2012 South Carolina Gamecocks football team

2012 South Carolina Gamecocks football
Palmetto Bowl champion
Outback Bowl, W 33–28 vs. Michigan
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
DivisionEast Division
Ranking
CoachesNo. 7
APNo. 8
Record11–2 (6–2 SEC)
Head coach
Co-offensive coordinators
Offensive schemeMultiple
Defensive coordinatorLorenzo Ward (1st season)
Base defense4–2–5
Home stadiumWilliams-Brice Stadium
2012 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Eastern Division
No. T–5 Georgia xy   7 – 1     12 – 2  
No. 9 Florida x%   7 – 1     11 – 2  
No. 8   6 – 2     11 – 2  
No. 23 Vanderbilt   5 – 3     9 – 4  
Missouri   2 – 6     5 – 7  
Tennessee   1 – 7     5 – 7  
Kentucky   0 – 8     2 – 10  
Western Division
No. 1 Alabama x$#   7 – 1     13 – 1  
No. 14 LSU *   6 – 2     10 – 3  
No. T–5 Texas A&M   6 – 2     11 – 2  
Mississippi State   4 – 4     8 – 5  
Ole Miss *   3 – 5     7 – 6  
Arkansas   2 – 6     4 – 8  
Auburn   0 – 8     3 – 9  
Championship: Alabama 32, Georgia 28
  • # – BCS National Champion
  • $ – BCS representative as conference champion
  • % – BCS at-large representative
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • * Ole Miss and LSU vacated all wins due to NCAA violations.
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2012 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Gamecocks were led by eighth-year head coach Steve Spurrier and played their home games at Williams–Brice Stadium. They were a member of the East Division of the Southeastern Conference. The season finished with 11–2, 6–2 in SEC to finish in third place in the East Division.

South Carolina started the season 6–0, capped off by a blowout win over No. 5 Georgia at home.[1] By this point, the Gamecocks were on a school-record ten-game winning streak dating back to last season and were subsequently ranked No. 3 in the country.[1][2] This was the program's highest ranking since 1984,[3] and the 2012 Gamecocks began receiving comparisons to that 1984 team, which started 9–0 and came close to winning a national championship.[2] This ten-game winning streak and No. 3 ranking in 2012 has not been matched or surpassed by the program since.[3] Back-to-back losses on the road to top-10 opponents (No. 9 LSU and No. 3 Florida) sent South Carolina plummeting in the rankings and out of national championship contention.[1] The Gamecocks rebounded, winning the rest of their games in the regular season, including against archrival No. 12 Clemson.[1] They were invited to the Outback Bowl, where the Gamecocks defeated No. 19 Michigan 33–28 by a game-winning touchdown with eleven seconds remaining in the game.[4] South Carolina finished the season with eleven wins and ranked in the top ten for only the second time in school history.[5]

Sophomore defensive end Jadeveon Clowney emerged as the best defensive player in college football.[6] Clowney had thirteen sacks and 23.5 tackles for loss, both school records.[7] He won the Ted Hendricks Award and finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting.[8][9] Clowney was a unanimous All-American, only the second in program history.[7] He won the ESPY Award for best play of the sporting year for his Outback Bowl tackle on Michigan running back Vincent Smith,[10] since regarded as one of the greatest plays in college football history.[11][12][13]

Due to their talent, win total, famous moments, only losses coming against top-10 teams, wins over three ranked teams, dominant win over a top-5 team, and thirteenth-ranked defense, the 2012 Gamecocks have often been considered the greatest team in program history.[14][15][16]

Preseason

On April 14, 2012, the Black squad defeated the Garnet squad, 38–24, in the annual Garnet & Black Spring Game, in front of a crowd of 34,513. Quarterback Connor Shaw finished the day 6–7 for 128 yards and two touchdowns for the Black team, while Garnet QB Dylan Thompson was 15–20 for 168 yards and a rushing touchdown.[17]

Schedule

The October 6 game against Georgia played host to ESPN's College GameDay, the school's sixth time hosting the popular ESPN show.[18]

