Anyone remember how exciting it was just to be ranked in the polls?

I was 10 years old in 2000. I was raised a Gamecock and my parents took me to games before that season but that was the first season I remember actually following and semi know what was going on.

Anyway I remember that year beating NM St. followed by a win over a highly ranked UGA. After that happened I remember the news showing us that we were like #26 or #27 in the polls. After beating E. Michigan and a good MSU team we got our way into the polls and I remember what a moment that was. From then until our current streak in the polls we've dipped in and out and I used to have look week by week where we were ranked.. if at all and trying to figure out if win X would get us in the polls or not.

Now how long have we been ranked in the polls? I know during this streak we've had a few close calls of being knocked out but you know we've come a long way when we get preseason ranked in the top 10 and the Gamecock reaction is a bit of "meh, not bad"