South Carolina, Clemson earn spots in latest College Football Playoff Top 25

For the first time since 2022, South Carolina is back in the College Football Playoff ranking.

The Gamecocks (6-3, 4-3 SEC), who were left out of the selection committee’s initial 2024 rankings last week, found themselves Tuesday night at No. 21, two places higher than where the Associated Press poll slotted them.

“South Carolina has been one of the great stories of the season,” ESPN host Rece Davis said on the broadcast. “They are so close to having a better record than 6-3.”

Just ahead of South Carolina, Clemson came in at No. 20 in the CFP rankings just a week after the Tigers (7-2, 5-1 ACC) were ranked No. 23 in the opening poll.

Coming off a disastrous home loss to Louisville two weeks ago, the Tigers rebounded on Saturday with a 10-point victory over Virginia Tech. They’ll face Pittsburgh this weekend, needing a victory and some help to reach the ACC Championship game.

South Carolina, meanwhile, is on a three-game winning streak after beating Vanderbilt by 21 points on Saturday. Though its chances to make the playoff are slim — even if USC wins out — the Gamecocks still have a chance for its fourth 10-win season in program history.

They will play their final SEC game of the year on Saturday in Williams-Brice Stadium, facing off against a Missouri team that came in at No. 23 in the CFP rankings.

This is the first year of the highly anticipated 12-team College Football Playoff after the field operated with just four teams from 2014 to 2023.

In the new format, the top five highest-ranked conference champions get automatic bids to the playoff. Of those the top four highest-ranked conference champs get first-round byes and the remaining seven teams will be selected as at-large bids.

This is the second of five weekly rankings that will arrive each Tuesday before the CFP selection committee determines the final 12-team field on Selection Sunday (Dec. 8), the day after conference title games are completed.

CFP Top 25 second ranking

1. Oregon (10-0)

2. Ohio State (8-1)

3. Texas (8-1)

4. Penn State (8-1)

5. Indiana (10-0)

6. BYU (9-0)

7. Tennessee (8-1)

8. Notre Dame (8-1)

9. Miami (9-1)

10. Alabama (7-2)

11. Ole Miss (8-2)

12. Georgia (7-1)

13. Boise State (7-1)

14. SMU (8-1)

15. Texas A&M (7-2)

16. Kansas State (7-2)

17. Colorado (7-2)

18. Washington State

19. Louisville (6-3)

20. Clemson (7-2)

21. South Carolina (6-3)

22. LSU (6-3)

23. Missouri (7-2)

24. Army (9-0)

25. Tulane (8-2)