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
August 307:00 pmat VanderbiltNo. 9
ESPNW 17–1338,393
September 812:21 pmEast Carolina*No. 9
SECNW 48–1077,006
September 157:00 pmUAB*No. 8
  • Williams-Brice Stadium
  • Columbia, SC
SECRNW 49–677,963
September 223:30 pmMissouriNo. 7
  • Williams-Brice Stadium
  • Columbia, SC
CBSW 31–1080,836
September 297:00 pmat KentuckyNo. 6
ESPN2W 38–1749,810
October 67:00 pmNo. 5 GeorgiaNo. 6
ESPNW 35–785,199‡
October 138:00 pmat No. 9 LSUNo. 3
ESPNL 21–23 ‡92,734
October 203:30 pmat No. 3 FloridaNo. 9
CBSL 11–4490,833
October 2712:00 pmTennesseeNo. 17
  • Williams-Brice Stadium
  • Columbia, SC (rivalry)
ESPNW 38–3580,250
November 1012:00 pmArkansasNo. 12
  • Williams-Brice Stadium
  • Columbia, SC
CBSW 38–2078,772
November 171:00 pmWofford*No. 12
  • Williams-Brice Stadium
  • Columbia, SC
PPVW 24–779,982
November 247:00 pmat No. 12 Clemson*No. 13
ESPNW 27–1784,513
January 11:00 pmvs. No. 19 Michigan*No. 11
ESPNW 33–2854,527

[19]

  • ‡ New Williams–Brice Stadium Attendance Record

‡ As part of their penalty for NCAA violations, LSU has retroactively vacated its 2012 victory over South Carolina. However, the penalty to vacate victories does not result in a loss (or forfeiture) of the affected game or award a victory to the opponent, therefore South Carolina still considers the game a loss in their official records.[20]

Game summaries

Vanderbilt

See also: 2012 Vanderbilt Commodores football team
Team 1 234Total
• #9 South Carolina 7 307 17
Vanderbilt 0 1030 13
  • Date: August 30
  • Location: Nashville, Tennessee
  • Game start: 6:01 pm
  • Elapsed time: 3:15
  • Game attendance: 38,393
  • Game weather: 86, Partly Cloudy
  • Referee: Matt Austin
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Rece Davis (play-by-play), David Pollack and Jesse Palmer (color), Samantha Steele (sideline)

East Carolina

See also: 2012 East Carolina Pirates football team
Team 1 234Total
East Carolina 0 037 10
• #9 South Carolina 14 71413 48
  • Date: September 8
  • Location: Columbia, South Carolina
  • Game start: 12:21 pm
  • Elapsed time: 3:19
  • Game attendance: 77,006
  • Game weather: 88, Sunny
  • Referee: Wayne Winkler
  • TV announcers (SEC Network): Dave Neal (play-by-play), Andre Ware (color), Cara Capuano (sideline)

UAB

See also: 2012 UAB Blazers football team
Team 1 234Total
UAB 3 300 6
• #8 South Carolina 7 141414 49
  • Date: September 15
  • Location: Columbia, South Carolina
  • Game start: 7:08 pm
  • Elapsed time: 3:22
  • Game attendance: 77,963
  • Game weather: 84, Fair
  • Referee: Ken Williamson
  • Television network: FSN

Missouri

See also: 2012 Missouri Tigers football team
Team 1 234Total
Missouri 0 307 10
• #7 South Carolina 0 2173 31
  • Date: September 22
  • Location: Columbia, South Carolina
  • Game start: 3:39 pm
  • Elapsed time: 3:02
  • Game attendance: 80,836
  • Game weather: 88, Fair
  • Referee: Matt Loeffler
  • TV announcers (CBS): Verne Lundquist (play-by-play), Gary Danielson (color), Tracy Wolfson (sideline)

Kentucky

See also: 2012 Kentucky Wildcats football team
Team 1 234Total
• #6 South Carolina 0 71417 38
Kentucky 3 1400 17
  • Date: September 29
  • Location: Lexington, Kentucky
  • Game start: 7:10 pm
  • Elapsed time: 3:08
  • Game attendance: 49,810
  • Game weather: 70, Fair
  • Referee: Tom Ritter
  • TV announcers (ESPN2): Mike Patrick (play-by-play), Ed Cunningham (color), Jeannine Edwards (sideline)

Georgia

See also: 2012 Georgia Bulldogs football team
Team 1 234Total
#5 Georgia 0 007 7
• #6 South Carolina 21 077 35
  • Date: October 6
  • Location: Columbia, South Carolina
  • Game start: 7:10 pm
  • Elapsed time: 3:13
  • Game attendance: 85,199
  • Game weather: 78, Clear
  • Referee: Matt Austin
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Brent Musburger (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (color), Heather Cox (sideline)

LSU

See also: 2012 LSU Tigers football team
Team 1 234Total
#3 South Carolina 0 777 21
• #9 LSU 3 0713 23
  • Date: October 13
  • Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • Game start: 7:06 pm
  • Elapsed time: 3:27
  • Game attendance: 92,734
  • Game weather: 79 Degrees
  • Referee: Hubert Owens
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Brent Musburger (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (color), Heather Cox (sideline)

