An underdog is quietly making waves as giants fall. If you’re a Gamecocks fan, now’s the time to celebrate—even if the CFB Playoff rankings won’t be revealed until Tuesday. Thanks to their impressive winning streak, South Carolina is poised to make a big leap when the rankings drop next week. Could this SEC underdog seize the moment?

Alabama’s three straight losses have opened the door for teams like the Gamecocks. As CBS Sports analysts debated South Carolina’s chances, Adama Breneman made a strong case: “Bama and Ole Miss did not afford to lose a third game.” With Kalen DeBoer’s Alabama falling to the Oklahoma Sooners and Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss losing to the Florida Gators in Week 13, South Carolina’s momentum couldn’t have come at a better time.

The Gamecocks, now 8-3 after defeating Wofford, have been on a roll, notching wins against Missouri, Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, and Kentucky. Despite their October loss to Alabama, Breneman argues that “South Carolina deserves a spot over Alabama.” A bold claim—but one supported by their dominance, including a 35-9 rout of Oklahoma in Norman.

Brad Crawford of 247Sports added to the conversation, explaining why the Gamecocks could land a spot in the playoff: “But the Gamecocks, if they beat Clemson next week, will be winners of six straight games.  By the way, South Carolina beat the same Oklahoma team in Norman 35 to 9 a few weeks ago. So while head-to-head does matter to the committee, it’s only going to mean anything if the committee sees Bama and South Carolina as comparable teams. So if a nine-and-three SEC team does get in that last bid, it probably is South Carolina over the Crimson Tide. “

For the Gamecocks to make history with their first-ever College Football Playoff berth, they’ll need to finish strong. With one game left against rival Clemson, the stage is set. A win there could cement South Carolina as the surprise playoff contender of the season.

For the uninitiated, Shane Beamer and Co. made their debut in the CFP Top 25 last week and now stand at No. 18 in the latest ranking. They appeared in the 2024 CFP rankings for the first time last Tuesday, ranked 21st. Alabama was ranked No. 7 when the Gamecocks were ranked No. 18. Is this biased? However, the main query at this point is why, according to the CFB World, they come after Gamecocks. Check out Alabama’s playoff possibilities.

What led to the downfall of Alabama’s CFP aspirations?

We all know that Kalen DeBoer had a difficult first few weeks of CFB in 2024. Similar to how he addressed his approach to the playoffs during this week’s news conference prior to their crucial game against Oklahoma, he did not allow the criticism to significantly impact him and kept his focus. He said, “We don’t really talk about the outside.”

Thankfully, DeBoer and his team are back on track following a number of setbacks; the past two weeks have gone quite well for them. However, the competition will grow more difficult coming forward, and they need to complete the season with a 10-2. But now, after the team’s crushing 24-3 loss to the Oklahoma Sooners, it appears that their hopes of making the playoffs are futile.

The Crimson Tides are facing a tough reality: their 10-2 season goal is slipping away. With just one game left, an SEC title and a College Football Playoff berth seem out of reach. Despite a challenging schedule, the team managed to win the SEC last year. So, what’s changed under the new coaching regime?