The South Carolina Gamecocks knocked off the Vanderbilt Commodores this weekend in dominating fashion, and it was enough to propel them into the AP poll ranking

It’s the first time since 2022 that USC has cracked the Top 25. USC in 2022 moved into the USA Today rankings after wins over Tennessee and Clemson, climbing as high as No. 19 before finishing No. 23 in the final poll of that season.

South Carolina exorcised its 2023 demons in the rain on Saturday in Nashville. A year after missing out on a bowl game for the first time in coach Shane Beamer’s tenure, the Gamecocks (6-3, 4-3 SEC) are bowl-eligible once again after a 28-7 win over Vanderbilt.