The South Carolina Gamecocks are reloading in 2026 hoping to have a massive rebound from the 4-8 season in Columbia just last year.
So far, it’s been a strong offseason, with head coach Shane Beamer adding strong additions to his coaching staff, like offensive coordinator Kendal Briles from TCU. South Carolina also made headway within the transfer portal in landing some key pieces along the offensive line and at running back.
Earlier this week, CBS Sports released its post-spring power rankings for all 16 SEC teams. The Gamecocks checked in perhaps slightly lower than South Carolina fans would have hoped, after a spring that had plenty of optimism throughout.
South Carolina ranked No. 11 overall, behind even Florida (9th), who the Gamecocks will face on Oct. 10 and Missouri (10th).
"The Gamecocks finally look like a roster with staying power on both lines of scrimmage, and that matters in the SEC," Brad Crawford of CBS Sports writes. "That became the offseason priority after Shane Beamer reshaped his offensive staff and welcomed a wave of transfers, including projected starters Jacarrius Peak (NC State), Carter Miller (UCF) and Emmanuel Poko (East Carolina).
Quarterback LaNorris Sellers remains the centerpiece. He's one of the SEC's most physically gifted playmakers and gives South Carolina a ceiling few teams outside the conference elite can match. If Sellers takes another step as a downfield passer and regains the confidence he displayed in 2024, the Gamecocks become dangerous."
Here’s a look at the full power rankings, from 1-16. In a bit of a twist, the Texas Longhorns checked in at No. 1 overall, in front of Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss and Texas A&M.
1. Texas
2. Georgia
3. LSU
4. Ole Miss
5. Texas A&M
6. Alabama
7. OU
8. Tennessee
9. Florida
10. Missouri
11. South Carolina
12. Auburn
13. Vanderbilt
14. Kentucky
15. Mississippi State
16. Arkansas
The Gamecocks' schedule this year is particularly tough, featuring road trips to Tuscaloosa to take on the Tide, as well as to the Gators. South Carolina also takes on four other teams ranked higher in CBS' rankings, in Tennessee on Oct. 24, at Oklahoma on Oct. 31 and Georgia on Nov. 21.
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