South Carolina Opens 2025 Season Ranked No.13 in AP Poll

The 2025 college football preseason polls reveal varied expectations across different programs and conferences. South Carolina enters the season ranked No. 13 in both the AP Top 25 and Coaches' Polls, reflecting high hopes under coach Shane Beamer as the Gamecocks aim for their first College Football Playoff appearance, despite a challenging schedule featuring multiple ranked opponents. Ottawa University and Southern Connecticut State University were both selected to finish fifth in their respective conference preseason coaches' polls, the KCAC Kessinger Division and Northeast-10 Conference, signaling moderate expectations for the upcoming season. Additionally, Southern University football has high ambitions and was ranked No. 4 in BOXTOROW’s 2025 Preseason HBCU Football Media Poll, making them the second-highest ranked team in the SWAC behind Jackson State. These polls suggest a competitive landscape with several teams aiming to improve on recent performances and contend for conference and national honors.