Florida

See also: 2012 Florida Gators football team
Team 1 234Total
#9 South Carolina 3 323 11
• #3 Florida 7 14167 44
  • Date: October 20
  • Location: Gainesville, Florida
  • Game start: 3:39 pm
  • Elapsed time: 3:22
  • Game attendance: 90,833
  • Game weather: 79, Sunny
  • Referee: Matt Loeffler
  • TV announcers (CBS): Verne Lundquist (play-by-play), Gary Danielson (color), Tracy Wolfson (sideline)

Tennessee

See also: 2012 Tennessee Volunteers football team
Team 1 234Total
Tennessee 7 7714 35
• #17 South Carolina 7 2173 38
  • Date: October 27
  • Location: Columbia, South Carolina
  • Game start: 12:01 pm
  • Elapsed time: 3:34
  • Game attendance: 80,250
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Dave Pasch (play-by-play), Brian Griese (color), Jenn Brown (sideline)

Arkansas

See also: 2012 Arkansas Razorbacks football team
Team 1 234Total
Arkansas 0 1037 20
• #12 South Carolina 7 14170 38
  • Date: November 10
  • Location: Columbia, South Carolina
  • Game start: 12:10 pm
  • Elapsed time: 3:26
  • Game attendance: 78,772
  • TV announcers (CBS): Tim Brando (play-by-play), Steve Beuerlein (color), Marty Snider (sideline)

Wofford

See also: 2012 Wofford Terriers football team
Team 1 234Total
Wofford 0 700 7
• #12 South Carolina 0 7017 24
  • Date: November 17
  • Location: Columbia, South Carolina
  • Game start: 1:05 pm
  • Elapsed time: 2:44
  • Game attendance: 79,982
  • Television network: PPV

at No. 11 Clemson (rivalry)

See also: 2012 Clemson Tigers football team
Game Twelve– No. 12 South Carolina Gamecocks (9-2) at No. 11 Clemson Tigers (10-1) – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
No. 12 South Carolina 7 3 10727
No. 11 Clemson 14 0 3017

at Memorial Stadium • Clemson, South Carolina

  • Date: Saturday, November 24, 2012
  • Game time: 7:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Temperature: • Wind: • Weather: Clear
  • Game attendance: 82,000
  • TV: ESPN
Game information
First quarter
  • (5:27) CLEM – Tajh Boyd 3-yard run (Chandler Catanzaro kick) (Drive: 16 plays, 85 yards, 6:14; Clemson 7-0)
  • (1:46) SC – Bruce Ellington 13-yard pass from Dylan Thompson (Adam Yates kick) (Drive: 7 plays, 63 yards, 3:41; Tied 7-7)
  • (1:22) CLEM – DeAndre Hopkins 43-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (Chandler Catanzaro kick) (Drive: 2 plays, 75 yards, 0:24; Clemson 14-7)
Second quarter
  • (2:40) SC – Adam Yates 27-yard field goal (Drive: 12 plays, 79 yards, 6:14; Clemson 14-10)
Third quarter
  • (11:48) SC – Ace Sanders 34-yard pass from Dylan Thompson (Adam Yates kick) (Drive: 10 plays, 85 yards, 3:12; South Carolina 17-14)
  • (6:56) SC – Adam Yates 43-yard field goal (Drive: 8 plays, 42 yards, 3:08; South Carolina 20-14)
  • (5:07) CLEM – Chandler Catanzaro 37-yard field goal (Drive: 6 plays, 56 yards, 1:49; South Carolina 20-17)
Fourth quarter
  • (4:17) SC – Bruce Ellington 6-yard pass from Dylan Thompson (Adam Yates kick) (Drive: 13 plays, 65 yards, 7:39; South Carolina 27-17)
Statistics SC CLEM
First downs 26 18
Total yards 86–444 59–328
Rushing yards 45–134 35–145
Passing yards 310 183
Passing: Comp–Att–Int 23–41–1 11–24–2
Time of possession 39:34 20:02
Team Category Player Statistics
South Carolina Passing Dylan Thompson 23/41, 310 yards, 3 TD, INT
Rushing Kenny Miles 16 carries, 45 yards
Receiving Ace Sanders 6 receptions, 119 yards, TD
Clemson Passing Tajh Boyd 11/24, 183 yards, TD, 2 INT
Rushing Andre Ellington 15 carries, 72 yards
Receiving Jaron Brown 3 receptions, 68 yards

Michigan

See also: 2012 Michigan Wolverines football team
Team 1 234Total
• #11 South Carolina 14 7012 33
#19 Michigan 3 1096 28
  • Date: January 1, 2013
  • Location: Tampa, Florida
  • Game start: 1:00 pm
  • Elapsed time: 3:45
  • Game attendance: 54,527
  • Referee: Jeff Maconaghy (Big East)
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Jon Gruden (color), Shannon Spake (sideline)

Players

Depth chart

Projected starters and primary backups versus Clemson on November 24, 2012.

