Shane Beamer Makes Bold CFP Declaration After South Carolina’s Devastating Texas A&M Loss

Don’t let your circumstances stop you from thinking big.

South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer has big goals for next season. / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

South Carolina’s once promising hopes for the 2025 college football season have long dwindled. After going 9–4 a year ago and beginning the year ranked No. 13 in the AP Top 25, the Gamecocks find themselves on a five-game losing streak and in the cellar of the SEC standings.

South Carolina has proven unable to keep up with an incredibly competitive SEC this season. They came close to earning just their second conference victory against Texas A&M on Saturday, but blew a 30–3 halftime lead and fell to the Aggies 31–30. The Gamecocks sit at just 3–7, and no longer even have hope for a bowl game appearance.

Despite the program’s disappointing season, coach Shane Beamer remains ever-confident in where they will be by this time next year.

“I realize that one year ago we were sitting here tonight getting ready to play Wofford and were all dialed in to the playoff rankings to see where we’re ranked, and we’re not there right now,” Beamer said Tuesday. “I do know next year at this time, we are going to be sitting here on this Tuesday night watching the playoff rankings to see where we are in the rankings show. we are going to be firmly in the mix for a College Football Playoff berth next year at this time.

Shane Beamer on not meeting expectations:

"I do know next year at this time, we are going to be sitting here on this Tuesday night watching the Playoff rankings to see where we are in the rankings show.

"And we are going to be firmly in the mix for a College Football Playoff… pic.twitter.com/uaCKkqagOY

— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) November 18, 2025

Beamer continued, “We’re all sick about this feeling, but we’re not going to go through this thing again, and we’re going to go finish this season out the right way, send these guys out the right way. The minute that thing hits zero on the clock after the Thanksgiving weekend game, we’re full speed ahead on 2026.

South Carolina will close out their season with games against Coastal Carolina and Clemson. It will be far from easy for the Gamecocks to rebound and emerge as one of the 12 teams in the CFP next season, especially with how great the SEC is, but it’s doable. The age of NIL and the transfer portal makes it more possible than ever for teams to quickly transform into potential contenders, like Indiana and Vanderbilt have recently done. The Gamecocks will need to follow in those footsteps if they hope to see their name in the playoff rankings next year.

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