An Ohio State freshman closes in on a Sidney Rice record; A look back at the legendary South Carolina receiver
On Saturday, South Carolina football had a bye and did not play, but that didn’t keep the Gamecocks out of the national conversation.
During Ohio State’s win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers (and former USC offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield), freshman wideout Jeremiah Smith caught a touchdown. The score marked the seventh straight game Smith found the end zone, making him the first freshman receiver to score in his team’s first seven games since Rice accomplished the feat back in 2005. The former Gamecock, though, caught a touchdown in eight games to start that year.
The Fox Big Noon Saturday broadcast dropped the statistical nugget, and South Carolina fans watching the game immediately got nostalgic.
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Sidney Rice spent three years with the Gamecocks but was active only for two after redshirting in 2004. He wasn’t highly recruited but nearly played basketball at Syracuse before staying home to play for South Carolina. The decision paid off.
Rice’s first year active with the Gamecocks was Steve Spurrier’s first year at the helm. He burst onto the college football scene in the Head Ball Coach’s offense. Rice posted 70 catches for 1143 yards and 13 touchdowns. Those numbers were good enough to earn spots on the Freshman All-American and first-team All-SEC squads in 2005. His yardage and touchdown totals were South Carolina football records, and his 70 catches were second-most ever by a Gamecock. 13 touchdowns is still the program record nearly 20 years later.
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The Gaffney native nearly matched his freshman numbers the following season. Eclipsing his receptions number with 72 grabs, Rice amassed 1090 yards and pulled down 10 touchdown catches. He was an easy selection for another All-SEC honor again. Then, he was selected in the NFL Draft’s second round.
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Despite playing just two years in garnet and black, Rice is all over the Carolina record books. No. 4 is 11th all-time in receptions (142), 6th in yards (2233), and tied for 1st in touchdowns (23). Rice’s 2006 Florida Atlantic game is the only time a Gamecock receiver caught four touchdowns; in fact, he caught five. Kevin Harris (2020 vs. Ole Miss) is the only other Gamecock player with 5 touchdowns from scrimmage in a game.
After his time in Columbia, Sidney Rice spent seven years in the National Football League before injuries cut his career short. He made the Pro Bowl in one of his two healthy seasons, going off for 1312 yards and 8 touchdowns. Brett Favre, his quarterback with the Minnesota Vikings that season, once commented that Rice was one of three former Gamecocks to be among his favorite teammates ever: “Three of the greatest receivers I’ve ever played with are from [South Carolina]…Sterling Sharpe, Robert Brooks, and Sidney Rice.”
