, man, it would be an amazing season if we could finish the season ranked 25th in the country,” the second-year head coach said. “I think we all felt like we knew we would be ranked and hopefully higher than that.”
“And for us, it’s a process. It’s what’s next and we’re hungry and no one’s satisfied.”
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Up next for South Carolina will be Missouri. The Tigers won their first SEC game—a 17-14 win over Vanderbilt Saturday—since Nov. 20, 2021.
Beamer said he may have brought up the game’s trophy, the Mayor’s Cup, before last year’s matchup to his players. It didn’t work out as he hoped, since the Gamecocks lost 31-28.
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“Obviously, that didn’t work too well,” Beamer said. “So we may figure out a plan B this week and not mention it. We’ll see.”
But this year has started to feel different for South Carolina, winners of its last four games. It’s the longest win streak the program has had since 2013. Even Beamer is realizing where the team is heading.
“We had so many prospects that were there last night, so many of them that were watching on TV that want to play in an environment like that,” he said about the recruits’ reaction to the 30-24 win over the Aggies. “They see the passion and the love and energy that our players play with, and they want to be a part of it. So certainly, when you’re able to win, when you’re able to have success, it helps anyone. But when you’re able to do it in a fantastic environment like we had last night, it makes it even better.”
The Gamecocks will shift their attention to Missouri this week. Kick-off begins at 4 p.m. at Williams-Brice Stadium on SEC Network.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” Beamer said. “And for us, it’s about what’s next, and what’s next this week is continuing to try and find a way to get better as a team and put our best foot forward as a team against Missouri on Saturday afternoon.”
