A preseason poll in August has very little value and has proven to be a poor predictor of the upcoming season. Nonetheless, it is going to give fans something to talk, (argue), about in the finally few weeks before the college season kicks off.

The Gamecocks enter Year 3 of the Shane Beamer era just outside of the USA Today Coaches Poll, which was released Monday afternoon. Carolina received 89 total votes which was good enough to land them just outside of the Top 25 at #27. This is the highest preseason rating in the Coaches Poll in Beamer's short tenure in Columbia.

Carolina will line it up with five teams that are currently ranked. To the surprise of no one, the two-time defending National Champion Georgia Bulldogs checked in at #1, receiving 61 out of 66 first place votes. Alabama (#3) and Ohio State (#4) were the other two schools to receive first place votes. Michigan (#2) and LSU (#5) rounded out the top five. Texas A&M came in at #25 while the Gamecocks opening week opponent UNC is ranked 20th. Clemson and Tennessee rounded out the top 10 at #9 and #10 respectively.

Six SEC schools appeared in the first poll. In addition to the schools mentioned above, Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels appear at #22. The SEC led all conferences with six ranked schools. The soon to be defunct Pac 12 had five schools ranked joining Big 12 for the conference with the second most ranked schools. The Big 10 has four ranked teams, with three in the top 10. Bringing up the rear, as always, is the ACC with only three ranked teams and none in the top 8. Notre Dame and Tulane are the only non-Power five conference members to begin the season ranked.

South Carolina finished year two under Beamer with an 8-5 record (4-4 in the SEC). Carolina's 2022 campaign ended with a bang with a blowout win over Tennessee and 31-30 victory at Clemson. The Gamecocks finished last season at No. 23 in the USA Today Coaches Poll.

North Carolina is too high at #20. Drake Maye is the sole reason for that ranking. South Carolina is about where a team with their level of question marks should be. With an opening weekend victory the Gamecocks would vault into the Top 25. With significant questions on both lines of scrimmage and a daunting schedule, 27th is about where the Gamecocks should enter the season.

As with every preseason coaches poll, the preseason poll usually closely resembles the final poll of the prior year. The coaches think TCU will take a major step back and the Oklahoma will regain its form as a perennial Top 20 team in year two under Brent Venables. It's shame the Pac 12 is essentially ending as this should be the most competitive season in the league has seen in three decades.

If you are interested here is a list of the following coaches that will cast votes in the USA Today Poll in 2023:

Tim Albin, Ohio; Blake Anderson, Utah State; Dino Babers, Syracuse; Tim Beck, Coastal Carolina; Terry Bowden, Louisiana-Monroe; Jeff Brohm, Louisville; Neal Brown, West Virginia; Kenni Burns, Kent State; Troy Calhoun, Air Force; Jason Candle, Toledo; Curt Cignetti, James Madison; Dave Clawson, Wake Forest; Sonny Cumbie, Louisiana Tech; Ryan Day, Ohio State; Kalen DeBoer, Washington; Jake Dickert, Washington State; Dana Dimel, Texas-El Paso; Stan Drayton, Temple; Eliah Drinkwitz, Missouri; Sonny Dykes, TCU; Mike Elko, Duke; Shawn Elliott, Georgia Southern; Jedd Fisch, Arizona; Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M; James Franklin, Penn State; Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame; Hugh Freeze, Auburn; Willie Fritz, Tulane; Alex Golesh, South Florida; Danny Gonzales, New Mexico; Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State; Will Hall, Southern Mississippi; Tyson Helton, Western Kentucky; Tom Herman, Florida Atlantic; Brady Hoke, San Diego State; Dana Holgorsen; Houston; Butch Jones, Arkansas State; Brent Key, Georgia Tech; Rhett Lashlee, SMU; Lance Leipold, Kansas; Mike Locksley, Maryland; Mike MacIntyre, Florida International; Gus Malzahn, Central Florida; Chuck Martin, Miami (Ohio); Joey McGuire, Texas Tech; Jeff Monken, Army; Jim Mora, Connecticut; Billy Napier, Florida; Pat Narduzzi, Pittsburgh; Brian Newberry, Navy; Barry Odom, UNLV; Brent Pry, Virginia Tech; Matt Rhule, Nebraska; Nick Saban, Alabama; Scott Satterfield, Cincinnati; Kirby Smart, Georgia; Rick Stockstill, Middle Tennessee; Mark Stoops, Kentucky; Jon Sumrall, Troy; Lance Taylor, Western Michigan; Jeff Tedford, Fresno State; Jeff Traylor, Texas-San Antonio; Mel Tucker, Michigan State; Kyle Whittingham, Utah, Ken Wilson, Nevada; Kevin Wilson, Tulsa.