South Carolina Gamecocks Bowl Projection

by Gamecock Man on Dec 5, 2025 12:24 AM EST in Football

The season results are in, and now it's time to talk about where we're going to end up in the post-season. We're either headed to the Outback Bowl or the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Here's how the pecking order has shaped up--Auburn is headed to the National Title Game, and Arkansas will likely get an at-large bid to the Sugar Bowl. (A much deserved bid for the Hogs, BTW.) The Capital One Bowl gets the next pick, and if Arkansas gets into the BCS, the Cap One expected to take Alabama or LSU. The Cotton Bowl will take whichever of those teams the Cap One doesn't take. LSU is the team that deserves the Cap One bid, but the bowl may be leaning towards 'Bama given that LSU played in Orlando last year.

That takes us to the Outback and the Chick-fil-A. We're clearly the next-best team in the SEC after the aforementioned group (and we've arguably had a better year than 'Bama). That would suggest that we would get the Outback, which picks before the Chick-fil-A. However, Chris Low is reporting that the Outback is interested in Florida. Why? Bowls are about money. Carolina has played in the Outback quite a few times recently, and the last time we went, we didn't travel well. The economy is bad, and many folks don't have the money to travel to Tampa. The Gators, on the other hand, are the hometown team. Their fan base is hardly energized right now, but it's prominent enough in Tampa to pack the stadium. If this is what happens, that puts us in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

Which is fine by me, honestly. We've been to the Outback plenty of times, and I'd prefer the change. I also like the idea of playing Florida St. instead of whatever Big 10 team gets into the Outback (Penn St.?). I'm not sure what I think about playing in the Georgia Dome again, though...

Poll

Which bowl do you want to see the Gamecocks in?

Outback

107 votes

Chick-fil-A

232 votes

339 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 38 comments | Add comment | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Read More: bowl selection sunday, South Carolina Gamecocks

Comments

Tough call.

Like you, I’m bored of the Outback Bowl, but I think our matchup against Penn State is much more favorable. I’m also not sure I like the idea of heading back to Atlanta only a few weeks after getting our tails cut on the same field. Might be a nice shot at redemption, but I don’t know that I like how we match up with FSU.

by RumblinFish on Dec 5, 2025 12:35 AM EST reply actions

I'm torn.

I graduated from both USC and PSU…so if they play in the Outback I’m going to have to root against the Lions. I’d like to avoid that.

However, just looking at it from USC’s perspective, I’m hoping for the Outback & PSU. It’s a more favorable match-up; a more prestigious bowl; people actually give a damn about New Year’s Day games; a game against PSU will receive far more national interest; and, it might have an interesting recruiting impact since we’re attempting to make inroads in my home state, the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Paige's sparking personality is intoxicating; her beauty breathtaking; her intellectual prowess incomprehensible to mortals. Her radiance...her luster...drive men mad. Her omnipotence dangerous, yet alluring. It is her power that ensures gravity remains constant; her genius that inspires. She is not only responsible for the Earth's rotation, but may cure what ails the heart with a glance. I am Paige's pool boy...a serf to her lordship. I am at her beck and call. I bow to her. I am not worthy. War Eagle.

-Auburn-USC Sig Bet Debt Repaid

by Uhaul on Dec 5, 2025 1:05 AM EST reply actions

I voted for the Outback for you.

Twice!

by Stephen1980 on Dec 5, 2025 2:10 AM EST reply actions

I would be surprised

if the Outback picked us. I think both the Outback and the Gamecocks need a break from each other. Mississippi State would jump at the chance to play in Tampa and has been starved for a marquee bowl appearance. I think the Bulldogs would travel well and (if Mullen stays) would lay a good beat-down on the Big 10 opponent.

the Chik-Fil-A/Peach has wanted us for a long time and I think its a better fit geographically and an easier sell for Gamecock fans struggling in this economy. As USC fans we’ve always answered the bell no matter how hard the beat down - I dont think returning to the Georgia Dome is going to be a negative. The word had been that the Chik Fil A committee was interested in the ACC Championship runner up (FSU). Assuming Ponder has time to get healthier, that would be an intriguing match up against Jimbo Fisher’s squad.

I wouldnt be terribly offended if we fell to the Gator. Jax has a nice NFL venue and is relatively close to home for USC fans in the lowcountry and midlands at least. Its an old bowl with a good reputation and matches SEC v. Big 10.

They wore garnet helmets.

by tryptic67 on Dec 5, 2025 3:09 AM EST reply actions

The problem with facing anothing team that airs it out,

like FSU, is that we’ll get embarrassed again. Tough call. More convenient bowl in ATL or a better match up in Tampa?

Dum spiro spero - "While I breathe, I hope"
State motto of South Carolina

by The Feathered Warrior on Dec 5, 2025 10:43 AM EST up reply actions

Ponder is good, but he isn't Newton.

I’d actually like to see how we do against a good-but-not-great passing game. It would give us a chance to see if our secondary is really that bad or if it just got smoked by a great offense. Before last night, I thought we had improved since Arkansas, and Ponder / FSU remind me a lot more of Tennessee or Kentucky than Auburn. The ‘Noles are better, of course, but they’re not great by any means.

Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog By and For Gamecocks Fans.

by Gamecock Man on Dec 5, 2025 1:52 PM EST up reply actions

I'd like to take Jimbo and the Noles down a notch

and as decent a quaterback as Ponder is, I think he’s like a Tyler Bray, Greg McElroy or a Mike Hartine … good but not great like Cam Newton (who was brilliant last night) or Ryan Mallet. We can match up with FSU, and we still owe them a decade’s worth of payback from the 80s.

They wore garnet helmets.

by tryptic67 on Dec 5, 2025 2:04 PM EST up reply actions

My thoughts exactly.

Ponder is essentially a slightly more mature but probably less talented Bray.

Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog By and For Gamecocks Fans.

by Gamecock Man on Dec 5, 2025 2:11 PM EST up reply actions

That bodes ill for our secondary.

Paige's sparking personality is intoxicating; her beauty breathtaking; her intellectual prowess incomprehensible to mortals. Her radiance...her luster...drive men mad. Her omnipotence dangerous, yet alluring. It is her power that ensures gravity remains constant; her genius that inspires. She is not only responsible for the Earth's rotation, but may cure what ails the heart with a glance. I am Paige's pool boy...a serf to her ladyship. I am at her beck and call. I bow to her. I am not worthy. War Eagle.

-Auburn-USC Sig Bet Debt Repaid

by Uhaul on Dec 5, 2025 2:26 PM EST up reply actions

He's considered a 2nd-round draft choice

FSU is no great team this year but comparing him to those guys is laughable.

This team will improve in '10... on its 16-16 conference record over the last 4 years.... after losing 20 games in the last 4 years... after having the 7th worst major-conference defense... after not even winning its own division in the ACC in the last 4.

Tomahawk Nation: Nole-Holds-Barred Analysis of FSU Sports!
Follow Tomahawk Nation's Twitter feed!

by Bud Elliott on Dec 5, 2025 2:27 PM EST up reply actions

Have you watched Bray this year?

The Hartline comparison is probably off…but the Bray comparison isn’t. Bray will be a very good QB.

Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog By and For Gamecocks Fans.

by Gamecock Man on Dec 5, 2025 2:33 PM EST up reply actions

In time I am sure he will

Not really comparable right now

Tomahawk Nation: Nole-Holds-Barred Analysis of FSU Sports!
Follow Tomahawk Nation's Twitter feed!

by Bud Elliott on Dec 5, 2025 2:50 PM EST up reply actions

That's probably fair enough.

I don’t think it’s a laughable comparison, though. Like I said, the other guys don’t really compare, but I really think Bray will be better than Ponder in a year or two.

Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog By and For Gamecocks Fans.

by Gamecock Man on Dec 5, 2025 2:56 PM EST up reply actions

He may

Just saying Ponder is much better than 10 of 12 QBs SoCar has faced this year

Tomahawk Nation: Nole-Holds-Barred Analysis of FSU Sports!
Follow Tomahawk Nation's Twitter feed!

by Bud Elliott on Dec 5, 2025 3:18 PM EST up reply actions

I hope we don't get picked for anything.

I think some of those players need to stew in that embarrassing loss for a full offseason. Maybe next season they’ll come in ready to play hard every game.

stuff 'bout stuff.

by silver82blade on Dec 5, 2025 5:31 AM EST reply actions

Seriously?

Dum spiro spero - "While I breathe, I hope"
State motto of South Carolina

by The Feathered Warrior on Dec 5, 2025 10:45 AM EST up reply actions

Whatever dude.

I don’t know how anyone can give a crud about winning some second rate bowl game after that horrific loss. I’d sooner forget football for this season, and move on to basketball.

stuff 'bout stuff.

by silver82blade on Dec 5, 2025 12:53 PM EST up reply actions

I don't know how...

anyone could want to end the season with such a horrific loss. A chance at redemption sounds pretty good to me. Our team has actually had a pretty good season, what with all the historic wins we earned. Don’t know why you’d want to leave such a bad taste in your mouth until next year.

Dum spiro spero - "While I breathe, I hope"
State motto of South Carolina

by The Feathered Warrior on Dec 5, 2025 1:36 PM EST up reply actions

Practices. Money. Recruiting.

Just little things like that.

They wore garnet helmets.

by tryptic67 on Dec 5, 2025 2:00 PM EST up reply actions

What money?

Half the programs that participate in bowls actually lose money. I suppose it may be worth it for recruiting, only if they win. Though, I’m not sure a win in a non-BCS bowl will actually sway any potential recruits. We had our chance to win a big game, and blew it miserably.

stuff 'bout stuff.

by silver82blade on Dec 5, 2025 2:10 PM EST up reply actions

And?

are we done? Should we hang it up? Give our recruits to Clemson and demo Williams Brice stadium? Put a big paw on our cars because we got whooped by one of the greatest CFB players to ever suit up, while our own QB had a below-average day? Do you think anybody else besides Arkansas would have had a chance yesterday?

