Nov. 9, 2008

The University of South Carolina football team has moved back into the national rankings this week, coming in at number 24 in the Associated Press poll and No. 23 in the USA Today/Coaches’ poll, it was announced today.

The Gamecocks (7-3, 4-3 SEC) have won six of their last seven games, including four of their last five Southeastern Conference battles. They will travel to Gainesville this week to face the number three-ranked Florida Gators (8-1, 6-1 SEC). The Gators have already clinched the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference and will face top-ranked Alabama in the SEC Championship game in Atlanta on Saturday, December 6.

Five SEC teams are ranked in both polls this week. Alabama (10-0) sits atop both polls, with Florida third behind Texas Tech. Georgia (8-2) is 13th in the A.P. poll and 12th in the Coaches’ poll, while LSU (6-3) is 19th in the A.P. and 20th in the Coaches’ poll.

It’s the second time the Gamecocks have been ranked this season. They checked in at No. 24 in both polls after a season-opening win over NC State, but dropped out the following week after losing at Vanderbilt.