No. 13 Gamecocks still on the outside of the CFP despite huge rivalry win

CLEMSON, S.C. — For just the second time in the last decade, no.15 South Carolina defeated no. 12 Clemson 17-14 on Saturday, Nov. 30th in the regular season finale. The two rivals met in Death Valley on the campus of Clemson and the rivalry game lived up to the hype.

The Gamecocks put together an impressive run in 2024 and finished the season strong in the last few weeks. Their road win against the Tigers capped off an impressive year and the fans have restored faith in head coach Shane Beamer after a rocky 2023 season. Also, the win against their in state rivals was the second win in the last three seasons and the second road win during that same time frame.

Does this win makes a case for the Gamecocks to get into the 2024 College Football Playoffs? The national rankings and many die hard college football fans are split between the middle with this decision, but ultimately it will be a no for this year. The Gamecocks are a three loss team and two of losses, Alabama and Ole Miss, came from teams ranked ahead of them in the current SEC standings and national rankings.

Despite the three losses, the Gamecocks still have one of the more impressive resumes this season. They finished the year with four top 25 wins and also had chances to beat Alabama and LSU but came up just short in one score ballgames. According to ESPN’s FPI, South Carolina have the 15th best strength of schedule in the country.

Gamecocks’ head coach Shane Beamer made a strong case for his team after Saturday’s huge win.

“If the Committee’s job is to pick the 12 best teams, you tell me on Selection Sunday everybody across the country if South Carolina pops up in that bracket, I don’t know of any team that would be excited about having to play this team the way that we’re playing right now. That’s what I judge it on,” said Beamer on Saturday.

Beamer might be jumping the gun a little early, but the Gamecocks fate might be already written without earning a spot in the SEC Championship game along with three losses. The early predictions are that if the committee were to take a three loss team and non-conference champion then it would be Alabama. Either way, the Gamecocks moved from no. 15 to no.13 and now needs help from Georgia, UNLV, Penn State and Clemson.

On the Clemson side of things, it’s very simple. If the Tigers beat SMU in the ACC Championship game on Saturday in Charlotte, N..C then they are in. They will secure an at large bid because they won their conference title and took down a hot no.8 SMU team that only has one loss on the season.

The Tigers’ fan base would forgive head coach Dabo Swinney for the last few years and he would return back to their good graces. A loss though, would knock them out of the playoffs picture and have the Clemson faithful ready to start the head coach search again this off-season. Losing to your rivals in two of the last three seasons, failing to bring in consistent top recruits, decline om the offensive side of the ball and not making the CFP since 2020 would not go well for the longtime head coach.

Saturday’s win was a big one for the Gamecocks, but this Saturday seems to have more at stake for both programs. For South Carolina, it is the start of something special regardless of the conference championships’ outcomes. For Clemson, it could be the start of an ugly breakup.

The latest updated college football playoffs rankings will be released on Tuesday, Dec. 3rd and South Carolina will be probably be projected as the one of the first two teams out. Clemson will not be in the top 12 teams but still will decide their own fate.