We got whooped but so what? Think that’s the worst loss in program history? It ain’t even close, brother.

And, while I havent looked it up, I’m confident you do get money from the Chik Fil A and the Outback, plus you play in two recruiting hotbeds … metro Atlanta and soutwest Florida.

But even if the money was break-even or a loss, and the recruiting edge was de minimis, the extra practice time is worth its weight in gold.

They wore garnet helmets.

by tryptic67 on Dec 5, 2025 2:16 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

It's easy for Newton to look better than usual when the other team's defense lays down for him.

I think a ton of teams could have put up a better game against Auburn. Most teams in the nation wouldn’t have let Auburn’s receivers get wide open multiple times on every series.

As far as practice, I think they need to spend time on their fundamentals, not display their lack thereof in another game. They need to learn how to block, tackle, and not let receivers get behind them. They aren’t going to learn that in a game situation. They need to be on a practice field with a coach in their ear treating them like pop warner rejects.

stuff 'bout stuff.

by silver82blade on Dec 5, 2025 2:52 PM EST up reply actions

That's exactly what we're talking about. The team gets extra on-field practice time to work on fundamentals and the like if it plays in a bowl.

The NCAA limits the amount of practice time including contact with the coaches that teams get. If you play in a bowl, you get more.

Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog By and For Gamecocks Fans.

by Gamecock Man on Dec 5, 2025 2:54 PM EST up reply actions

Maybe, but they aren't going to carry over a practice from this season into the next.

Also, next season’s freshmen aren’t even on the field yet. They need to start fresh next year, and work much harder. I consider this season a loss, and over, but you all can cheer in the bowl all you want.

stuff 'bout stuff.

by silver82blade on Dec 5, 2025 2:57 PM EST up reply actions

We will.

Enjoy doing whatever you’re doing while we’re hopefully having fun cheering on the team we love.

Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog By and For Gamecocks Fans.

by Gamecock Man on Dec 5, 2025 3:01 PM EST up reply actions

Good! Do it then.

I will, thanks. My activities will consist of taking a nap, and dreaming that baseball was a fun sport, so I could be a fan of that instead.

stuff 'bout stuff.

by silver82blade on Dec 5, 2025 3:28 PM EST up reply actions

Just because "Half the programs that participate in bowls actually lose money"

doesn’t mean that we will. Programs lose money going to the Independence Bowl and Papajohns.com Bowl. We won’t lose money going to the Chick-fil-a bowl.

Dum spiro spero - "While I breathe, I hope"
State motto of South Carolina

by The Feathered Warrior on Dec 5, 2025 2:28 PM EST up reply actions

How do you know?

stuff 'bout stuff.

by silver82blade on Dec 5, 2025 2:39 PM EST up reply actions

I know because the bigger bowls give more money.

We lost money when we went to the Independence Bowl a few years ago. We won’t lose money if we go to the Chick-fil-a and sell our ticket allotment.

And how do you know that we will lose money?

Dum spiro spero - "While I breathe, I hope"
State motto of South Carolina

by The Feathered Warrior on Dec 5, 2025 3:11 PM EST up reply actions

I don't.

I also don’t know if they’re going to be able to find enough Carolina fans to go back to the Dome. It’s not like the game is next week, though. It’ll probably make money for the program. I just don’t like conceding to positive points when I’m not in a positive mood.

stuff 'bout stuff.

by silver82blade on Dec 5, 2025 3:22 PM EST up reply actions

Question

Can we just call it the Peach Bowl? This whole sponsorship thing kills me.

by stapleears on Dec 5, 2025 8:07 AM EST reply actions

Are there any SEC-Pac-10 tie-ins?

It seems like they all match up SEC and Big 10 teams.

Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog By and For Gamecocks Fans.

by Gamecock Man on Dec 5, 2025 10:07 AM EST reply actions

Not to my knowledge.

-Auburn-USC Sig Bet Debt Repaid

by Uhaul on Dec 5, 2025 10:17 AM EST up reply actions

It's now looking like the Peach or Gator, according to The Big Spur's Tony Morrell.

by Skulls and Spurs on Dec 5, 2025 12:01 PM EST reply actions

We can't fall to the Gator. We're SECCG participants, so Peach is as low as we can go.

However, I want no part of FSU. Ponder is the kind of QB who has shredded our secondary all year long. You think fans are going to be eager to go back to the Georgia Dome? Ugh. Really hoping for Outback now.

by RumblinFish on Dec 5, 2025 12:59 PM EST up reply actions

Gator used to have a lot of cachet

and can again now that it has an SEC tie-in. It wasn’t so very long ago that casual CFB fans would have ranked it at least the equal to the Citrus/Capital One, and definitely ahead of the Peach/Chik-Fil-A and Outback.

Plus, from a historic perspective, we’ve generally recruited well in JAX in the 80s-90s and could again.

Tampa and Ybor are cool, but I think both USC and the Outback Committee need another year or two of something different. I would definitely consider Atlanta or Jacksonville to travel to a game, but not Tampa .. .not this year.

They wore garnet helmets.

by tryptic67 on Dec 5, 2025 2:21 PM EST reply actions