A record top 10 finish again for Gamecocks
South Carolina finished the 2012 football season in record territory for the second-straight year.
The Gamecocks (11-2) are No. 8 in the final Associated Press Top 25, the team's highest final ranking ever. That makes two straight finishes in the top 10 and three straight in top 25, both school records.
USC is No. 7 in the final USA Today Top 25 football coaches poll.
The Gamecocks finished the 2011 season at No. 9 with an 11-2 mark.
The team reached 11 wins again this season with a 33-28 Outback Bowl win over Michigan on Jan. 1.
The SEC finished the year with five teams in the top 10: Alabama (1), Georgia (5), Texas A&M (5), South Carolina (8) and Florida (9). LSU finished No. 14; Vanderbilt is No. 23.
AP Top 25
Record Pts Pv
1. Alabama (59) 13-1 1,475 2
2. Oregon 12-1 1,358 5
3. Ohio St. 12-0 1,302 3
4. Notre Dame 12-1 1,288 1
5. Georgia 12-2 1,230 6
5. Texas A&M 11-2 1,230 10
7. Stanford 12-2 1,169 8
8. South Carolina 11-2 1,038 11
9. Florida 11-2 933 4
10. Florida St. 12-2 922 13
11. Clemson 11-2 889 14
12. Kansas St. 11-2 871 7
13. Louisville 11-2 781 22
14. LSU 10-3 756 9
15. Oklahoma 10-3 615 12
16. Utah St. 11-2 456 18
17. Northwestern 10-3 443 21
18. Boise St. 11-2 419 20
19. Texas 9-4 358 NR
20. Oregon St. 9-4 303 15
21. San Jose St. 11-2 243 24
22. N. Illinois 12-2 227 16
23. Vanderbilt 9-4 180 NR
24. Michigan 8-5 147 19
25. Nebraska 10-4 119 23
Others receiving votes: Baylor 95, Penn St. 90, Cincinnati 78, Oklahoma St. 42, Tulsa 34, UCLA 31, Arkansas St. 28, TCU 9, UCF 9, Wisconsin 6, N. Dakota St. 1.
USA Today Coaches Poll
Record Pts Pvs
1. Alabama (56) 13-1 1,400 2
2. Oregon 12-1 1,322 3
3. Notre Dame 12-1 1,253 1
4. Georgia 12-2 1,213 5
5. Texas A&M 11-2 1,171 9
6. Stanford 12-2 1,167 8
7. South Carolina 11-2 1,064 10
8. Florida State 12-2 942 12
9. Clemson 11-2 916 13
10. Florida 11-2 886 4
11. Kansas State 11-2 841 6
12. LSU 10-3 775 7
13. Louisville 11-2 772 18
14. Boise State 11-2 633 15
15. Oklahoma 10-3 600 11
16. Northwestern 10-3 580 17
17. Utah State 11-2 444 20
18. Texas 9-4 398 25
19. Oregon State 9-4 366 14
20. Vanderbilt 9-4 248 NR
21. San Jose State 11-2 244 24
22. Cincinnati 10-3 186 NR
23. Nebraska 10-4 175 21
24. Northern Illinois 12-2 156 16
25. Tulsa 11-3 110 NR
Others receiving votes: Michigan 101; UCLA 75; Baylor 52; Oklahoma State 36; Wisconsin 18; Central Florida 15; Arkansas State 13; Arizona State 10; Rutgers 9; Kent State 5; Louisiana Tech 2; Arizona 1; Ohio 1.
