Shane Beamer didn’t need to make a scene Tuesday night. He had already made his point a year ago, and now the first College Football Playoff rankings have backed him up.
South Carolina landed at No. 21 in the initial CFP reveal, putting the Gamecocks in the conversation with four games left and within reach of the Top 12 that would get them into the field for the first time in school history. That’s a long way from where things looked when USC stumbled to a 4-8 finish last season, but it’s exactly the spot Beamer said the program would be in.
Back then, while the Gamecocks were still in the middle of that rough stretch, Beamer made a bold prediction.
“I do know next year at this time, we are going to be sitting here on this Tuesday night watching the playoff rankings to see where we are in the rankings show," he said then. "And we are going to be firmly in the mix for a College Football Playoff berth next year at this time.”
Plenty of people laughed at the time. The quote kept getting dragged back out when South Carolina dropped its first three SEC games this season.
But the picture looks a lot different now. The Gamecocks have won three straight, and this week they moved into the Associated Press Top 25 as well.
Beamer, though, wasn’t setting aside the evening to watch the rankings show. He said earlier Tuesday that the timing didn’t really work. He had an 8 p.m. meeting scheduled with offensive coordinator Kendal Briles and defensive coordinator Clayton White to go over third-down and red zone plans, and before that he was set to be in his office studying those situations, along with talking to recruits.
That fits the message he’s kept repeating since South Carolina started 2-3: keep the focus on the next game and try to go 1-0 this week.
“Because, again, it has nothing to do with us,” he said. “It’s not like if we’re ranked, not ranked, that’s going to change anything that I do the rest of tonight or tomorrow.”
In Other News...
Kendal Briles Is Creating A South Carolina Question Fans Didn't Want
Kendal Briles has given South Carolina something it has been able to lean on this season, with the offense showing real life and a notable performance against Oklahoma helping fuel the optimism around the program. For a team still trying to stack wins and keep its bowl hopes in reach, having an offensive coordinator who has brought clear direction has mattered, and it has made Briles one of the more important figures on Shane Beamers staff.
Naturally, that kind of impact tends to attract attention from elsewhere, and it is the sort of development Gamecock fans would rather not have to think about in November. Beamer and Briles have both kept the message centered on the present, with the focus staying on South Carolinas current push and Briles continuing to handle his responsibilities in Columbia while the season plays out. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolina Fans Need To Know This Before Texas A&M Homecoming
Williams-Brice Stadium will have a familiar kind of buzz on Homecoming weekend, with South Carolina set to host Texas A&M in a 3:03 p.m. kickoff. The school is also opening the gates two hours before game time, a move meant to ease entry and help avoid the kind of delays fans have dealt with before.
Game day is being built out as more than just a conference matchup, too. Along with the football, South Carolina has lined up additional fan experiences and events, including a Hall of Fame induction and limited-edition merchandise sales, giving the afternoon a little extra weight for a crowd that will already be arriving with plenty to celebrate. [Read more 🡒]
Gamecocks Get An Early Chance To Set The Tone At Home
South Carolina mens basketball gets its season started at home Tuesday night, opening against Stetson at Colonial Life Arena with tipoff set for 7 p.m. It is a chance for the Gamecocks to settle in early in front of their own crowd after a preseason that included wins over Wake Forest and Campbell, a useful start as they begin to build momentum for the year ahead.
Stetson comes in with its own opening-night test, having already drawn Clemson in its season opener and coming off an exhibition loss to Florida. For South Carolina, the first night is about more than just getting a result on the board - it is an early opportunity to establish the tone at home before the schedule starts asking more of them. [Read more 🡒]