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American college football season
The 1981 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina as an independent during the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season . Led by Jim Carlen in his seventh and final season as head coach, the Gamecocks compiled a record of 6–6.
In 1981, South Carolina started 6–3, highlighted by an upset over No. 3 North Carolina on the road, the first win over a top-5 team in program history.[ 1] [ 2] It would remain the biggest win in program history until 2010 .[ 2] However, the Gamecocks lost the last three games of the season, which left Carlen's job security in jeopardy, as Carlen and school president James B. Holderman were already constantly at odds over football revenues. Despite Carlen overseeing one of the most successful periods in program history until then (a 45–36–1 record, three of the school's five bowl games, two of the school's three eight-win seasons, and a Heisman Trophy), he was fired.[ 3] [ 4]
Date Opponent Site TV Result Attendance Source September 5 at Wake Forest W 23–629,300 [ 5]
September 12 Ole Miss L 13–2056,424 [ 6]
September 19 Duke Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC W 17–356,321 [ 7]
September 26 at No. 17 Georgia L 0–2482,100 [ 8]
October 3 No. 4 Pittsburgh Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC ABC L 28–4256,495 [ 9]
October 10 at Kentucky W 28–1457,553 [ 10]
October 17 Virginia Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC W 21–356,101 [ 11]
October 24 at No. 3 North Carolina W 31–1350,500 [ 12]
October 31 NC State Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC ABC W 20–1256,517 [ 13]
November 7 Pacific (CA) Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC L 21–2351,679 [ 14]
November 21 No. 2 Clemson Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC (rivalry ) ESPN L 13–2956,971 [ 15]
December 5 at Hawaii L 10–3343,958 [ 16]
[ 17]
1981 South Carolina Gamecocks football team roster
Players
Coaches
Offense
Pos.
#
Name
Class
G
67
Jeff Doyle
Sr
OT
76
Chuck Slaughter
Sr
RB
36
Johnnie Wright
Sr
Defense
Special teams
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible
Injured
Redshirt
^ tryptic67 (September 17, 2014). "USC versus AP Top 10 Opponents" . Garnet And Black Attack . Retrieved September 28, 2024 . {{cite web }}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link )
^ a b "Some History for the New South Carolina Coach: It's a Good Job But A Hard Job" . TMG Sports . November 18, 2020. Retrieved October 21, 2024 .
^ Gillespie, Bob (July 22, 2020). "Richard Bell, one-and-done as USC coach: How 1982 season shaped him, players, program" . The State . Retrieved September 29, 2024 .
^ "South Carolina Gamecocks College Football History, Stats, Records" . College Football at Sports-Reference.com . Retrieved September 30, 2024 .
^ "S. Carolina drops Wake Forest" . The Selma Times-Journal . September 6, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Fourcade-led rally lifts Mississippi over Gamecocks" . The Times and Democrat . September 13, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "South Carolina defeats Duke" . Greensboro Daily News . September 20, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Walker carrier Bulldogs" . The News and Observer . September 27, 1981. Retrieved October 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Pitt romps 42–28" . The Roanoke Times & World-News . October 4, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ Mark Bradley (October 11, 1981). "Gamecocks' second-half surge dooms Cats" . Sunday Herald-Leader . pp. D1, D5. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Gamecocks down Cavs, 21–3" . The Sun-News . October 18, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Gamecocks upset 'Heels" . The Tampa Tribune . October 25, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "South Carolina stops bumbling Wolfpack" . The News and Observer . November 1, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Pacific scores upset" . The Sacramento Bee . November 8, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Tigers enjoy perfect finish" . The Charlotte Observer . November 22, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Mistakes hurt Carolina in loss to Hawaii" . The Item . December 7, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "1981 Football Schedule" . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 29, 2017 .
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