Courtesy of South Carolina Athletics
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Gamecocks are ranked 13th in the Associated Press Preseason Top 25 poll, it was announced today. It marks the first time the Gamecocks have been ranked in AP Preseason Poll since they entered the 2014 season ranked ninth in the country.
The Gamecocks are coming off a 9-4 season in which they won their last six regular season games to finish 19th in both the AP and Coaches’ polls.
Texas owns the top spot in the AP poll followed by Penn State, Ohio State, Clemson and Georgia. Notre Dame, Oregon, Alabama, LSU and Miami round out the top 10. Arizona State and Illinois begin the season at 11th and 12th respectively, just ahead of the Gamecocks.
The SEC features 10 teams among the nation’s Top 25 and two others that received votes.
Carolina’s 2025 schedule features six teams that are ranked in the preseason AP Poll: Clemson (4), Alabama (8), LSU (9), Oklahoma (18), Texas A&M (19) and Ole Miss (21).
The Gamecocks will open the 2025 season in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday, August 31, when they face the Virginia Tech Hokies out of the ACC. Game time is set for 3 pm and the game will be televised nationally on ESPN.