2013 South Carolina Gamecocks football team

The 2013 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina in the 2013 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Gamecocks competed as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) as part of its East Division. The team was led by head coach Steve Spurrier, in his ninth year, and played its home games at Williams–Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina.

Entering the season, the Gamecocks had lost a school-record thirteen players to the last two NFL drafts, but returned several key players such as senior quarterback Connor Shaw, defensive sensation Jadeveon Clowney, wide receiver Bruce Ellington, and running back Mike Davis. South Carolina started highly ranked, like the previous two seasons, but lost an early contest on the road at No. 11 Georgia, the program's first loss to the Bulldogs since 2009. The Gamecocks won their next four games but then stumbled again, losing on the road to unranked Tennessee, the program's first loss to an unranked team since 2011. They subsequently fell to No. 20 in the country, their lowest ranking since 2010.

However, South Carolina had its best finish to a season in program history. On the road at undefeated No. 5 Missouri, the Gamecocks started 0–17. An injured Connor Shaw subsequently came in to replace Dylan Thompson, and engineered a 17-point comeback in the fourth quarter to send the game to overtime. South Carolina won in double overtime after Missouri's kicker missed a field goal, giving the Gamecocks the first overtime victory in school history, known since as the "Miracle at Mizzou". The Gamecocks won the next three games at home against unranked teams, climbing back into the top ten. In the highest-ranked Palmetto Bowl ever, South Carolina beat No. 6 Clemson at home, a school-record fifth consecutive victory against the Tigers. Connor Shaw won his final home game, finishing 17–0 at Williams–Brice Stadium. South Carolina was invited to play No. 19 Wisconsin in the Capital One Bowl to end the season. The Gamecocks defeated the Badgers, with Shaw scoring all five of his team's touchdowns in the final game of his college career. South Carolina finished with eleven wins, becoming only the twelfth team in college football history to win eleven games in three straight seasons. The Gamecocks finished the season ranked No. 4, which remains the highest final ranking in school history.

The 2013 Gamecocks had statistically the best offense in school history, averaging 34.1 points and a school-record 452.3 yards per game. Connor Shaw was a semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien Award, while Mike Davis had the fourth highest single-season rushing total in school history.

Schedule

Source:

Players

Depth chart

Projected starters and primary backups versus Mississippi State on November 2, 2013.

Awards

A.J. Cann – SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week, 9/30/13
Mike Davis – AgSouth Athlete of the Week, 9/30/13
Elliott Fry – SEC Special Teams Player of the Week, 10/28/13; SEC Freshman of the Week, 11/18/13
Victor Hampton – SEC Defensive Player of the Week, 11/4/13
Kelcy Quarles – SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week, 10/28/13
Connor Shaw – AgSouth Athlete of the Week, 9/16/13; AgSouth Athlete of the Week, 10/28/13; Davey O'Brien Quarterback of the Week, 10/28/13; SEC Offensive Player of the Week, 10/28/13
Clayton Stadnik – SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week, 9/16/13