1997 South Carolina Gamecocks football team

American college football season

1997 South Carolina Gamecocks football

Conference| Southeastern Conference
Division| Eastern Division
Record| 5–6 (3–5 SEC)
Head coach|

* Brad Scott (4th season)

Offensive coordinator| John Eason (3rd season)
Offensive scheme| Fast Break
Defensive coordinator| Wally Burnham (4th season)
Base defense| 4–3
Home stadium| Williams-Brice Stadium

Seasons

<- 1996

1998 ->

1997 Southeastern Conference football standings

* v
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| Conf |  |  | Overall

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Team |  | W |  | L |  |  |  |  | W |  | L |
Eastern Division
No. 7 Tennessee x$  |  | 7  | - | 1  |  |  |  |  | 11  | - | 2  |
No. 10 Georgia |  | 6  | - | 2  |  |  |  |  | 10  | - | 2  |
No. 4 Florida |  | 6  | - | 2  |  |  |  |  | 10  | - | 2  |
South Carolina |  | 3  | - | 5  |  |  |  |  | 5  | - | 6  |
Kentucky |  | 2  | - | 6  |  |  |  |  | 5  | - | 6  |
Vanderbilt |  | 0  | - | 8  |  |  |  |  | 3  | - | 8  |
Western Division
No. 11 Auburn xy  |  | 6  | - | 2  |  |  |  |  | 10  | - | 3  |
No. 13 LSU x  |  | 6  | - | 2  |  |  |  |  | 9  | - | 3  |
No. 22 Ole Miss |  | 4  | - | 4  |  |  |  |  | 8  | - | 4  |
Mississippi State |  | 4  | - | 4  |  |  |  |  | 7  | - | 4  |
Arkansas |  | 2  | - | 6  |  |  |  |  | 4  | - | 7  |
Alabama |  | 2  | - | 6  |  |  |  |  | 4  | - | 7  |
Championship: Tennessee 30, Auburn 29

* $ - Conference champion
* x - Division champion/co-champions

Rankings from AP Poll

The 1997 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Gamecocks were led by head coach Brad Scott and played their home games in Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina.

## Schedule

[edit]

Date| Time| Opponent| Site| TV| Result| Attendance| Source

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September 6| 7:00 p.m.| UCF*|

* Williams–Brice Stadium
* Columbia, SC

| FSS| W 33–31| 81,908| [1]
September 13| 3:30 p.m.| at No. 25 Georgia|

* Sanford Stadium
* Athens, GA (rivalry)

| CBS| L 15–31| 86,117| [2]
September 20| 3:00 p.m.| at East Carolina*|

* Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium
* Greenville, NC

| FSS| W 26–0| 38,902| [3]
September 27| 12:30 p.m.| at Mississippi State|

* Scott Field
* Starkville, MS

| JPS| L 17–37| 30,120| [4]
October 4| 12:30 p.m.| No. 9 Auburn|

* Williams–Brice Stadium
* Columbia, SC

| JPS| L 6–23| 79,411| [5]
October 11| 12:30 p.m.| Kentucky|

* Williams–Brice Stadium
* Columbia, SC

| JPS| W 38–24| 75,936| [6]
October 18| 7:00 p.m.| at Arkansas|

* War Memorial Stadium
* Little Rock, AR

| | W 39–13| 49,178| [7]
October 25| 7:00 p.m.| Vanderbilt|

* Williams–Brice Stadium
* Columbia, SC

| | W 35–3| 79,014| [8]
November 1| 12:30 p.m.| at No. 8 Tennessee|

* Neyland Stadium
* Knoxville, TN (rivalry)

| JPS| L 7–22| 106,301| [9]
November 15| 12:30 p.m.| No. 12 Florida|

* Williams–Brice Stadium
* Columbia, SC

| JPS| L 21–48| 80,072| [10]
November 22| 6:00 p.m.| Clemson*|

* Williams–Brice Stadium
* Columbia, SC (rivalry)

| ESPN2| L 21–47| 83,700| [11]

* *Non-conference game
* Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to the game
* All times are in Eastern time

[12]

## Roster

[edit]

1997 South Carolina Gamecocks football team roster

Players  | Coaches
Offense 74 Kevin Rolack OL 6-3 302 Jr. HS Saint George, S.C. (St.George) 78 Travis Whitfield OG 6-4 293 Sr./RS 3VL Honea-Path, S.C. (Belton-Honea Path)  | Pos. | # | Name | Class

