South Carolina Football: USA Today Hands Out 2021 Season Grades

The South Carolina football team overachieved in terms of media expectation for the 2021 season, reaching bowl eligibility in Shane Beamer’s first season.

Initial predictions saw the Gamecocks winning just three games in Beamer’s inaugural campaign, but fast forward to the New Year and South Carolina capped 2021 with seven victories. The program earned its first postseason win in four seasons while knocking off traditional SEC powers Auburn and Florida.

It’s safe to say Beamer’s first year in Columbia was a huge success.

With the season officially coming to a close earlier this week, sports media sites are beginning to grade the performances of each Division I program on the field. The Gamecocks have been a mainstay in terms of surprises, with one major publication rating South Carolina with an “A” for their success.

South Carolina football lands top 2021 grade

USA Today recently released their grades for all 130 FBS programs. The Gamecocks were one of the top performers, grading out win an “A” rating.

That tied Alabama for the second-best mark in the SEC. Both the Gamecocks and Crimson Tide trailed Georgia, who landed an “A+” for their national championship season.

While Alabama won nearly twice the number of games as South Carolina in 2021, preseason expectations were taken into account in these ratings. The Gamecocks more than doubled their projected win total, which will land a passing grade every season.

Read what USA Today had to say below.

"Don’t forget that all report cards are graded on a relative curve. For the Gamecocks, going 7-6 in coach Shane Beamer’s first season earns an A grade."

South Carolina enters the offseason with momentum and a foundation to build upon. Expectations are sure to rise heading into 2022.