9. South Carolina Gamecocks
Top Transfers: CB Brandon Cisse, QB Air Noland, DL Jaylen Brown
Biggest Losses: LB Mohamad Kaba, LB Bengally Kamara, WR CJ Adams
South Carolina was the surprise team of the SEC last year, and there is a lot of hope that they will be able to build off their 9-3 regular season and make the College Football Playoff this season. The most likely scenario however is that the Gamecocks caught lightning in a bottle at the end of the 2024 season which is something they won't be able to replicate this year.
However, South Carolina is a team nobody will be able to overlook, but it's the Gamecocks defense that is a big question mark as they have to replace half of their starters from last season. That is a formula for disaster in a conference like the SEC.
South Carolina does get the benefit of playing one of the easiest schedules in the confernece this season, but just because they might rack up some wins once again doesn't mean they are automatically better than some teams above them who will face a more difficult schedule.