BLYTHEWOOD, S.C. — After two years of bowl games, the South Carolina program was one shy of bowl eligibility and with the likes of Spencer Rattler and Xavier Legette now in the NFL, the media who cover the SEC placed the Gamecocks 13th in the new 16 team SEC preseason media poll.
Fourth-year head coach Shane Beamer understands the low ranking, but the coach feels his team could be one of the surprise teams in this new look SEC which features new members Texas and Oklahoma.
Alabama icon and now television analyst Nick Saban feels South Carolina is not that far away from being a competitive team in the league which Beamer is in tune with and feels the players who returned to make a difference could be difference-makers as Carolina seeks a return to playing game after the calendar moves to December.