ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum has identified South Carolina as an SEC program on the rise heading into the 2025 college football season.
During a recent segment on the “Paul Finebaum Show,” the veteran college football analyst expressed high expectations for the Gamecocks.
“That’s a program that is inching toward the extreme upper echelon,” Finebaum said. “They were everybody’s favorite team that deserved to be in last year.”
South Carolina finished the 2024 season with a 9-4 record, going 5-3 in SEC play.
The Gamecocks return much of their core talent for 2025, including quarterback LaNorris Sellers. The signal-caller completed 65.6 percent of his passes for 2,534 yards with 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions last season. He added 674 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.
Sellers has generated significant NFL draft buzz, with many analysts projecting him as a potential top quarterback prospect for the 2026 draft.
South Carolina’s path in 2025
The schedule sets up favorably for the Gamecocks. Athlon Sports ranks South Carolina’s 2025 slate as the seventh-easiest in the SEC.
This favorable schedule could help position the program for a potential College Football Playoff run.
The Gamecocks will now face the challenge of meeting the growing expectations surrounding the program as they enter the 2025 season.
