A Nightmare in Columbia
South Carolina’s SEC opener turned into a disaster Saturday night as the Gamecocks were steamrolled 31-7 at home by Vanderbilt. The loss not only snapped the Commodores’ 16-game losing streak in the series, but it also left Williams-Brice Stadium in shock. What began as a competitive matchup quickly unraveled into a rout, with South Carolina piling injuries on top of a lopsided defeat.
Poll Voters Drop the Hammer
The fallout was swift. After entering the week at No. 11 in the Associated Press Top 25, South Carolina plummeted completely out of the rankings on Sunday. The Gamecocks, now sitting just outside the Top 25 in the “also receiving votes” category, are effectively ranked around 27th — a freefall that leaves them 12th among SEC teams in AP voters’ eyes. For context, 11 SEC programs remain in the poll this week. Even Vanderbilt, who delivered the beating, rocketed to No. 20 — their highest AP ranking since 2008.
The Coaches Poll was only slightly more forgiving. South Carolina slid from No. 10 to No. 24, a 14-spot drop. Vanderbilt also cracked the coaches’ rankings at No. 23, their best mark since 2013.
- AP Poll: Dropped from No. 11 to unranked (receiving votes, ~No. 27)
- Coaches Poll: Fell from No. 10 to No. 24
For Gamecock Nation, watching their team crash from the Top 10 to out of sight in just one week stings badly.
Do Voters “Hate” South Carolina?
Some fans argue the punishment fits the performance, but others are convinced pollsters have been waiting to pounce. Even last week, South Carolina fell from No. 10 to No. 11 despite a convincing 38-11 win over SC State — a clear sign voters weren’t buying into the Gamecocks. One disastrous loss later, and they were booted entirely.
Adding insult, blue-blood programs have been treated differently. Notre Dame, for example, stayed ranked despite being winless — the first 0-2 team since 1988 to hold a Top 25 spot. Meanwhile, South Carolina was tossed aside after a single (albeit ugly) loss. Within the SEC, Tennessee lost in overtime to Georgia and didn’t move at all, holding firm at No. 15. The Gamecocks, however, were punished far more severely, tumbling behind programs like BYU and South Florida in the “others receiving votes” column.
Fighting for Respect Again
If there’s a silver lining, it’s that South Carolina still controls its response. Head coach Shane Beamer knows respect isn’t given — it has to be earned back. The Gamecocks face a crucial SEC road test at No. 23 Missouri next week, a chance to change the narrative quickly. A win in Columbia, Missouri, could thrust them back into the Top 25 conversation. Much of that turnaround hinges on quarterback LaNorris Sellers’ health, with his availability still uncertain after a concussion.
South Carolina has been here before. In 2022, back-to-back upsets of Tennessee and Clemson forced pollsters to take notice. Beamer and his team will look to replicate that kind of resurgence.
For now, though, the message from voters is clear: South Carolina lost badly, and sympathy is in short supply. The Gamecocks must prove themselves all over again. As the old locker room mantra goes: prove them wrong.
