Shane Beamer Claims SEC Deserves Automatic CFB Playoff Bids Following Tough Bowl Season

Anyone who watched the bowl games at the close of 2024 and into the start of 2025 would know that the SEC endured a rough postseason in college football.

Texas A&M fell to USC, Tennessee was crushed by Ohio State in the College Football Playoff, Alabama was defeated by a lackluster Michigan squad, Navy triumphed over Oklahoma, Illinois beat South Carolina, Arizona State had a potential fourth-quarter win over Texas overturned due to poor officiating, Notre Dame topped Georgia, and finally, Ohio State comfortably handled Texas, securing a second consecutive title for the Big Ten.

While the SEC did manage some bowl victories and clearly had several top teams, no one who closely follows college football could argue that the results proved the SEC warranted more respect or automatic advantages.

That is, except for South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer, apparently.

Shane Beamer Advocates for SEC Automatic Bids to the CFP

In an interview with On3’s Pete Nakos, Shane Beamer expressed his belief that the SEC deserves automatic bids to the College Football Playoff, stating that “it’s just different” in the SEC, which he believes justifies the conference’s place in the playoff.

“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.”

That’s certainly an interesting perspective, though not one without its flaws.

South Carolina suffered a loss to Illinois in a bowl game. Illinois, with a 9-4 season record, is hardly a team that warrants a playoff spot. They narrowly defeated Old Dominion by just four points at home, 23-19. They were also defeated by LSU, who finished unranked, and managed only three points in a 27-3 loss to Ole Miss. To top it off, they were defeated by a four-loss Alabama team.

While they did secure a win against Clemson, a single victory over another conference champion doesn’t automatically guarantee playoff entry, even with 12 spots available.

The idea that “it’s just different in the SEC” needs to be put to rest—yesterday, not today. Yes, the SEC boasts many excellent programs, some with storied success and others with recent triumphs. They also enjoy strong fan support and have a media presence that emphasizes the conference’s unique status. However, this “difference” is largely overstated.

When USC was dominant in college football, there was no talk of the Pac-10 being “just different.” The same applies to Alabama’s dominance, as other SEC teams have acted as though Nick Saban’s success has somehow made the entire conference invincible in theoretical matchups.

In reality, the SEC might have some advantages over other top conferences. For instance, the Big Ten teams now have to deal with cross-country travel, with West Coast teams traveling to places like Maryland or New Jersey. The SEC, however, remains primarily centered in the South, and even with expansion, travel remains easier. Moreover, the SEC plays eight conference games compared to the Big Ten’s nine, often using that extra non-conference game to schedule an FCS team for a de facto bye week.

With 12 playoff spots, South Carolina only needed to avoid three losses to make it into the postseason. They couldn’t do that, and that’s why they didn’t make the cut.