The South Carolina Gamecocks made their debut in the College Football Playoff rankings this past week, even when some thought they should have been in the first installment. The week after, the Gamecocks got their biggest win of the season against No. 13 Texas A&M, fans had hoped that the Gamecocks might be able to sneak in towards the end, but nothing.
Now, after beating a surprising Vanderbilt team, the Gamecocks didn't just sneak into the rankings, they jumped over a few other teams that some would argue are better. The Gamecocks are one of the three three-loss teams in the CFP rankings, and some would say they are the best of the three.
With just three games left in the season, the Gamecocks have to win out in order to have any sort of chance to make it into the College Football Playoff. ESPN's Playoff Predictor as of right now gives South Carolina a 14% chance of making the CFP.
A lot would have to happen in order for the Gamecocks to make it in, but first things first, they have to win their final three games, which would include against No. 24 Missouri, Wofford, and No. 20 Clemson.
The Gamecocks started the season 3-3 but have since gone 6-3 with double-digit wins in each game of their recent three-game win streak. The committee felt that was all good enough to put them in the rankings this week. While it may seem like the Gamecocks are a long shot for the College Football Playoff, it is not completely out of the question.
As mentioned above, the Gamecocks have a 14% chance of making it to the CFP, but if they win out, that is up to a 47% chance. With the playoff expanding to 12 teams this season, a three-loss team has the opportunity to make it in, but they need the right resume.
South Carolina has faced plenty of ranked opponents this season, and if they can beat Missouri and Clemson, that record would become 4-3, with two of the losses coming in the final seconds of the game. The Gamecocks have no real chance of hosting a playoff game, but they have the ability if chaos ensues and a few more SEC teams and Big Ten teams end up losing, South Carolina could sneak in late.