South Carolina’s win over Tennessee changed the look of the national numbers, and the Gamecocks now sit at No. 26 in ESPN’s Football Power Index heading into Week 9. That’s a jump of three spots after the 27-24 victory over then-No. 11 Tennessee at Williams-Brice Stadium.
With five regular-season games left, the matchup predictor gives South Carolina a mixed road ahead. The Gamecocks travel to Oklahoma this weekend, then still have Texas A&M, Arkansas, Georgia and Clemson on the schedule.
Against Oklahoma, ESPN has South Carolina at 36 percent to win, barely changed from last week’s 36.2. The Sooners are 4-3 after a 23-15 road win over Mississippi State, and Saturday will be South Carolina’s second trip to Norman in program history.
The Gamecocks won there 35-9 two years ago, then lost to Oklahoma 26-7 last season in Columbia. FanDuel Sportsbook lists Oklahoma as a 4.5-point favorite, while DraftKings Sportsbook has the Sooners favored by 5.5.
Texas A&M is next on the list at 52.4 percent, up from 49.3. The Aggies are 4-4 after a 31-20 road loss to Alabama and are off this week before coming to Columbia next weekend. Mike Elko’s team has wins over Missouri State, Arizona State, Arkansas and The Citadel.
Arkansas checks in at 72.3 percent, up from 70. The Razorbacks are 3-4, coming off a win over Vanderbilt, and return to action Saturday against Missouri before hosting South Carolina on Nov. 14.
Georgia’s projection sits at 18.1 percent, up from 16.5. The Bulldogs are 6-1 and will try to bounce back from their first loss of the season, a home defeat to Auburn, when they play Florida in Atlanta this Saturday.
Kirby Smart’s group will also face Ole Miss and Missouri before heading to Columbia on Nov. 21.
Clemson remains the toughest-looking challenge on the slate at 64.1 percent, up from 59.9. The Tigers dropped to 4-3 after Virginia Tech escaped with a 20-16 win in Blacksburg.
Clemson goes to Florida State this weekend, then still has Syracuse, Georgia Tech and Duke before finishing the regular season against South Carolina on Nov. 28.
In Other News...
South Carolinas Tennessee Breakthrough Now Carries One Huge Pressure
South Carolinas win over No. 11 Tennessee gave Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks a signature moment, but in the SEC, a breakthrough like that can quickly become a trap. Around the league, several teams have taken down ranked opponents only to stumble in the very next game, and that is the kind of swing Beamer knows can erase momentum fast. For a program trying to build something real, a victory that once felt like a turning point cant become the high point.
Now the challenge shifts to Oklahoma, where South Carolina has to prove the Tennessee result was a step forward and not just another example of the leagues so-called SEC Flu. Beamer has already acknowledged that danger, but his message is simple enough: enjoy the win, then move on. In a conference where every week seems to punish anyone who gets comfortable, the Gamecocks biggest test may be how well they handle the noise after their biggest recent breakthrough. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolina Just Got Another Reason To Celebrate That Tennessee Win
South Carolinas win over Tennessee already stood out as one of the programs most important early-season results, and now it has another layer of recognition attached to it. Nolan Hay, the fifth-year offensive lineman who started at center in the 27-24 victory over the No. 11 Volunteers, was named the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week by the Football Writers Association of America.
Hays work up front helped the Gamecocks put together 344 total yards and average 5.5 yards per play against one of the nations better defenses, the kind of efficiency that made the upset possible. It also marked the second time a South Carolina player has picked up the weekly honor, a small but meaningful sign that the performance in Knoxville resonated well beyond the final score. [Read more 🡒]
Dawn Staley Finally Addressed The Geno Handshake Drama
Dawn Staley has had time to unpack the postgame handshake moment with Geno Auriemma from South Carolinas win in the 2026 Womens Final Four, and her comments put the episode in a different light than the one it briefly took on in the aftermath. Staley said she did not realize Auriemma was expecting a second pregame handshake, and she made clear the awkward exchange was about more than a single missed greeting.
The larger backdrop, of course, is the rivalry itself and South Carolinas recent run of success against UConn, which has only sharpened the edge between two of the sports most accomplished coaches. Staley also emphasized her respect for Auriemma, but her reflections suggested there were deeper tensions sitting underneath the public moment, which is what made the whole scene resonate well beyond one game. [Read more 🡒]