Close, but no top-25
South Carolina’s take-down of No. 4 Ole Miss impressed some poll-voters, but not enough of them.
The Gamecocks failed to crack the top-25 in either the media or coaches’ polls that were released Sunday, although they received more consideration than they had through the preseason and first three weeks of the season.
USC is 28th in the AP poll and 29th in the USA Today poll.
Because the Gamecocks’ win came on national television on a night when it was the only game scheduled, I figured they might break in this week around No. 24 or 25.
It’s probably more of an indictment of Ole Miss, which dropped 17 spots in the writers’ poll to No. 21. The Rebs are 18th in the coaches’ poll.
Iowa made the biggest from among the unranked, soaring in at No. 13 and 17 after its annual beating of Penn State.
Georgia Tech was the only other newcomer in the AP poll, returning at 25 after the Jackets’ home win against then-No. 22 North Carolina. Seems like the Gamecocks’ win against a fourth-ranked SEC team might have counted for more than the Ramblin’ Wreck’s, but I don’t have a vote anymore.
Besides, if the Gamecocks keep winning, they’ll get in there eventually. The key is to stick once they are ranked, something they could not do the past two seasons.
75 Comments to “Close, but no top-25”
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USC football beat writer Joe Person has covered the Gamecocks since the start of the 2002 season. He's been on the college football beat since 1993. 
and if you wanna know my personal opinion…..there hasn’t been one team that has consistently stopped our offense when we haven’t played conservatively!!! NC STATE….we played conservatively!!!! Hence the 7-3 score and Spurrier wanted the DEFENSE to win the game for us!!! Ole miss, the last 20-22 minutes, we played consevatively!!! Spurrier wanted the DEFENSE to win the game for us!!! and it’s funny, even though I really HATE when they start doing that, I can see why they do it…..the GA game when we had to score a TD to win…..we lost!!! (though I thought for sure we were going to win that game!! even with all the boneheaded mistakes we made!) honestly, the only ones that have stopped us from scoring, is…well…..US!!
Shocking, we didn’t get in the top 25 after all those upsets. I guess UGA’s lackluster performance didn’t help.
After playing 3 bowl teams from 2008 in the first 4 games and going 3-1 I feel that S.C. should be ranked . N.C. State has not lost , a 4 point loss at Georgia is nothing to hang your head about and a win over a top 5 team? there are several teams that are ranked in the top 25 that have not played the level of comp that Carolina has played so far this season. Alabama and Florida are a step above every one else in the conference right now and if we can win one or both of those games S.C. will have there marqie win.
I mis spoke Florida Atlantic played a bowl game last year too. that’s 4 bowl teams in the first 4 games. O’ by the way S.C. State won there conference last season and are undefeaded so far this season better than some D-1 teams out there. Gamecocks 44- State 7 .Go Cocks.
Some of you people never cease to amaze me. The very last thing a Gamecock fan needs to do is criticize a ranked opponent by stating they were overrated. It only devalues our win. I believe you’ll see Miss. hold their own in the Western division- at least I hope so.
I thought we should be ranked, but more I think about it, I am glad we are not ranked. We get no respect because they all want us to fail. Everyone hates Spurrier, and do not want him to succeed here. I guess we were not ranked because the only loss was to a crappy Georgia team. I live in GA, and year after year watch them win games and have no clue how. They are by far the luckiest team around. As for the rankings. If the so called pollsters are saying Ole Miss was overrated, correct me if I am wrong but didn’t they vote put them at #4 in the 1st place?
I am really impressed with the team. We still have some work to do, and we still need all sides of the ball to play a full game. Once that happens, everyone better watch out for the “New Carolina” We keep getting better week to week. The players are in to the game more than I have ever seen before. Hopefully Spurrier will let some other guys play in the SC State and Kentucky games to give us more depth. I think we have a good chance to finish strong, but as I mentioned before we have to play strong on all sides of the ball. I am really seeing the competitive side of Spurrier. He really hates field goals. Me too.
Who cares if we’re ranked. It’s not like this is OUR year to win the National Title. Let’s worry about consistency each week. I’ve been a fan, but I’ve also been a critic…particularly of Spurrier. However, after the Ole Miss game, I’m becoming hopeful. We’ve got talent, speed, size and Garcia is improving every game. Although his stats may say differently, he played well. Great seasons come after a springboard year. We haven’t had that springboard year…yet. It will be this year or next. I really believe that…and that’s something I’ve never said before.
1) Va Cock, nice video. Good job!
2) Fans, keep in mind that we were picked again to finish 3rd in the East, and when you have powerhouses like UF, Bama, UGA, LSU, etc still winning games, then the other teams get over looked.
3) We don’t just need to beat SCSU, but BLOW THEM AWAY! We need to get our offense in rhythm and make the big plays and get used to scoring in the red zone. We need to MAKE the critics say, “Well, Garcia looked really good in the pocket and his receivers did a great job of getting open.”
Gurley needs to find a way to get open against the UGAs and Bamas, and hopefully if they double up the DBs, Moe Brown will be there.
4) Biggest thing, our offense has to prove it self game after game, even if it doesn’t play with the same intensity of the “D!” We still have to score points and let the defense catch their breath between making great stops.
5) Finally, we as fans need to make the all the games, even the Fla Atlantics and SCSUs. Keep showing up and getting loud for the team, and they’ll feel the support and keep the playing level high. We do that and the ranks and recruits will come!
GOOOOOOOO COCKS! Fight, Win, KICK ASS!
Hang in there Gamecock fans….it is not where we are now but where we will be at the end of November and January ‘10. The early season rankings have always seemed to be a part of the “curse”. Go Gamecocks!
