Last time South Carolina played in the three likeliest bowl destinations
In just a little over 48 hours, South Carolina will find out its bowl destination.
While the Gamecocks don’t know exactly where yet, it will almost assuredly be someplace warm in the Sunshine State.
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As Championship Saturday looms, the likeliest bowl destinations center around the Reliaquest (Tampa), Citrus (Orlando) and Gator bowls. South Carolina has history at all three, and let’s take a look at the last time the Gamecocks played in each.
The Outback Bowl
I don’t care which random computer company or random Bitcoin company or whichever spur-of-the-moment business found enough money to sponsor the bowl. It will always be the Outback Bowl, forever and always.
The Gamecocks have essentially set up residence at this bowl game, playing in it five times since 2001. The good news is South Carolina won four of those, most against premier competition. South Carolina beat both Michigan and Ohio State twice in Tampa, the most recent coming at the end of a nine-win 2017 season.
That was a dramatic 26-19 win over the Wolverines where the Gamecocks started off slow. The Gamecocks used a 23-point second half to pull out the win. It was a field-goal fest early in the game with the Gamecocks trailing 9-3 at the half with four field goals kicked.
Then, after Michigan scored 10 points 10 minutes into the half, South Carolina went on a 23-0 run to end the game and win.
Rico Dowdle ripped off an impressive 17-yard touchdown run followed by a failed two-point conversion. Bryan Edwards made an incredible circus catch in the end zone, one he became known. Shi Smith gave South Carolina a lead with a 53-yard catch and run.
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South Carolina was led defensively by TJ Brunson, who had 13 tackles, and both Steven Montac and JaMarcus King had interceptions. King’s came at a massive time with Michigan driving in the fourth quarter while Montac’s sealed the game. Michigan then muffed a punt that gave the ball back to the Gamecocks.
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Bryan McLendon, who was filling in for the fired Kurt Roper, was given the offensive coordinator job after that game.
The Citrus Bowl
This was the bowl South Carolina frequented during the heyday in those 11-win seasons. The last 11-win year was capped by a win in the Capital One Bowl–now the Citrus–on New Year’s Day against Wisconsin.
That was a nip-and-tuck game early with Wisconsin using a three-yard run to take a 14-13 lead into halftime. Bruce Ellington tossed a touchdown pass to Connor Shaw–a now-famous play. And Shaw threw another big pass to Ellington to set up the famous GIF still used to this day.
Shaw was electric in that game, going 22-for-25 for 312 yards and was responsible for five scores. Ellington had six catches for 140 yards and South Carolina’s defense forced four Wisconsin turnovers.
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The Gator Bowl
South Carolina was a mainstay in the Gator Bowl back in the 1980s, making three trips in seven seasons, but haven’t been back since 1987.
The Gamecocks lost that game, then the Mazda Gator Bowl, to LSU 30-13. South Carolina trailed 17-3 early and tried to come back but ultimately couldn’t. Todd Ellis went 28-for-47 for 329 yards and four picks while the Gamecocks struggled to run the ball.
