From 1971 through 1991, they competed as a major independent, producing 1980 Heisman Trophy winner George Rogers, six bowl appearances, and final AP top-25 rankings in 1984 and 1987 (No.

They also have five members of the College Football Hall of Fame in former players George Rogers and Sterling Sharpe, and former coaches Holtz and Spurrier as well as former Athletic Director Mike McGee.

"Naturally, the Clemson guys didn't take too kindly to that, and on Wednesday and again on Thursday, there were sporadic fistfights involving brass knuckles and other objects and so forth, some of which resulted, according to the newspapers, in blood being spilled and persons having to seek medical assistance.

After the game on Thursday, the Clemson guys frankly told the Carolina students that if you bring this poster, which is insulting to us, to the big parade on Friday, you're going to be in trouble.

[13] A hastily assembled football team, coached by Board of Trustees member Douglas McKay, competed in an abbreviated season that same year, and the squad won all three games.

[33][34] Paul Dietzel arrived in Columbia prior to the 1966 season, having previously coached at LSU, where he won a national championship, and Army.

Carlen led the Gamecocks to three bowl games,[39] coached 1980 Heisman Trophy winner George Rogers, and produced a 45–36–1 record during his tenure.

The 17–14 victory in Ann Arbor, which made Rogers a household name, was one of the biggest wins in both the Carlen Era and the program's history.

It was also before the 1984 season began that the team removed the Astroturf that had been in place at Williams–Brice Stadium since the early 1970s and reinstalled the natural grass that remains today.

[44] Morrison also began the tradition at Carolina, with his first game in 1983, of the pre-game entrance of the football team being the beginning of Also sprach Zarathustra, the theme from the film 2001: A Space Odyssey.

[54] In addition, USC won consecutive Outback Bowls over Ohio State and produced the most successful two-year run in program history (at the time), going 17–7 overall and 10–6 in SEC play.

[55][56] After consecutive 5–7 finishes in 2002 and 2003 (in which the team was ranked in the Top 25 during both seasons),[54] Holtz ended his USC tenure on a winning note with a 6–5 record in 2004[54] before retiring again.

[59] Five of these actions were considered major violations, and included such activities as impermissible tutoring and non-voluntary summer workouts as well as a "lack of institutional control".

[70] The school imposed its own punishment, paying $18,500 in fines and cutting three football scholarships in each of the 2013 and 2014 seasons, and reduction in official recruiting visits for the 2012–13 year.

[87] The season started with a neutral site win against NC State in the Belk Kickoff Game in Charlotte, North Carolina.

[98] Additionally, Shane Beamer became the first coach in program history to win back-to-back games against top ten opponents after beating #5 Tennessee and their in-state rival #8 Clemson in weeks 12 and 13, respectively.

Although South Carolina played a competitive game with a relatively depleted roster, they ultimately lost to the Irish by a score of 45–38.

Despite quarterback Spencer Rattler and wide receiver Xavier Legette having two of the best individual seasons in school history in their final college year,[102][103][104][105] the team was noted by the media for being heavily affected by injuries, particularly from the offensive line.

[106][107][108] South Carolina finished sixth in the final SEC East,[109][110][111] with an overall record of 5–7, missing a bowl game for the first time since 2020.

[112] Shane Beamer achieved massive success with the Gamecocks during the 2024 season, despite media outlets projecting a 13th place finish in the SEC.

Rogers turned in 168 rushing yards during the course of the battle, setting the stage for a successful finish to his senior season and eventual Heisman Trophy award.

In 1980, the Gamecocks had a successful season led by running back George Rogers, who won the prestigious Heisman Trophy and was chosen #1 overall in the 1981 NFL draft.

[133] The season also included victories over division foes Georgia, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt as well as instate Atlantic Coast Conference rival Clemson.

Led by Coach Spurrier, the 2011 Gamecocks achieved its most wins in a single season and finished in the Top 10 for the first time in program history.

They then defeated Michigan 33–28 in the 2013 Outback Bowl with the game decided by a 28-yard touchdown pass from Dylan Thompson to Bruce Ellington with under a minute to go.

Shane Beamer became the first coach in program history to win back-to-back games against top ten opponents after beating #5 Tennessee and their in-state rival #8 Clemson.

[148][149] The winning streak earned South Carolina consideration for the College Football Playoff,[150][151][139][152] but they were instead selected to play Illinois in the Citrus Bowl, where they lost.

[152][154][155] Kyle Kennard won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, honoring him as the top defensive player in college football, and was a finalist for the Lombardi Award.

[citation needed] Also, as South Carolina's flagship university,[137][185][186][134] USC prominently displays the state flag, and imagery derived from it.

[183] For example, before the 2013 season, a new uniform was unveiled with eleven total stripes, the same number of buildings on The Horseshoe, the most famous part of the South Carolina campus and a national historic landmark.