South Carolina back in Top 25. How does Shane Beamer really feel about it?

On Saturday night in Nashville, just minutes after South Carolina beat Vanderbilt 28-7 win to earn bowl eligibility, Gamecocks coach Shane Beamer had a request for Top 25 voters.

“The people who do the rankings don’t think we’re worth a crap and that’s fine,” Beamer said, referring the fact the Gamecocks had yet to be ranked in any polls. “Keep crapping on us. That’s the way we like it. Don’t rank us this week. We’re good where we are. We just like to lay low.”

The voters did not oblige.

The Gamecocks (6-3, 4-3 SEC) came in at No. 23 in the new Associated Press Top 25 released Sunday. It’s their first time appearing in the poll since 2022 and also sets up a ranked matchup this Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium. Missouri (7-2, 3-2) entered the AP poll Sunday at No. 24.

Last week, Beamer used the lack of Top 25 respect as motivation for his players, so much so that a number of Gamecocks mentioned to the media that South Carolina wasn’t ranked.

So was Beamer excited about his team finally being ranked? On one hand, folks nationally are gaining respect for his football team. On the other, imagine the extra motivation if South Carolina was somehow left out again.

“It’s a credit to our guys that we’re ranked,” Beamer said. “It’s a credit to our guys that we’ve put ourselves in position to play football in December and January after the Clemson game.

“I know it’s cliche but it’s the truth: All we need to worry about is Missouri,” Beamer added.

Beamer was also asked if he’d given any thought to what might need to happen for his team to make the College Football Playoff. What wild scenarios would need to occur for a three-loss SEC team to make the field of 12?

And if you think it’s too early for CFP lobbying, think again.

Missouri, which has not defeated a ranked team all year, needed a last-second scoop-and-score to eke out a home victory over a downtrodden Oklahoma team. Minutes later, Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz was asked about the game.

“It gives us another win and keeps us in the playoff hunt,” he told SEC Network. “That’s right, I said it: playoff hunt.”

That’s one way of going about things. Beamer did the exact opposite.

He seems to understand the chances for a three-loss team to make the playoff are, well, slim. It also is silly to forecast, when none of it matters if South Carolina doesn’t beat Missouri on Saturday, then Wofford, then Clemson.

If that all happens and South Carolina finishes the regular season at 9-3, then of course Beamer will be watching conference championship Saturday just as eager as everyone else.

“I’ll have my little checklist of who needs to lose and who needs to win and things like that,” Beamer said. “And I’ll be cheering like crazy for whoever that is, whether it be for bowl destinations or whatever else.

“But right now, none of it matters,” he added, “other than this Saturday.”