The predictions are in: Where South Carolina will finish in new-look SEC for 2024

The South Carolina football team was picked to finish 13th in the SEC for the 2024 season in the annual preseason vote by league reporters at SEC Media Days this week in Dallas. It’s the first year with Oklahoma and Texas in the Southeastern Conference and the first without divisions.

USC was predicted to finish ahead of Arkansas, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt. The Gamecocks also received one vote to win the conference. (Vanderbilt had two votes to win the SEC.)

The media’s vote was released Friday.

Coach Shane Beamer on Monday expressed his excitement about the 2024 Gamecocks, regardless of what the media vote would say at the end of the week.

“I really, really, really like our football team going into 2024,” Beamer said addressing the media in Dallas. “Most of you don’t. That’s OK. When you guys do your picks, we’ll be picked 14th, 15th or 16th, I’m sure. But I’m excited about this group. We got a lot of really good young talent on this football team with veteran leadership.”

Based on the media’s vote, Georgia and Texas are predicted to meet in the SEC Championship game, with the Bulldogs the favorite to win.

South Carolina was voted to finish third in the SEC East last season, the last year with divisions. The Gamecocks did not live up to expectations, though, posting a 3-5 conference record en route to a fifth-place finish behind Georgia, Missouri, Tennessee and Florida.

In 2020, Beamer inherited a program coming off a two-win season. He took the Gamecocks to seven victories in 2021 and eight in 2022 — including a thrashing of No. 5 Tennessee and a rivalry win at No. 7 Clemson. USC went 5-7 overall in 2023 and missed a bowl game.

“You’ve got to be uncomfortable in order to grow,” Beamer said. “We certainly had some uncomfortable moments last year as a team, but we also showed throughout the season how strong our culture is.”

2024 Preseason SEC Media Poll

Points are a cumulative reflection of where teams were ranked in each ballot; each place has a designated point value per vote. More points means higher cumulative slot in the voting.

• Georgia, 3,330 points

• Texas, 3,041 points

• Alabama, 2,891 points
  
  

• Ole Miss, 2,783 points

• LSU, 2,322 points

• Missouri, 2,240 points

• Tennessee, 2,168 points

• Oklahoma, 2,022 points

• Texas A&M, 1,684 points

• Auburn, 1,382 points

• Kentucky, 1,371 points

• Florida, 1,146 points

• South Carolina, 923 points

• Arkansas, 749 points

• Mississippi State, 623 points

• Vanderbilt, 293 points

SEC CHAMPION

• Georgia (165)

• Texas (27)

• Alabama (12)
  
  

• Ole Miss (4)

• Vanderbilt (2)

• LSU (2)

• South Carolina (1)

Preseason All-SEC nods

Running back Raheim “Rocket” Sanders, linebacker Debo Williams and longsnapper Hunter Rogers were named to the Preseason All-SEC Second-Team.

Defensive lineman Tonka Hemingway and defensive back Nick Emmanwori received Third-Team nods.

Key dates for Gamecocks

• July 25: Shane Beamer’s media golf outing
  
  

• Aug. 1: Gamecocks report for camp

• Aug. 2: First practice

• Aug. 10 and 17: Scrimmages
  
  

• Aug. 20: First day of class

• Aug. 31: Season opening game vs. Old Dominion

South Carolina football schedule

Kickoff times for games with early, noon, night or flex designations will be determined during the season

• Aug. 31 – vs. Old Dominion – 4:15 pm, SEC Network

• Sept. 7 – at Kentucky – 3:30 p.m., ABC

• Sept. 14 – vs. LSU – Noon, ABC

• Sept. 21 – vs. Akron – Night (6 to 8 p.m., TBD)

• Oct. 5 – vs. Ole Miss – Flex (afternoon or night kick, TBD)

• Oct. 12 – at Alabama – Noon, ABC or ESPN

• Oct. 19 – at Oklahoma – Early (noon to 1 p.m., TBD)
  
  

• Nov. 2 – vs. Texas A&M – Night (6 to 8 p.m., TBD)

• Nov. 9 – at Vanderbilt – Afternoon (3:30 to 4:30 p.m., TBD)

• Nov. 16 – vs. Missouri – Afternoon (3:30 to 4:30 p.m., TBD)
  
  

• Nov. 23 – vs. Wofford – 4 p.m., SEC Network Plus

• Nov. 30 – at Clemson – TBD