The 2001 South Carolina Gamecocks

South Carolina Gamecocks

The University of South Carolina's 19 varsity sports teams are known as the "Gamecocks". The unique moniker is held in honor of Thomas Sumter, a South Carolina war hero who was given the name "The Carolina Gamecock" during the American Revolution for his fierce fighting tactics, regardless of his...

 football team represented the University of South Carolina

University of South Carolina

The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...

 in the Southeastern Conference

Southeastern Conference

The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...

. The Gamecocks were led by Lou Holtz

Lou Holtz

Louis Leo "Lou" Holtz is a retired American football coach, and active sportscaster, author, and motivational speaker in the United States...

 in his third season as USC head coach, and played their home games in Williams-Brice Stadium

Williams-Brice Stadium

Williams-Brice Stadium is the home football stadium for the South Carolina Gamecocks, the college football team representing the University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina...

 in Columbia, SC.

Carolina followed up one of the biggest turnarounds in college football history in 2000 with another successful season in 2001. The season was also notable in that the USC–Mississippi State game on September 20 was the first Division I-A game played following the September 11

September 11, 2001 attacks

The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...

 terrorist attacks. On January 1, 2002, the Gamecocks defeated Ohio State

2001 Ohio State Buckeyes football team

The 2001 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the college football season of 2001-2002. It marked their first season under new head coach Jim Tressel. The Buckeyes compiled a 7–5 record, capped by a 26–20 victory over their fierce rival the Michigan...

 in the 2002 Outback Bowl

2002 Outback Bowl

The 2002 edition to the Outback Bowl featured the South Carolina Gamecocks, and the Ohio State Buckeyes. South Carolina had blown out Ohio State in the previous year's game, 24-7....

 in Tampa, Florida, and finished the season ranked #13 in both the AP and Coaches' Polls.

Schedule

The November 10 game played host to ESPN's College Gameday

College GameDay

College GameDay is an ESPN entertainment show previewing college football games. It first aired in 1987 with Tim Brando as host and Lee Corso and Beano Cook as commentators. Beginning more-or-less as a report on college football games, the show would undergo a radical transformation beginning in...

, a first for the program.

Coaching staff

• Lou Holtz
  Lou Holtz
  Louis Leo "Lou" Holtz is a retired American football coach, and active sportscaster, author, and motivational speaker in the United States...
  
  - Head Coach
• - Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
• - Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs
• - Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line
• - Recruiting Coordinator/Linebackers
• - Running Backs
• - Tight Ends
• - Defensive Line
• - Wide Receivers
• - Outside Linebackers
• - Defensive Video Graduate Assistant
• - Defensive Graduate Assistant
• - Offensive Graduate Assistant
• - Offensive Video Graduate Assistant