Awards

  • Jadeveon Clowney – SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week, 9/17/12;[21] SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week, 10/1/12;[22] SEC Defensive Lineman and Co-Defensive Player of the Week, 11/26/12[23]
  • T.J. Johnson - SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week, 10/8/12[24]
  • Marcus Lattimore – SEC Offensive Player of the Week, 9/3/12[25]
  • Ace Sanders - SEC Co-Special Teams Player of the Week, 9/24/12,[26] SEC Co-Special Teams Player of the Week, 10/8/12[24]
  • Connor Shaw - SEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week, 9/24/12,[26] SEC Offensive Player of the Week, 10/29/12[27]
  • D. J. Swearinger - Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week, 11/11/12[28]

Rankings

See also: 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
Week
PollPre1234567891011121314Final
AP99876639171112121311118
Coaches99986638161111111210107
HarrisNot released3716111111121010Not released
BCSNot released713889121010Not released

Coaching staff

  • Steve Spurrier – Head coach[29]
  • Lorenzo Ward – Defensive coordinator[30]
  • Kirk Botkin - Linebackers, spurs coach[31]
  • Grady Brown - Secondary coach, assistant special teams coordinator[32]
  • Shawn Elliott – Co-offensive coordinator, offensive line coach[33]
  • Brad Lawing – Defensive line coach[34]
  • G. A. Mangus – Quarterbacks coach[35]
  • Joe Robinson - Special teams coordinator, tight ends coach[36]
  • Everette Sands - Running backs coach[37]
  • Steve Spurrier Jr. – Recruiting coordinator, wide receivers coach[38]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "2012 South Carolina Gamecocks Schedule and Results". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Gillespie, Bob (October 9, 2012). "1984 team, 2012 Gamecocks have a lot in common". The State. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "South Carolina Gamecocks Poll History". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  4. ^ "South Carolina 33-28 Michigan (Jan 1, 2013) Game Recap". ESPN. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  5. ^ "South Carolina Gamecocks College Football History, Stats, Records". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  6. ^ "Ask 5: Is Clowney top defensive prospect in last decade?". NFL.com. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Jadeveon Clowney". University of South Carolina Athletics. June 22, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  8. ^ "South Carolina's Clowney wins Hendricks Award". wltx.com. December 5, 2012. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  9. ^ "Low: Clowney has lived up to the hype". ESPN.com. December 31, 2012. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  10. ^ "The Hit lives on: Clowney wins ESPY for play of the year". The State. July 17, 2013. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  11. ^ "Jadeveon Clowney wins ESPY for 'Best Play'". wistv.com. July 18, 2013. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  12. ^ Kirshner, Alex (January 8, 2020). "84 plays that defined 2010s college football". Banner Society. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  13. ^ "The top 10 defensive college football plays of all time - ESPN Video". ESPN.com. October 10, 2019. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  14. ^ "Ranking the top 10 Gamecock teams of all time". The State. January 9, 2013. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  15. ^ "South Carolina Football's GOAT Series: Top-10 greatest Gamecock football seasons of all-time". Garnet and Cocky. May 12, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  16. ^ "5 best seasons in South Carolina history". Saturday Down South. May 11, 2016. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  17. ^ Black Defeats Garnet in Spring Game
  18. ^ ESPN's GameDay is Coming To Our City
  19. ^ SEC 2012 TV Schedule Archived July 23, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Matt Sarz Sports, retrieved April 12, 2012
  20. ^ Low, Chris (June 16, 2009). "What does vacating wins really mean?". ESPN.com. Retrieved March 7, 2012.
  21. ^ Clowney Named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week
  22. ^ Clowney Honored by SEC
  23. ^ Clowney Honored by SEC
  24. ^ a b Johnson and Sanders Honored by SEC
  25. ^ "Lattimore Named SEC Offensive Player of the Week". Archived from the original on September 8, 2012. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
  26. ^ a b Shaw and Sanders Receive SEC Honors
  27. ^ Shaw Named SEC Offensive Player of the Week
  28. ^ Swearinger Named National Defensive Player of the Week
  29. ^ "Bio: Steve Spurrier". Archived from the original on December 23, 2008. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
  30. ^ "Bio: Lorenzo Ward". Archived from the original on October 8, 2009. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
  31. ^ Bio: Kirk Botkin
  32. ^ Bio: Grady Brown
  33. ^ Bio: Shawn Elliott
  34. ^ "Bio: Brad Lawing". Archived from the original on December 25, 2008. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
  35. ^ "Bio: G.A. Mangus". Archived from the original on October 8, 2009. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
  36. ^ Bio: Joe Robinson
  37. ^ Bio: Everette Sands
  38. ^ "Bio: Steve Spurrier, Jr". Archived from the original on October 1, 2011. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
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