1984 South Carolina Gamecocks football team

1984 South Carolina Gamecocks football
1984 South Carolina Gamecocks football
Gator Bowl, L 14–21 vs. Oklahoma State
Conference	Independent
Ranking
Coaches	No. 13
AP	No. 11
Record	10–2
Head coach	Joe Morrison (2nd season);
Offensive coordinator	Frank Sadler (2nd season)
Defensive coordinator	Tom Gadd (2nd season)
Home stadium	Williams–Brice Stadium
	Seasons ← 1983 1985 →

1984 NCAA Division I-A independents football records
v t e	Conf					Overall
Team	W		L		T	W		L		T
No. 5 Boston College		–		–		10	–	2	–	0
No. 11 South Carolina		–		–		10	–	2	–	0
Army		–		–		8	–	3	–	1
Rutgers		–		–		7	–	3	–	0
No. 17 Florida State		–		–		7	–	3	–	2
Virginia Tech		–		–		8	–	4	–	0
West Virginia		–		–		8	–	4	–	0
No. 18 Miami (FL)		–		–		8	–	5	–	0
Notre Dame		–		–		7	–	5	–	0
Southwestern Louisiana		–		–		6	–	5	–	0
Penn State		–		–		6	–	5	–	0
Syracuse		–		–		6	–	5	–	0
Temple		–		–		6	–	5	–	0
Memphis State		–		–		5	–	5	–	1
Navy		–		–		4	–	6	–	1
Southern Miss		–		–		4	–	7	–	0
Pittsburgh		–		–		3	–	7	–	1
Tulane		–		–		3	–	8	–	0
Cincinnati		–		–		2	–	9	–	0
East Carolina		–		–		2	–	9	–	0
Louisville		–		–		2	–	9	–	0

Rankings from AP Poll

The 1984 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina as an independent during the 1984 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by second-year head coach Joe Morrison, the 1984 Gamecocks enjoyed a phenomenal and competitive season. The 1984 squad became the first team in school history to win 10 games (with a 10–2 record) and were ranked as high as No. 2 in the polls before losing to an unranked Navy team by a score of 38–21 in the tenth game of the season. Along the way, they defeated Georgia, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Florida State, and Clemson to earn an appearance in the Gator Bowl against Oklahoma State, losing by a score of 21–14.

The Gamecocks finished No. 11 in the final AP Poll. At the time, the No. 11 final ranking was the highest ever achieved by South Carolina. It was only the second final ranking in school history, and the first since 1958. Joe Morrison won the Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award. The peak ranking of No. 2 remains the highest in school history.^[1]^[2]

The team was nicknamed "Black Magic" due to their success and their distinctive black jerseys.^[3]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Source
September 8	The Citadel		Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC		W 31–24	71,200	^[4]
September 22	Duke		Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC		W 21–0	68,300	^[5]
September 29	No. 12 Georgia		Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC (rivalry)		W 17–10	74,325	^[6]
October 6	Kansas State		Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC		W 49–17	67,200	^[7]
October 13	Pittsburgh	No. 17	Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC	KATZ Sports	W 45–21	73,100	^[8]
October 20	at Notre Dame	No. 11	Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN	ESPN	W 36–32	59,075	^[9]
October 27	East Carolina	No. 9	Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC		W 42–20	73,800	^[10]
November 3	at NC State	No. 5	Carter–Finley Stadium Raleigh, NC		W 35–28	46,200	^[11]
November 10	No. 11 Florida State	No. 5	Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC	ABC	W 38–26	75,000	^[12]
November 17	at Navy	No. 2	Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium Annapolis, MD	HTS	L 21–38	27,234	^[13]
November 24	at Clemson	No. 9	Memorial Stadium Clemson, SC (rivalry)	Raycom Sports	W 22–21	80,500	^[14]
December 28	vs. No. 9 Oklahoma State	No. 7	Gator Bowl Stadium Jacksonville, FL (Gator Bowl)	ABC	L 14–21	82,138	^[15]
Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

^[16]

References

^ "South Carolina Gamecocks Poll History". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
^ Archives, L. A. Times (February 6, 1989). "Morrison, 52, Dies of Heart Attack : South Carolina Coach, Ex-Giant Star Collapses After Racquetball Game". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
^ "Will Muschamp explains when South Carolina will wear its 'Black Magic' throwback uniforms". Saturday Down South. August 27, 2019. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
^ "USC escapes 'Dogs". Florence Morning News. September 9, 1984. Retrieved January 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "South Carolina shuts Duke down". The Danville Register. September 23, 1984. Retrieved January 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Gamecocks trip Georgia, 17–10". The Index-Journal. September 30, 1984. Retrieved November 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "South Carolina pounds defenseless Kansas State 49–17". The Kansas City Star. October 7, 1984. Retrieved January 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "S.C. pummels Pittsburgh". Anderson Independent-Mail. October 14, 1984. Retrieved January 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Late burst lifts South Carolina by Notre Dame". St. Petersburg Times. October 21, 1984. Retrieved January 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Gamecocks rout East Carolina". The Charlotte Observer. October 28, 1984. Retrieved March 5, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "South Carolina rallies for win". Tallahassee Democrat. November 4, 1984. Retrieved January 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "USC rolls past Seminoles, 38–26". The Sun-News. November 11, 1984. Retrieved January 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Middies stun No. 2 S. Carolina". The Baltimore Sun. November 18, 1984. Retrieved January 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
^ David Talley (November 25, 1984). "Gamecocks break Death Valley drought". The Index-Journal. pp. 1D, 3D – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Late score lifts Oklahoma State". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. December 29, 1984. Retrieved January 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "1984 Football Schedule". Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 27, 2017.