Dec. 4, 2011

The University of South Carolina football squad climbed four notches in both the Associated Press and USA TODAY/Coaches polls announced this afternoon. The Gamecocks moved from 14th to 10th in the A.P. poll and from 13th to ninth in the Coaches’ poll.

It marks the first time the Gamecocks have been ranked among the nation’s top 10 teams at the end of the regular season since the 1987 squad was 8-3 and ranked ninth by the AP. That squad lost its Gator Bowl game to LSU and finished the season ranked 15th in the country.

The Gamecocks (10-2, 6-2 SEC) tied the school record with 10 wins while defeating every team in the SEC Eastern Division for the first time in school history.

Carolina awaits word later today announcing which bowl game it will participate in. That announcement will be made at an 8:30 p.m. ET press conference Sunday night. The press conference featuring head coach Steve Spurrier and selected players can be seen live at www.gamecocksonline.com, the official website of Gamecock Athletics.

AP Top 25

RK TEAM RECORD PTS

1 LSU (60) 13-0 1500

2 Alabama 11-1 1418

3 Oklahoma State 11-1 1400

4 Stanford 11-1 1283

5 USC 10-2 1179

6 Oregon 11-2 1170

7 Arkansas 10-2 1148

8 Boise State 11-1 1107

9 Wisconsin 11-2 1038

10 South Carolina 10-2 946

11 Kansas State 10-2 829

12 Michigan State 10-3 733

13 Michigan 10-2 707

14 Clemson 10-3 663

15 Baylor 9-3 656

16 TCU 10-2 632

17 Virginia Tech 11-2 591

18 Georgia 10-3 566

19 Oklahoma 9-3 386

20 Houston 12-1 370

21 Nebraska 9-3 363

22 Southern Miss 11-2 336

23 West Virginia 9-3 199

24 Penn State 9-3 129

25 Florida State 8-4 49

USA Today Poll

RK TEAM RECORD PTS

1 LSU (59) 13-0 1475

2 Alabama 11-1 1399

3 Oklahoma State 11-1 1367

4 Stanford 11-1 1286

5 Oregon 11-2 1232

6 Boise State 11-1 1128

7 Arkansas 10-2 1112

8 Wisconsin 11-2 1085

9 South Carolina 10-2 971

10 Kansas State 10-2 878

11 Virginia Tech 11-2 835

12 Michigan 10-2 789

13 Michigan State 10-3 735

14 Clemson 10-3 657

15 TCU 10-2 631

16 Baylor 9-3 599

17 Houston 12-1 542

18 Georgia 10-3 538

19 Oklahoma 9-3 437

20 Nebraska 9-3 402

21 Southern Miss 11-2 366

22 West Virginia 9-3 278

23 Penn State 9-3 189

24 Cincinnati 9-3 94

25 Florida State 8-4 68