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|
|

QB | `1` | Anthony Wright | Jr
RB | `4` | Boo Williams | So
WR | `8` | Ben Fleming |  So
WR | `9` | Kerry Hood |  So
WR | `10` | Carlos Spikes | Fr
FB | `11` | Jacob Bush | So
QB | `14` | Phil Petty | Fr
QB | `16` | Joey Unitas | Sr
QB | `17` | Victor Penn |  Fr
QB | `18` | Kevin Sides | Jr
RB | `19` | Troy Hambrick | So
WR | `21` | Zola Davis |  Jr
RB | `22` | Ryght Jordan | Fr
C | `53` | Paul Beckwith | Sr
G | `63` | Ed Hrubiec |  Sr
OL | `64` | Taylor Irvin | Fr
OL | `65` | Philip Jones | Fr
OL | `67` | Jesse Washington |  Sr
OT | `68` | Reggie Baker | Sr
OL | `69` | Todd Davis | Fr
OT | `70` | Andray Spearman |  Jr
OL | `71` | Kevin Rivers | Fr
OL | `72` | Melvin Paige | Fr
OL | `73` | Jason Thomas |  So
OL | `75` | Adam Buckley | Fr
OL | `77` | Jim Pietrzak |  Fr
OT | `79` | Jamar Nesbit | Jr
WR | `80` | Donovan Norman | So
TE | `81` | Rod Trafford | Fr
WR | `82` | Calvin Owens |  Sr
WR | `83` | Tyrance Williams |  Fr
WR | `84` | Jermale Kelly |  Fr
WR | `85` | Shah Mays |  Jr
TE | `86` | Trevon Matthews |  So
Defense 57 Errol Rochester LB 6-0 245 So./RS 1VL Miami Springs, Fla. (Miami Springs)  | Pos. | # | Name | Class

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DB | `3` | Ray Green |  So
CB | `5` | Kevin Brooks | Jr
SS | `6` | Ben Washington | Sr
FS | `12` | Arturo Freeman | Jr
DB | `20` | Willie Offord | Fr
LB | `42` | Darren Hambrick | Sr
DE | `55` | Selvesta Miller |  Sr
LB | `58` | Corey Atkins |  So
LB | `45` | James McDougald | Sr
DT | `90` | Henry Taylor | Sr
DL | `91` | John Stamper | Fr
LB | `92` | Ryan Koop | Sr
DT | `93` | Michael Maddox |  Sr
DE | `94` | Matt Marsters | So
DE | `95` | John Abraham | So
DT | `96` | Cecil Caldwell | So
DT | `97` | Trey Pennington | So
DT | `98` | Rachad Wilson | Jr
DE | `99` | Anthony Overstreet |  Fr
Special teams | Pos. | # | Name | Class

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|
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P/K | `7` | Courtney Leavitt | So
K | `15` | Steve Florio | Jr

Head coach

* Brad Scott

Coordinators/assistant coaches

* Oliver Pough
(Running backs coach)

* * *

Legend

* (C) Team captain
* (S) Suspended
* (I) Ineligible

* Injured
* Redshirt

* * *

Roster
Last update: 1998-01-28

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Gamecocks overcome Golden Knights 33–31". The Index-Journal. September 7, 1997. Retrieved July 27, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
2. ^ "USC whipped between the hedges". The Herald. September 14, 1997. Retrieved July 27, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
3. ^ "Gamecocks even a score with punchless Pirates". The News and Observer. September 21, 1997. Retrieved July 27, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
4. ^ "Gamecocks can't run, can't hide". The Charlotte Observer. September 28, 1997. Retrieved July 27, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ "Craig-led Auburn shuts door on Gamecocks, 23–6". The Courier-Journal. October 5, 1997. Retrieved July 27, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
6. ^ "USC gets it Wright; Slow start belies strong showing in 38–24 victory". The State. October 12, 1997. Retrieved July 27, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
7. ^ "Gamecocks march forward with victory over Arkansas". The Greenville News. October 19, 1997. Retrieved July 27, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
8. ^ "Turnovers end hope of upset". The Tennessean. October 26, 1997. Retrieved July 27, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
9. ^ "Vols back in control". The Jackson Sun. November 2, 1997. Retrieved July 27, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
10. ^ "Florida pulls away from Gamecocks". The Times and Democrat. November 16, 1997. Retrieved July 27, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
11. ^ "Clemson bowls over USC". The Times and Democrat. November 23, 1997. Retrieved July 27, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
12. ^ "College Football Data Warehouse". Archived from the original on September 15, 2010. Retrieved August 21, 2010.

* v
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South Carolina Gamecocks football

Venues|

* Old State Fairgrounds (1894, 1896–1898)
* Shandon Park (1895)
* College Park/Davis Field (1899–1925)
* Melton Field (1926–1934)
* Williams–Brice Stadium (1934–present)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Bowl games
* Clemson
* Georgia
* North Carolina
* Tennessee

Culture & lore|

* Spurrier
* Cocky
* "The Fighting Gamecocks Lead the Way"
* Mighty Sound of the Southeast
* "Sandstorm"
* The Brawl
* University of South Carolina steroid scandal

People|

* Head coaches
* Statistical leaders
* NFL draftees

Seasons|

* 1892
* 1893
* 1894
* 1895
* 1896
* 1897
* 1898
* 1899
* 1900
* 1901
* 1902
* 1903
* 1904
* 1905
* 1906
* 1907
* 1908
* 1909
* 1910
* 1911
* 1912
* 1913
* 1914
* 1915
* 1916
* 1917
* 1918
* 1919
* 1920
* 1921
* 1922
* 1923
* 1924
* 1925
* 1926
* 1927
* 1928
* 1929
* 1930
* 1931
* 1932
* 1933
* 1934
* 1935
* 1936
* 1937
* 1938
* 1939
* 1940
* 1941
* 1942
* 1943
* 1944
* 1945
* 1946
* 1947
* 1948
* 1949
* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
* 1956
* 1957
* 1958
* 1959
* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
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* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
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* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
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* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
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* 2003
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* 2010
* 2011
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* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
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* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

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*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
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*[Conf]: Conference record
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[No.]: Number