South Carolina football: Gamecocks’ chances of making each bowl game
By Jacob Elsey
New Year’s Six – NO CHANCE
Peach Bowl
Dec. 30, 2021
Atlanta, GA at Mercedez-Benz Stadium
South Carolina has played in the Peach Bowl on two occasions, dropping both. The last appearance came in 2010, following the team’s first ever SEC Championship game. The Gamecocks would lose 26-17 to Florida State, after star running back Marcus Lattimore was knocked out the game in the first quarter. The first ever appearance in the game was way back in 1969, a 14-3 loss to West Virginia.
South Carolina probably won’t be making a third showing this year, with the bowl selecting more highly ranked teams from the Power Five conferences.
Fiesta Bowl
Jan. 1, 2022
Glendale, AZ at State Farm Stadium
The Fiesta Bowl is one of the rotational College Football Playoff bowls, but it won’t be a part of the event this coming season. With that being said, it will have the first picks of non-playoff participants from the country’s top leagues.
The Gamecocks have never played in the Fiesta Bowl, and their chances of earning a bid in 2021 are slim. Another one of college football’s top bowls, it’ll be looking to add more high profile programs from the Power Five conferences.
Sugar Bowl
Jan. 1, 2022
New Orleans, LA at Mercedez-Benz Superdome
The third of four New Year’s bowls not part of the CFP, the Sugar Bowl has historically had SEC representation. Unfortunately, the Gamecocks have never been a part of that representation. They were close back in the early 2010s, but were seemingly a win away from the top tier of the conference, and ended up in either the Outback or Gator bowls. Keeping the same theme with all of these NY6 bowl games, South Carolina is a long shot to compete for a bid.
Rose Bowl
Jan 1, 2022
Pasadena, CA at Rose Bowl Stadium
The final rotating CFP bowl, the Rose Bowl is one of the most recognizable games in college football. The event has taken place since 1890, and historically pit a Big 10 team versus a foe from the PAC-12. “The Granddaddy of Them All” has featured high profile teams like Ohio State, Michigan, Southern Cal, and Stanford. The Gamecocks, though, have never been a part of the event, due to that conference affiliation.
The game will move back to that more traditional format in 2021, meaning South Carolina won’t be playing this year’s edition either.