1977 South Carolina Gamecocks football team

The 1977 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina as an independent during the 1977 NCAA Division I football season. Led by third-year head coach Jim Carlen, the Gamecocks compiled a record of 5–7. The team played its home games at Williams–Brice Stadium.

1977 South Carolina Gamecocks football
ConferenceIndependent
Record5–7
Head coach
Defensive coordinatorRichard Bell (3rd season)
Home stadiumWilliams–Brice Stadium
Seasons
← 1976
1978 →
1977 NCAA Division I independents football records
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 1 Notre Dame       11 1 0
No. 5 Penn State       11 1 0
Colgate       10 1 0
North Texas State *       10 1 0
No. 16 San Diego State       10 1 0
Tennessee State       8 1 1
No. 14 Florida State       10 2 0
No. 8 Pittsburgh       9 2 1
East Carolina       8 3 0
Rutgers       8 3 0
Army       7 4 0
Louisville       7 4 1
Boston College       6 5 0
Cincinnati       5 4 2
Georgia Tech       6 5 0
Memphis State       6 5 0
Northwestern State       6 5 0
Syracuse       6 5 0
William & Mary       6 5 0
Southern Miss       6 5 0
Temple       5 5 1
Hawaii       5 6 0
Navy       5 6 0
West Virginia       5 6 0
South Carolina       5 7 0
Utah State       4 7 0
Villanova       4 7 0
Illinois State       3 7 1
Virginia Tech       3 7 1
Miami (FL)       3 8 0
Richmond       3 8 0
Tulane       3 8 0
Air Force       2 8 1
Holy Cross       2 8 0
Northeast Louisiana       2 9 0
  • North Texas State (originally 9–2) awarded a forfeit win after Mississippi State was found to be using an ineligible player.[1]
Rankings from AP Poll

South Carolina almost made a 24-point comeback against archrival No. 15 Clemson at home, but ultimately lost after Tigers wide receiver Jerry Butler made "The Catch" to retake the lead with twenty seconds left in the game.[2][3] ESPN would later rank this as the 112th greatest college football game of all time, the only time South Carolina appeared on the list.[4] The Gamecocks finished with their first losing season since 1974.[5]

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 3Appalachian StateW 32–1750,114[6]
September 10Georgia Tech
  • Williams–Brice Stadium
  • Columbia, SC
W 17–055,934[7]
September 17Miami (OH)
  • Williams–Brice Stadium
  • Columbia, SC
W 42–1946,234[8]
September 24Georgia
  • Williams–Brice Stadium
  • Columbia, SC (rivalry)
L 13–1556,784[9]
October 1East Carolina
  • Williams–Brice Stadium
  • Columbia, SC
ABCW 19–1652,813[10]
October 8Duke
  • Williams–Brice Stadium
  • Columbia, SC
L 21–2549,385[11]
October 15at Ole MissL 10–1730,100[12]
October 22at North CarolinaL 0–1748,250[13]
October 29at NC StateL 3–740,800[14]
November 12at Wake ForestW 24–1413,150[15]
November 19No. 15 Clemson
  • Williams–Brice Stadium
  • Columbia, SC (rivalry)
ABCL 27–3156,410[16]
November 26at HawaiiL 7–2430,146[17]
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[18]

References

edit
  1. ^ https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/1977-standings.html
  2. ^ "The Catch, 1977 CU-USC Game". Clemson Tigers Official Athletics Site. November 26, 2016. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  3. ^ "1977 South Carolina Gamecocks Schedule and Results". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  4. ^ "The 150 greatest games in college football history". ESPN.com. November 4, 2019. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  5. ^ "South Carolina Gamecocks College Football History, Stats, Records". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  6. ^ "Georgians help key 32–17 win for Gamecocks". The Atlanta Constitution. September 4, 1977. Retrieved December 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Gamecocks gobble up fumbled to win 17–0". Daily Press. September 11, 1977. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Bob Spear (September 18, 1977). "Furious USC Assault Bombs Miami, 42–19". The State. Columbia, South Carolina. pp. 1D, 5D – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Georgia beats Gamecocks". Florence Morning News. September 25, 1977. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Parrish FGs lift Gamecocks past ECU, 19–16". The Times and Democrat. October 2, 1977. Retrieved March 4, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Duke comes back again". The Chapel Hill News. October 9, 1977. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Ole Miss downs Gamecocks". The Sun-News. October 16, 1977. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Tar Heels blank Gamecocks". The Sun-News. October 23, 1977. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Pack holds off S. Carolina". The Rocky Mount Telegram. October 30, 1977. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "South Carolina downs Wake Forest by 24–14". The Robesonian. November 13, 1977. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ Ed Rowland (November 20, 1977). "Clemson Dashes USC Comeback Try, 31–27". The Times and Democrat. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Rainbows shock Gamecocks, 24–7". The Honolulu Advertiser. November 27, 1977. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "1977 Football Schedule". Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 1, 2017.