We don’t deserve to be ranked yet. We did not play conservatively in the 4th quarter. We tried to pass the ball on 1st down and 2nd down. We did not excute the offense mainly because Garcia was hurting and making poor throws. I think Spurrier was trying to move the ball. It just didn’t happen. Go Cocks!!!
There should not be a poll taken until October but I guess money dictates otherwise. lol
It seems there’s one important element that’s missing. Ole Miss was not overrated on their own accord. They were “overrated” because every other overrated team ahead of them (Southern Cal, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma) lost to teams they shouldn’t have (hence being arguably “overrated” themselves). Ole Miss just won their games and moved into that spot. Keep in mind they started the season at 10 and 8 in the two polls.
On another note, there seems to be a West Coast bias brewing (rather an SEC vendetta) in the polls. How does Washington, who went 0-12 last year, beat Idaho and then (an overrated) Southern Cal at home and get ranked? SC’s win wasn’t an upset (Ole Miss was allegedly “overrated”). Washington’s win was a huge upset and they get ranked. Really? Things don’t make sense here. Back to the Southern Cal-Ole Miss thing for a second. Southern Cal gets ranked in the top-5 with a freshman QB. Ole Miss returns a Heisman hopeful and is #10. Ole Miss returns much of their team that beat Texas Tech (who beat Texas, yada yada yada) from last year. Oh yeah, and they beat Florida. How was a #10 ranking, that turned into a #4 ranking because OTHER TEAMS LOST, an overranking? Don’t blame Ole Miss here. It’s not their fault.
Let’s move to other issues (with the polls). Oregon destroys Cal and is ranked lower? Iowa beats Penn State and is ranked lower? Houston is still ranked below OSU? The Coaches’ Poll is a joke.
Who cares….let’s just win games. Bowls, and polls are a joke!
We beat kentucky and were in…then onto BAMA where there will be an undisputed upset
Forget the polls, this team is good enough to beat anyone. I think we’ll go 8-3 with losses to Florida and Alabama in close ones. Southern Cal is one of consistently unproven teams that is back in the top 10 and I guess could still have a shot at the National Championship where theoretically a team like South Carolina with one loss to a ranked team could go undefeated and not have the chance that Southern Cal has. Something wrong with that picture.
At the end of the day, just win the games you are supposed to and upset the teams that you aren’t supposed to. We’ll be alright.
I say GREAT! Keep flying under the rader as long as possible. Read Sun Tzu “The Art of War”.
Just keep winning !!
I think they should do away with rankings period, and have a play off system. It is possible, plus this would make the college football season longer.
As for the voting – I think the ones that vote now are all idiots. They go with the flow. Vote for the same teams over and over.
It will always be the USC’s,Texas,Okie,FL,Georgia’s and Ohio’s. All because they have a history behind them. I question the people who actually do the voting. I think you should have to explain the reason why you voted that team. Let’s take Georgia last year. #1 preseason ranks. Really. Based on what? There are teams in the top 25 that are only there because of their history. Boise State? Because they can pull off the statue of liberty play 3 years ago. It is all hype – Who have they played? LSU, squeaked by Mississippi State last week, but a worthy #4 team. Right? I think they should have kids vote, because they would vote on the coolest mascot, which is pretty much what the voters are doing now, not voting on the actual current team, but the teams history or potential. How about voting on the team currently, and don’t let Andrew Jackson sway your decision. make a fair decision based on the teams performance and schedule. I am a huge Gamecock fan, and I am not upset that we were not ranked. Believe me I have not seen a consistent team yet, but believe that we are on the right track, and I am proud to be a Gamecock.
What illuminating rhetoric. Face it, South Carolina has been ranked before only to find a team like the Naval Academy that can beat them. When all is said and done, even Dabo’s boys will emerge victorious over the mighty SEC team located in Columbia.
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Let me ask you this:
Wouldn’t a rivalry of the two USCs bring the Gamecocks the acclaim they are looking for?
As a former SC Gamecock Alumni, and now living in LA (PAC 10 land) for over 15 years now, I strongly believe that to gain that national recognition into the top 25, the Gamecocks should try their luck at playing and although doubtful, the mere possibility of winning against a Pac 10 team; maybe the ‘other’ USC, the Trojans. This game, even if the Gamecocks lose, will put them on not only a national stage, as they have grown accustomed to anyway, but will also showcase them in a new light to gain notoriety out West. A win against the ‘other’ USC will most certainly garner acclaim, and will potentially separate and put the Gamecocks from in a different league apart from most of the other teams in the SEC.
However improbable this potential rivalry will come to fruition, it is worth a shot. I believe it’s not even up to us, even if the Gamecocks approached the Trojan organization, I’m afraid that the folks out West will laugh in our faces. It seems that the Gamecocks will be the ones doing most of the convincing, as it’s the Gamecocks who have the most to prove and the least to lose.
Gregory Diamond
USC vs. USC: yea, if the Trojans somehow find themselves in a need for attention some day not in our lifetime. It’s like a minor league team approaching the NY Yankees to play against them. The Yankees would simply find the request amusing. And still not amusing enough to get into the NY tabloid newspapers like the NY Post.
South Carolina doen’t have the chops to not only play usc, they wouldn’t approach them to even ask such a thing. Remember, we’re the OTHER usc, not them. That says it all. Better off staying in our own league than trying to be humiliated even more than ever before on national tv. But I suppose if you’re talking tv ratings, even on the West coast then that’s different then. People will likely tune in for that. I guess that’s what matters really.
Hey John and Paul,
If I remember correctly, the last time South Carolina played the other USC, at their place, we spanked them. Met two times and according to College Football Data Warehouse, South Carolina and USC have met twice in football. In 1980, USC won 23-13 and in 1983 South Carolina won 38-14. I say bring them on.