Writer Believes the South Carolina Gamecocks Have One of the Toughest Schedule's in the Country

We are less than two months away from college football being in full swing. For the Gamecocks, they will be gearing up to take on Fran Brown the Virginia Tech Hokies for a neutral site game in Atlanta, GA as their season opener. Playing in the SEC, it is a given that you will play some of the best talent the country has to offer. One writer believes the path for the Gamecocks is one of the most difficult in the entire country.

Respected college football writer, Phil Steele released his ranking of most difficult schedules in the country. The Gamecocks were listed with the fourth toughest schedule in the country. Steele has stock in the power of the SEC, as he has ten teams ranked inside the top 20. He also noted that he expects the Gamecocks to finish at the bottom half of conference, which is likely attributed to the gauntlet of a schedule they have to endure.

What makes the schedule for the Gamecocks so tough? For starters, they have quite a few road tests ahead for the 2025 season. They will be traveling to Kyle Field to take on Texas A&M, as well as Tiger Stadium against LSU. Those two alone are regarded as two of the toughest stadiums to play across the country. They also play Ole Miss and Mizzou on the road. The Ole Miss game is especially important, as the Gamecocks are looking to avenge the dominating loss the Rebels handed them last season, losing 27-3.

Perhaps the biggest game on the schedule for the Gamecocks is their October 25 matchup against the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Gamecocks lost in heartbreaking fashion last year during this matchup and were probably one less turnover away from pulling off the massive upset on the road. Even with the exit of Nick Saban, the Tide are still one of the best programs in the country, and it’s no secret that every game against them means a little bit more.

It is no secret that the Gamecocks have a tough road ahead next season, after a much improved season that resulted in them finishing 9-4, they believe that they have the chance to improve even more and compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff. Led by their returning starting QB in LaNorris Sellers and star defensive end, Dylan Stewart, the Gamecocks are certainly equipped to finish the season being recognized as one of the country’s best.

The Gamecocks are set to begin their journey against the Hokies on August 31 at 3 PM on ESPN.