South Carolina Dissed By College Football Playoff Committee

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Despite making an emphatic case to qualify for an at-large berth in the 2024 College Football Playoff (CFP), the resurgent University of South Carolina football program remains on the outside looking in following the release of the latest rankings from the 13-person selection committee.

Head coach Shane Beamer‘s squad – which has defied expectations this season with multiple victories over ranked opponents – landed at No. 14 in the penultimate standings, which were released to great consternation on Tuesday evening (December 3, 2024). That’s a modest one-spot increase – despite the fact the Gamecocks (9-3, 5-3 SEC) knocked off then-No. 12 Clemson on the road last Saturday.

The rivalry win was South Carolina’s sixth straight victory – a run which has included four wins over ranked opponents – but it was apparently not enough to land the Gamecocks a spot in the playoff.

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Job’s not finished. pic.twitter.com/Sxxon0vk9T

— Gamecock Football (@GamecockFB) December 4, 2024

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South Carolina was ranked No. 13 in the latest Associated Press poll and No. 12 in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) poll, both released on Sunday of this week.

Surprisingly, the CFP selection committee slotted South Carolina behind No. 12 Miami – a two-loss ACC team which was defeated by then-unranked Syracuse last week. The Hurricanes fell six spots in the new rankings, but remained ahead of South Carolina and No. 13 Ole Miss, another three-loss SEC program with an impressive CFP résumé.

The other three-loss SEC squad in contention – Alabama – was ranked No. 11.

Dabo Swinney’s Tigers (9-3, 7-1 ACC) fell five spots to No. 17 – but could still make the playoff if they upset eight-ranked Southern Methodist University in the ACC championship game this Saturday (December 7, 2024) in Charlotte, N.C.

Per the new playoff rules, the five highest-ranked conference champions (including one champion from the “group of five” conferences) qualify for the 12-team field – with the four highest-ranked champions receiving first-round byes. Seven “at-large” teams will join them based on their position in the final CFP poll.

Should South Carolina be one of those seven at-large squads? Yes… but…

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As I noted earlier this week, frustration in Columbia, S.C. over the rankings continues to boil over – especially considering one of South Carolina’s three losses was attributable to atrocious officiating. Had SEC referees not robbed the Gamecocks of a victory over then-No. 16 LSU in mid-September, the Gamecocks wouldn’t have to worry about making their case. They’d be a playoff lock.

Unfortunately, officials erroneously flagged defensive end Kyle Kennard for unnecessary roughness on a perfectly legal block of LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier – taking a game-clinching 100-yard interception return from junior safety Nick Emmanwori off the board.

“This call… was pure trash,” I noted at the time. “Not just incorrect, inexcusable.”

And while Gamecock fans couldn’t possibly have imagined it at the time, that call cost them a playoff spot.

South Carolina will learn its postseason destination this Sunday (December 8, 2024) following the conclusion of the conference championships and the release of the final CFP rankings.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …

Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.

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