Ranking every SEC football team by chance of making the College Football Playoff

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 09: Stetson Bennett #13 of the Georgia Bulldogs looks to pass in the second quarter against the TCU Horned Frogs in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at SoFi Stadium on January 09, 2023 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

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South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Spencer Rattler (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images) /

7. South Carolina

The Gamecock’s fate could go one of two ways.

One outcome includes hovering around eight wins similar to last year. Not being able to keep up with their tough SEC schedule and running into teams like Clemson or North Carolina in their out of conference schedule.

Or they could scrape together 11 wins with losses at the right times. Either in the SEC Championship–meaning they will probably have to beat Georgia in the regular season–or against Georgia while they beat everybody else.

Look, it’s tough, South Carolina does not have the little sisters of the poor waiting for them on their schedule this year.

But last year they were one year away and if Spencer Rattler is going to become anything the time is now. And when you have to pencil in a loss to Georgia, then you better have a resume that can support you being in the CFP without a championship game appearance–which they would have with games against UNC, Clemson, Texas A&M, and Tennessee.

It wouldn’t be an easy road but what separates the Gamecocks from other teams in the SEC like Florida who also have tough schedules is that they showed something last year.

The improvement was evident under Beamer and they got some big wins over Clemson and Tennessee. And if they had finished off Notre Dame in their bowl game they might have began this year ranked.

The potential is there for this team. And we’ll know by week 3 if this ranking holds merit.

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