SEC
Gamecocks’ Coach Makes Wild Claim About Playoff Auto-Bids
South Carolina coach Shane Beamer shares how he wants playoff committee to make exception for SEC teams receiving auto-bids over other conferences
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Gamecocks coach Shane Beamer was quite honest in a recent interview with On3 about his feeling toward automatic bids for the 12-team College Football Playoff.
Shane Beamer believes the SEC deserves automatic CFP bids, he tells @PeteNakos_👀
“The fact of the matter is, we beat the ACC champion on their field this year and didn’t get in… I do believe this league is just different than others, and there has to be some consideration.”… pic.twitter.com/8GecvRFAmi
— On3 (@On3sports) February 7, 2025
“The fact of the matter is, we beat the ACC champion on their field this year and didn’t get in,” Beamer said. “I understand why we didn’t get in and why Clemson did. I’m not sour about that, but I do believe this league is just different than others, and there has to be some consideration.”
Beamer’s program experienced a revival of sorts in 2024 with a 9-4 season capped by a loss to Illinois in its bowl game. To dismiss other teams that also deserved bids to the playoff for taking care of business is laughable, even if your team defeats a rival and champion of another conference.
“Look, I’ve got great respect for other conferences,” Beamer continued. “I’ve been to other conferences. I’ve been part of the ACC, I’ve been part of the Big 12. There’s no question that there’s good football everywhere. But when you just talk about the teams in this league and the teams you play week in and week out, it’s different.”
All Carolina had to do was win an extra game from the likes of Ole Miss, LSU and Alabama. They didn’t, which mattered most. Just because the league is ‘different’ certainly doesn’t mean the playoff committee should allow special treatment to the most dominant league of the previous two decades.
The SEC had sort of a down year considering it didn’t win a national championship for the second consecutive season. Big Ten members Ohio State and Michigan have won the past two titles as college football’s power trip has shifted to the north for the time being.
