Could the South Carolina Gamecocks finally break through to the College Football Playoff in 2025? According to one respected analyst, the answer might be a surprising yes. After finishing the 2024 season as one of the hottest teams in the country, South Carolina is building real momentum — and fans have every reason to dream big for what’s next.
Led by head coach Shane Beamer, the Gamecocks turned heads with a late-season surge that included three wins over ranked opponents and a stretch of football that had fans across the SEC buzzing. Despite being on the verge of a postseason berth, the Gamecocks were ultimately left out of the playoff picture last year. Now, they’re determined to change that narrative.
One major reason for this new optimism is the return of dynamic quarterback LaNorris Sellers. Sellers showed flashes of brilliance last season, earning praise for his clutch performances and playmaking ability. CBS Sports analyst Brad Crawford highlighted just how important Sellers could be for South Carolina’s playoff hopes in 2025.
Crawford’s preseason outlook for SEC teams included a best-case scenario where the Gamecocks finish the regular season with a 10–2 record, which would likely put them right in the mix for one of the coveted playoff spots.
“On the doorstep of the program’s first playoff berth last fall, the Gamecocks caught fire during the second-half stretch highlighted by three wins over ranked teams and Superman-like performance from quarterback LaNorris Sellers,” Crawford wrote. “More of that could help surge South Carolina into the national title conversation once again, but it’s imperative this team handles its business early against Vanderbilt and Missouri before the SEC gauntlet truly begins.”
The path to the playoff won’t be easy. South Carolina’s toughest matchups include a visit to the always-dangerous LSU Tigers, and huge home clashes with the Alabama Crimson Tide and fierce in-state rivals, the Clemson Tigers. The upside? Two of those marquee showdowns — Alabama and Clemson — will be played at home in front of a passionate Columbia crowd that knows how to create one of the SEC’s most electric atmospheres.
For Beamer and the Gamecocks, a playoff run wouldn’t just mark a single successful season — it would signal that South Carolina is here to stay as a real force in college football’s toughest conference. If they can catch fire again, this could be the year the Gamecocks make history.
