It's true that the SEC is known for its continuously crowned kings: Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Florida. The are all programs within the league that hoard headlines, dominate playoff conversations, and fill trophy cases. But there just may be a new contender this season: South Carolina.
On Tuesday at ACC Media Days, SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee stirred the pot when he questioned the SEC's depth, stating, “The SEC has had the same six schools win the championship since 1964... That’s top-heavy to me. That’s not depth.” But behind the media buzz around his comments, Lashlee's point landed with teams like South Carolina. Programs that have spent decades trying to break into the league's upper tier and believe that 2025 could be the year that things finally change.
Rhett Lashlee on the SEC: “The same six schools have won the SEC since 1964. Not a single one is different from 1964. That’s top heavy, that’s not depth.”
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) July 22, 2025
The Gamecocks are looking to disrupt that balance of power in a conference that has long been looked at as "top-heavy," and it seems that they are not the only ones that don't agree with his take on the conference.
Appearing on ESPN's Get Up on Wednesday morning, Paul Finebaum didn't hold back. He called Lashlee's comments "comical" and used SMU's sorted past as ammunition to fire back at the coach.
.@finebaum responds to SMU's head coach Rhett Lashlee comparing the depth of the SEC to the ACC:
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) July 23, 2025
"That's one of the most comical, embarrassing rants I have ever heard." 😯 pic.twitter.com/sdJUKRKhLE
Since the SEC implemented its championship game in 1992, only Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Florida, LSU, and Tennessee have lifted the championship trophy. South Carolina tasted the chance at an SEC title in 2010 but ultimately fell to Cam Newton's Auburn team. Since then, the Gamecocks have flirted with greatness but have struggled to sustain that success. In 2025, however, that could be different.
If South Carolina wants to shake up the SEC's pecking order, it will start with quarterback LaNorris Sellers. The dual-threat sophomore stunned Clemson last season and possesses the athleticism, poise, and upside to become one of the SEC's breakout stars. Surrounding Sellers, the Gamecocks have reloaded on speed and playmaking talent. If the offensive line holds and the defense steps up, South Carolina could be this year's unstoppable team.
South Carolina's 2025 schedule contains no cupcakes, and never does in the SEC. Matchups with LSU, Kentucky, Texas A&M, and Alabama give the Gamecocks the opportunity to climb the league ladder.
Lashlee's underhanded comments may have ruffled some Southeastern feathers, but they struck a chord with programs like South Carolina. And if the Gamecocks can crash the party in 2025, they won't just change their own legacy, they will help to redefine what SEC depth really looks like.