In the most shocking news of the day, South Carolina does not make it into the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff. Just kidding, with the way the committee ranked the Gamecocks last week, every South Carolina fan knew there was no shot the Gamecocks were getting in, but at least fans have something to celebrate.
After the SMU Mustangs fell to the other team that does not own the state of South Carolina, Clemson, Alabama, fans felt they deserved to be in the playoff over the Mustangs. Crimson Tide fans believed their resume was better, they beat better opponents, had a tougher strength of schedule, and ultimately believed they were the best team ever.
Not.
Alabama had three losses in the season and didn't even make it to the SEC Championship, while SMU went 11-1 in the regular season and lost in the ACC Championship. Alabama fans had no argument, and the committee agreed. The College Football Playoff committee gave the final at-large bid to the Mustangs and left Alabama out in their first season, not under Nick Saban.
So even though South Carolina didn't make it into the rankings, even with a six-game winning streak to end the season 9-3, four wins in the Top 25, one win over a Top 10 opponent, and a win over the ACC Champion, at least Alabama is sitting at home with them.
South Carolina had the resume to make it in over a team like Alabama or even Ole Miss, both teams, yes, South Carolina did lose too. However, South Carolina's three losses all came to ranked opponents, while Alabama lost to two teams that were unranked, and Ole Miss lost to one team that was unranked.
The Gamecocks did everything they could, but alas, it wasn't enough, and they will simply hope for a great bowl game where they can finish the season with 10 wins and begin preparing for next season, where their one and only goal is to win and get in.