Paul Finebaum Names SEC Team 'Inching Toward the Upper Echelon'

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jaron Spor | Last updated May 15, 2025 6:00 PM ET

During the 2024 college football season, several unexpected teams made significant strides. Among them, the Arizona State Sun Devils, SMU Mustangs and Indiana Hoosiers not only surprised fans but also earned spots in the College Football Playoff. None of these teams was projected to finish near the top of its conference.

Another team that had a strong season but narrowly missed the playoff was the South Carolina Gamecocks, finishing with a record of 9-4. It marked their best season since 2017, when they also ended with a 9-4 record. The Gamecocks wrapped up the regular season on a high note, winning six consecutive games. However, they fell short of making the playoff, finishing at No. 15 in the final College Football Playoff rankings.

On "The Paul Finebaum Show," the SEC Network analyst noted that South Carolina is making strides toward becoming a top-tier conference team.

"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."

A significant reason for the Gamecocks' strong season was the performance of two freshmen. Redshirt freshman quarterback LaNorris Sellers threw for 2,534 yards, 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while also rushing for 674 yards and scoring seven touchdowns. On the defensive side, Dylan Stewart had an impressive freshman season, finishing with 6.5 sacks.

South Carolina returns 56 percent of its production from last year, which ranks 71st in the country. A key loss on offense is running back Raheim Sanders, who rushed for 881 yards and scored 11 touchdowns. On defense, they will miss Kyle Kennard, who led the team with 11.5 sacks and 16 tackles for loss.

If the Gamecocks can navigate the seventh-easiest schedule in the SEC for 2025, they could make the leap to their first College Football Playoff berth. They will open the season on Aug. 31 against the Virginia Tech Hokies.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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