For the first time since 1984, South Carolina is ranked in the top five in the polls. After dismantling Georgia on Saturday night, the Gamecocks (6-0, 4-0) jumped three spots to No. 3 in the Associated Press poll released late Sunday morning.
South Carolina safety D.J. Swearinger
The three teams just ahead of South Carolina in the polls lost on Saturday with No. 3 Florida State dropping a 17-16 decision on the road in the game’s waning seconds to North Carolina State. Fourth-ranked LSU lost on the road to No. 10 Florida 14-6 after failing to score a single point in the second half. The Bulldogs, of course, laid an egg at Williams-Brice Stadium.
Top-ranked Alabama had its bye week while second-ranked Oregon dispatched No. 23 Washington 52-21. Both teams held onto their ranking while South Carolina sits at No. 3.
The last time the Gamecocks were ranked this high was November 10, 1984 entering a game against Florida State. Former head coach Joe Morrision led his team to a 38-26 victory over the No. 11 Seminoles and South Carolina jumped up to No. 2 in the rankings the following week.
The Gamecocks are tied with Stanford for the fifth-longest consecutive weeks streak of being ranked in the Top-25. Only Alabama, LSU, Oregon and Oklahoma have been ranked for more consecutive weeks than the Gamecocks and Cardinal.
South Carolina has been ranked among the nation's Top-10 teams according to the Associated Press in nine-straight polls, dating back to the end of last season. That extends the school record which was previously set during the 1984 season.
The Gators (6-0, 4-0) made a jump in the polls this week after knocking off the Tigers up to No. 4 in the rankings. Mississippi State moved up a couple of notches to No. 19 in the polls.
Head coach Steve Spurrier will meet with the media at 2 p.m. this afternoon on his weekly teleconference. The team returns to the practice field on Monday evening. The Gamecocks travel to Baton Rouge, La. this week to take on LSU, which dropped to No. 9 in the rankings.
More Georgia coverage
Game story: Carolina dismantles bark-less Dawgs - Get all you need to know about South Carolina’s 35-7 victory over Georgia in a one-stop shop. You don’t need to click on 12 different stories on other sites … Just visit this link to see the key plays, who gets game balls, the injury report, and other news and notes as the Gamecocks move to 6-0 on the season and 4-0 in the Southeastern Conference.
Weekend recruit reaction - The Gamecocks knocked off fifth-ranked Georgia with 30 four-or five-star prospects on hand. There were nearly 100 visitors who took in the game. Get up-to-the-second recruit reaction in this premium thread.
Atmosphere impresses Rodgers - South Carolina has been a long-time favorite for four-star offensive tack Na'Ty Rodgers. He's visited multiple times but this was by far the biggest game he's been on campus for so far. Rodgers took the time to speak with TheBigSpur.com about his visit to Columbia.
Scott names a leader - Class of 2014 all-purpose back Derrell Scott (Havelock, N.C./Havelock) visited South Carolina this weekend with 2013 commit and teammate Pharoh Cooper. He had a top three of South Carolina, Florida State, and Ohio State but now he has a leader.
[b]Ward proving to be a home run hire - Defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward had his critics when he first took the job, his first at the FBS level as a play-caller. Through seven games, his team is giving up about 11 points on average each time out.
In Photos: Gamecocks stifle Georgia - Photojournalist Juan Blas was on hand to capture all the action in still shots from the 35-7 victory over Georgia. From Bruce Ellington’s opening touchdown catch to Chaz Sutton embracing Brad Lawing and Shawn Elliott as they walked off the field, Blas delivers beautiful shots from start to finish.
Postgame 2-4-7: Carolina 35 - UGA 7 - Georgia publisher Gentry Estes breaks down the two defining moments, four key stats, and seven quotes from South Carolina’s 35-7 victory over the Bulldogs.
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