South Carolina in the playoff? Insider believes so

South Carolina finished 9-4 in 2015, an actually strong season for a program that hasn’t constantly been nationally pertinent. They came fairly near making the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff. A sensible development would suggest a prospective berth this year, even in the crammed SEC.

However they lost some key players on both sides of the ball, which could injure their possibilities at enhancement. Was the 2024 season the ceiling for this group? Not according to college football insider Antonio Morales with The Athletic.

Regardless of those losses, Morales said, “Quarterback LaNorris Sellers and edge rush Dylan Stewart are fundamental building blocks and two of the very best players in the SEC. So there’s top-end skill and a solid transfer class that assisted resolve some needs in crucial areas.”

The Gamecocks did begin gradually, going 3-3 before finishing on a 6-1 run. If they can prevent a sluggish start, the sky is the limit. Sellers being hurt at the start of the year helped that start, so keeping him healthy ought to provide a far better opening.

“In theory, South Carolina wasn’t away from a Playoff look last year– probably one win away. If the Gamecocks can avoid a similar sluggish start this season, they should remain in contention for a CFP bid late in the year,” he concluded. Need to the Gamecocks duplicate what they did in 2015, a top-12 seed is quite in the realm of possibility.