Joel Klatt Picks South Carolina as Team Likely to Make First College Football Playoff

College football analyst Joel Klatt has named the South Carolina Gamecocks as a team likely to make their first College Football Playoff appearance.

The South Carolina Gamecocks are nearly 50 days away from the start of their 2025 season. As the team prepares for the return of college football, many experts and analysts have provided the Gamecocks with some lofy expectations.

One individual in particular who has done so is college football analyst Joel Klatt, who recently listed South Carolina as the No. 3 team most likely to reach its first-ever College Football Playoff.

"They're [South Carolina] going to be quality on offense and they're going to be quality on defense." Said Klatt. "They've hit the portal to fill some holes, and they've got some real stars."

The stars in question are likely quarterback LaNorris Sellers and EDGE Dylan Stewart, who each shone during their first seasons as starters in 2024. Many are anticipating the Gamecock players to take the next step in 2025 and become national household names within the sport.

Klatt did state, however, that the Gamecocks' schedule was one of the more challenging slates for any team in the nation. The team is set to face Alabama, LSU, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, and Clemson in the back-end of their season, and will certainly need to defeat a handful of these teams should they have playoff aspirations.

South Carolina will begin its 2025 campaign on Sunday, August 31st, as it travels to Atlanta, Georgia, to face the Virginia Tech Hokies. Kickoff for this game is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. and will be aired on ESPN.