30+ years later, Steve Taneyhill's 1992 performance against Clemson lives on
*Note: This is an annual story that I’ve shared for the past three years the week of the Clemson game. The interview with Steve Taneyhill was taped in Nov. of 2021
Steve Taneyhill set numerous records during his four seasons at South Carolina (1992-95). He also compiled 8,555 yards passing and 61 touchdown passes. But perhaps what he’s known best for is what took place in Clemson on Nov. 21, 1992.
Behind a nearly 300-yard passing performance and two touchdowns, a then freshman Taneyhill led USC to a 23-14 win against the Tigers. The win ended Clemson’s four-game winning streak.
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“The fans stormed the field and I was up in the air for a little while on someone’s shoulders. It was kind of scary at the time,” recalled Taneyhill to Gamecock Central before last year’s rivalry game. “I mean, it was great. Trust me, it was one of my best memories. No one really remembers the next year I threw like four picks and we got beat at home against Clemson but people remember what I did the year before. That’s for sure.”
Along with his legendary performance that day, Taneyhill pretended to sign his name on the Tiger Paw. To this day, it remains one of the most iconic photos in Gamecocks history.
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“(Signing my name on the Tiger Paw) wasn’t premeditated. The only thing we really talked about that year was what we were gonna do if we got to the end zone. I remember Barndon Bennett, Toby Cates, and I, we would always have walk-thrus on Friday. We’d talk about, ‘hey, if I score I’m gonna do this.’” We were really just trying to get first-downs and run out the clock. We were gonna win 17-13 if we did that. But then Brandon broke like a 40-yard run. I’m kinda just trotting down the field and I just look down and I’m right in the middle of the Tiger Paw. So I bent down and pretended to write my name and then I put my hands up. Here we are (30) years later and it’s still a big time picture.”
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While many throughout Columbia over the years have seen that photo, Taneyhill admits it wasn’t just that day that makes that moment special.
“I think it had to do with that whole season. I didn’t start until halfway through it. Then we put the exclamation point on by finishing 5-1 with that win at Clemson. Clemson didn’t go to a bowl game that year so it’s not like they were the greatest team in the world. But I guess we hadn’t beat them in a few years… I enjoy this week. I never left the state (once I went to school at South Carolina) so I’ve always been around the rivalry and it’s something.”
