The South Carolina Gamecocks knocked off the Clemson Tigers in Week 14, further cementing the incredible job done by head coach Shane Beamer and Co. in 2024. However, despite the victory over Clemson in the final week of the regular season, South Carolina found themselves in a deadlock with several other teams vying for the last at-large playoff berth.
After the College Football Playoff Rankings were revealed, do these Gamecocks have a realistic chance at making it?
South Carolina’s Playoff Odds
After the regular season ended, South Carolina was given a 20.32% chance of making the playoffs. However, after landing at No. 14 in the latest rankings, South Carolina’s chances took a real shot.
The Gamecocks would now need something drastic to happen in order to make the playoffs given the teams ahead of them.
Let’s break that down, how can the Gamecocks make the playoffs? Or, more realistically, can they?
As of right now, it appears that South Carolina is mathematically unable to make the leap into the playoffs. Here’s how that shakes out.
SC was ranked 14th but Ole Miss — a fellow 9-3 SEC team — was ranked No. 13 and the Miami Hurricanes landed at No. 12. Both of those teams are finished with their seasons as is the No. 11-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide.
That just means that neither of these teams can find a loss on their schedule anymore, and there is no precedent to say that SC could move up enough spots to clear the hurdle and land at No. 11 — which is where they’d need to be to get the last at-large playoff berth.
Yes, Boise State at No. 10 and SMU at No. 8 could lose in their championship games, but they would be replaced in the rankings by the team(s) they lost to — i.e. if UNLV knocks out Boise State in the Mountain West Championship, then they’ll take the Group of Five spot.
If Clemson knocks out SMU, it isn’t a given that the Mustangs would be eliminated, but it is given that Clemson would earn the ACC’s playoff berth.
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Despite their top-20 defense in adjusted EPA/play (17th), points allowed per game (14th), total sacks (fifth), and forced fumbles (t-third), South Carolina is set to miss the College Football Playoffs.
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