Steve Spurrier’s South Carolina football team failed to show for the third consecutive game, getting absolutely obliterated by a middle-of-the-road Big Ten team in one of the most humiliating bowl defeats in school history.
The Iowa Hawkeyes (9-4) – representing a Big Ten Conference that was winless in three previous bowl games – flat out pounded the utterly lifeless Gamecocks en route to a 31-10 victory in the Outback Bowl in Tampa Florida.
Powered by Shonn Green’s 121 rushing yards and three touchdowns, Iowa simply beat South Carolina into submission, a tone that was set by the Hawkeyes’ game-opening, seven-and-a-half minute touchdown drive.
This was South Carolina’s second bowl loss under Spurrier, dropping his record to 1-2 in postseason games.
And believe us, people. This one was ugly, ugly, ugly.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Stephen Garcia turned the ball over on each one of South Carolina’s first three possessions, throwing two interceptions and coughing up a fumble as well.
Spurrier benched Garcia at halftime in favor of sophomore Chris Smelley, but that didn’t stop the turnovers.
After catching a Smelley pass on the first play from scrimmage of the second half, USC wide receiver Moe Brown fumbled it away, one of five turnovers on the afternoon for Spurrier’s offense.
The defeat was the third straight loss for the Gamecocks, who finished the season at 7-6.
In their final three woefully uninspiring games, the Gamecocks were defeated by a combined score of 118-30. Two of those opponents were unranked.
Of course, 2008′s disastrous finish was nothing compared to the 0-5 collapse that finished off last season, when South Carolina went from No. 6 in the nation to a 6-6 record and no bowl game.
South Carolina’s all-time record now stands at one game under .500, or 528-529-44.
Considering the fan support, amazing facilities and access to high school talent that this program has at its disposal every single year, that record is mind-bogglingly pathetic.
And frankly, just as pathetic is head coach Steve Spurrier’s 28-22 overall record in four season at USC.
We wrote an open letter to the Ol’ Ball Coach shortly before the Clempsun game this year urging him to resign if he lost to his arch-rivals for a third straight year.
He lost, but didn’t resign, choosing instead to pass the buck to his staff.
Wonder if we’ve got a few more converts after today’s God-awful showing in Tampa …
By Chris January 1, 2009 at 5:49 pm
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
By dj January 1, 2009 at 6:43 pm
Yup. USC seriously needs to look in the mirror. One of the commentators during the game said something which struck me…he said something to the effect of ” When I see a team with two QB’s it means they don’t have one QB”. The big picture in this statement is that USC does not have any leadership or any key players that can anchor and lead the team. It seemed like during the game that they had zero motivation to play! I mean really.I know it’s basically a charity bowl game but still…represent!!Bah..USC needs to look at the whole program and look at all the problems (crime,academics,recruiting, etc.) that are affecting it and revamp, rebuild, whatever it takes to come back. It was a disappointing end to the season…but yet who didn’t think it would turn out this way?
By JustWondern January 1, 2009 at 7:15 pm
So much talent and so little ability to coach it.
By Granny January 1, 2009 at 7:47 pm
Mmmm…Those Yankee Corn Pokes will be lovin’ those boiled beans right about now.
Did you forget Willie? Where are them FITS Gals?!?
By Harry January 1, 2009 at 8:26 pm
It is the Chicken Curse…what about the curse do you guys not understand?
It is the CURSE!
By Old Bike Dude January 1, 2009 at 8:46 pm
Why does Steve Spurrier hate the Gamecocks?
By Sic of Spurrier..... January 1, 2009 at 11:12 pm
I could say I told you so, but that would be redundant. Spurrier coaches by being down on his players. In every interview, he talks like his players are horrid. What kind of motivation is that? Nope, he wrecked the Skins, and he is doing the same thing here….. Leadership starts at the top, and we don’t have any…. Curse? Yes we have one, but it isn’t from the chicken…..
By Todd January 1, 2009 at 11:41 pm
“Middle of the road Big Ten team”? Get REAL! You guys got EMBARASSED today by a team who outplayed you, outhustled you, and more embarassingly you got OUTCOACHED by one of the nation’s premier coaches, Kirk Ferentz.
Keep talking smack..please… We’re laughing all the way back to Iowa tonight because you guys are so deluded into thinking you’re a “powerhouse”.
You guys wouldnt have won 3 games in the Big Ten playing like that this year..
By James the Foot Soldier January 1, 2009 at 11:52 pm
Face the facts: Eeking out wins over Mississippi and Kentuck hardly qualifies a program as New Years Day worthy. The only reason the GameCOCKS were even in a bowl game was because Arkansas and Tennessee were having down years. Once those programs get back on track getting to 7 wins will be impossible unless we replace the LSU game with the vaunted Louisiana-Lafayette School of Barbiology and Cosmetology and Georgia with the Georgia Preparatory Academy.
Here’s a thought outside the box – quit scheduling cream-puff games like UAB and Wofford and play REAL schools ALL the time – especially since next year there will be an added “donation” (a.k.a. extortion) for the poor GameCOCK faithful to get to see such stellar displays of football talent.
My nomination to start this new tradition would be a home and home series with Oregon State University – if for no other reason than the sheer fun of marketing such a contest!
GO BEAVERS!!!! :)
By Tradd January 2, 2009 at 12:32 am
Fire him. Fire that f-ing redneck fing NOW.
By fitsnews January 2, 2009 at 11:57 am
Todd-
Put the HGH down for a second and chill … did you not read the article? Of course South Carolina is not a powerhouse. They never have been. We’ve been saying that for years.
All we said is that you guys were a middle of the road Big Ten team, which judging from your 4-4 conference record is obviously the case.
Chill the eff out, dude. You’re giving your school a bad name.
-FITS
By Grant Young January 2, 2009 at 11:59 am
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I like this headline better…
“HAWKS ROCKED THOSE ‘COCKS OUT!”
By tigerfan January 2, 2009 at 12:10 pm
“Steve Spurrier’s South Carolina football team failed to show for the third consecutive game, getting absolutely obliterated by a middle-of-the-road Big Ten team in one of the most humiliating bowl defeats in school history.”
You give the gamecocks too much grief here. There were many other defeats that made this one look “normal”.
Let’s face it, the Gamecocks are still below .500 as a team for the last 100+ years. Why do they even field a football team. To be a consistent loser is sad. I know my Tigers lost yesterday, but at least it was a game.
Happy New Year!
By the old ball sack January 2, 2009 at 1:09 pm
The “Ole Ball Sack” got it handed to him again. He signed all them boys except a handful left over from Lou “33-37″ Holtz.
Except for the fact that they can’t block – 42 yards rushing, can’t tackle – the Green guy got about 130 yards and can’t play defensive line, they are a solid team.
Solidly stinking.
Not to mention that your leading tackler for two years missess the game because he didn’t go to class since September; READ Punk, the starting QB has been arrested about 3 times, has an illigetimate child – as do so many others, and has never made a spring training; READ Punk, the rest of the defense thinks they are NFL caliber; READ: On Crack.
How much more of this crap can you guys put up with?
There is not a single hitter on the offensive linle; READ: Poorly Coached.
This is a horribly-coached team. When you make that many mistakes, it’s coaching. Period.
By Gen. Longstreet January 2, 2009 at 6:28 pm
That Steve Spurrier fella reminds me a whole lot of Bobby Lee. Always someone else’s fault, isn’t that right, Bobby?
By USC Fan January 3, 2009 at 10:04 am
USC can’t recruit therefore won’t win
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