Paul Finebaum Names Rising SEC Program That Won’t Make the College Football Playoff originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The 2024 college football season featured several teams that excelled. Some of these teams were surprising, while others were already improving.
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The South Carolina Gamecocks emerged as an unexpected contender in college football. After finishing with a 5-7 record in 2023, they surprised everyone by achieving a remarkable 9-4 record the following year. This impressive turnaround brought them close to qualifying for the College Football Playoff.
During “The Paul Finebaum Show,” the SEC Network analyst was asked whether he believes the Gamecocks will take the next step and make it to the playoffs. Finebaum responded by stating that he predicts the Texas Longhorns, Alabama Crimson Tide, LSU Tigers and Georgia Bulldogs will represent the SEC, implying that South Carolina will just miss the cut.
Shane Beamer has concerns about a 9-format SEC schedule.© Stephanie Amador / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
“Right now, I don’t have them on my list of those that will make the CFP,” Finebaum said. “Right now, I have four. I think that schedule is a little bit too difficult.”
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The challenging schedule is a considerable factor for the Gamecocks. According to Kyle Wood of Athlon Sports, South Carolina has the seventh-easiest schedule in the conference for 2025.
Wood emphasized the last five games of the season. Following a home game against Alabama, the Gamecocks will face back-to-back road games at Ole Miss and Texas A&M, with a bye week in between. South Carolina will also wrap up the regular season with its annual rivalry game against Clemson.
On top of that, the Gamecocks will need to find a replacement for Kyle Kennard this season, the Nagurski Award winner who recorded 11.5 sacks and 16 tackles for loss last year. Fortunately, South Carolina has one of the best pass rushers in the country in sophomore Dylan Stewart. As a true freshman, Stewart recorded 6.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss.
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On the positive side, the Gamecocks are set to return quarterback LaNorris Sellers, who had an impressive season as a redshirt freshman. He passed for 2,534 yards, threw 18 touchdowns and recorded seven interceptions, achieving a completion rate of 65.6%. In addition to his passing performance, he also rushed for 674 yards and scored seven touchdowns.
South Carolina will face off against the Virginia Tech Hokies at 3 p.m. ET on Aug. 31.
Related: Paul Finebaum Names College Football QB Who Could Be The Best in Program History
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
