Breaking Down the AP Poll: Why Five Voters Ranked South Carolina No. 4 Instead of No. 3
South Carolina women’s basketball’s No. 3 ranking in the latest AP Top 25 poll appears solid on the surface, but a closer examination of the voting reveals subtle differences in how the 31 voters view Dawn Staley’s team.
Near-Unanimous Top Four Placement
All 31 AP voters placed South Carolina in their overall top four, demonstrating widespread respect for the Gamecocks’ 24-2 record and 10-1 SEC mark. However, the composition of those top four spots varied slightly among ballots.
Every ballot that listed South Carolina at No. 3—the majority position—had UConn at No. 1 and UCLA at No. 2. The consensus around UConn’s dominance was absolute, with the Huskies receiving all 31 first-place votes.
While UCLA consistently appeared ahead of South Carolina on all 31 ballots, the Bruins weren’t always slotted at No. 2. Texas also emerged ahead of the Gamecocks on several ballots, creating the variation that kept South Carolina from a unanimous No. 3 ranking.
SEC Supremacy Acknowledged
Within the Southeastern Conference hierarchy, South Carolina’s dominance was more pronounced. The Gamecocks were listed as the top SEC team on 26 of 31 ballots, with Texas receiving the highest SEC ranking from the remaining five voters.
In total, South Carolina picked up 26 No. 1 SEC rankings and five No. 2 SEC rankings, reflecting their position atop the conference standings.
The Five Dissenting Votes
While 26 voters ranked South Carolina at No. 3 nationally, five slotted the Gamecocks at No. 4. Here’s how those five voters structured their top four:
No. 4 Rankings for South Carolina:
- Cassandra Negley (Yahoo Sports; Syracuse, New York) — Ranked Texas and UCLA ahead of South Carolina
- Emily Adams (Hartford Courant; Hartford, Connecticut) — Ranked UCLA and Texas ahead of South Carolina
- Jeff Linder (Cedar Rapids Gazette; Cedar Rapids, Iowa) — Ranked Texas and UCLA ahead of South Carolina
- Mitchell Northam (WUNC; Chapel Hill, North Carolina) — Ranked UCLA and Texas ahead of South Carolina
- Robert Cessna (Bryan-College Station Eagle; College Station, Texas) — Ranked UCLA and Texas ahead of South Carolina
The Texas Factor
The common thread among the five dissenting voters is the elevation of Texas into the top three, pushing South Carolina to No. 4. Each of these voters placed the Longhorns—who currently sit at No. 4 in the overall poll—ahead of the Gamecocks.
Notably, Robert Cessna covers college sports from College Station, Texas, home of Texas A&M and within the state where the Longhorns compete. However, geographic proximity doesn’t necessarily indicate bias, as voters across the country evaluate teams based on various criteria including strength of schedule, quality wins, and overall performance.
What It Means
The voting breakdown reveals that while South Carolina’s position in the top tier is secure, there’s a legitimate debate about whether the Gamecocks or Texas deserves the No. 3 spot nationally. UCLA’s placement ahead of South Carolina was unanimous, suggesting the Bruins have established a clear separation in voters’ minds.
South Carolina’s upcoming primetime showdown against No. 6 LSU on February 14 provides an opportunity to solidify—or potentially improve—their standing in future polls. A dominant road victory in Baton Rouge could further strengthen the Gamecocks’ case for a higher ranking.
For now, the 26-5 split in favor of No. 3 shows that the vast majority of voters believe South Carolina belongs exactly where they’re ranked, with only a small minority viewing Texas as the superior team at this point in the season.
source: on3
