After finishing 9-3 with a six-game winning streak to close the regular season as one of the conference's hottest teams, the Gamecocks were one of the odd teams left out of the playoff discussion and instead fell to Illinois and coach Bret Bielema, 21-17, in a hotly-contested Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.

As of January 30, 2025, the South Carolina Gamecocks' football recruiting class is ranked 20th nationally and 12th in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), accordi

The approach to success in college football is a multi-faceted plan. It’s more than X’s and O’s on the field, it’s patience, team-building, retention, and recruiting. “Jimmies and Joes are better than X’s and O’s” as the saying goes.