Can South Carolina make the College Football Playoff in 2026? Chris Marler makes his official game-by-game predictions for the Gamecocks, breaking down every matchup on the schedule and explaining why Shane Beamer's team could be in line for one of its best seasons in years.
On today's episode of Locked On Gamecocks, we predict all 12 regular-season games, discuss the biggest swing games on the schedule, and explain why a 9-3 finish is the most likely outcome—with 10-2 absolutely on the table if a few key breaks go South Carolina's way.
In this episode:
🏈 Official game-by-game predictions for every South Carolina game
📈 Why the Gamecocks' schedule is much more manageable than ESPN's Top-10 strength of schedule ranking suggests
🔥 Why Mississippi State is the biggest "can't lose" game of the season
⚠️ Why Kentucky could be the biggest trap game on the schedule
👀 Why Tennessee—not Georgia or Clemson—is the biggest game of the 2026 season
🏟️ Why road trips to Alabama, Florida, Oklahoma and Clemson aren't as intimidating as they appear
💪 Why LaNorris Sellers, Dylan Stewart and one of the SEC's most experienced rosters have South Carolina positioned for a breakout year
🏆 What Shane Beamer needs to accomplish to silence the hot seat conversation once and for all
🎯 South Carolina's realistic floor, ceiling and College Football Playoff outlook
Chris also explains why the Gamecocks return one of the nation's most experienced teams, why Kendal Briles could completely transform the offense, and why this schedule avoids the brutal stretches that have derailed South Carolina in recent seasons.
Can the Gamecocks win 9 games? Can they reach 10? Is the College Football Playoff finally within reach?
Let us know your official season prediction in the comments!
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