From GamecockCentral.Com:
Beating downtrodden Tennessee by two touchdowns didn't boost South Carolina in the national polls.
USC stayed at No. 17 in the USA Today Coaches poll after surging past the Volunteers, 38-24, Saturday afternoon at Williams-Brice Stadium.
However, the writers were less impressed with the win over Tennessee than with the successes of other teams. USC fell one spot to No. 18 in the AP poll and were passed by Iowa and Arkansas, which posted lopsided wins over Michigan State (37-6) and Vanderbilt (49-14), respectively.
Iowa jumped three spots to No. 15 in the AP Poll after shellacking the Spartans in a Top 25 battle in Iowa City. The Spartans fell 11 spots to No. 16.
Arkansas, meanwhile, jumped two spots to No. 17 by battering Vanderbilt in Fayetteville.
Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett established a new school record for single game passing yards by throwing for 409 yards in the Razorbacks' home win over the Commodores, which fell to 2-6 with the setback.
USC, of course, will have a chance to move past Arkansas in next week's AP poll since the two teams meet Saturday at 7 p.m. at Williams-Brice Stadium in a contest that may or may not impact whether the Gamecocks win the SEC East.
If Florida beats Vanderbilt earlier in the day, the USC-Arkansas game will serve as little more than a prelude to the Nov. 13 showdown in the swamp between the Gamecocks and Gators.
USC is the fourth highest ranked SEC team in the USA Today poll behind Auburn (No. 2), Alabama (No. 5) and LSU (No. 11). Arkansas (No. 19) and Mississippi State (No. 21) are also ranked in the Coaches poll.
The Gamecocks are the fifth highest rated SEC team in the AP poll.
AP TOP 25 POLL (Oct. 31):
1. Oregon
2. Boise State
3. Auburn
4. TCU
5. Alabama
6. Utah
7. Wisconsin
8. Ohio State
9. Nebraska
10. Stanford
11. Oklahoma
12. LSU
13. Arizona
14. Missouri
15. Iowa
16. Michigan State
17. Arkansas
18. South Carolina
19. Oklahoma State
20. Virginia Tech
21. Mississippi State
22. Baylor
23. N.C. State
24. Florida State
25. Nevada.
