2012 South Carolina Gamecocks football team

2012 South Carolina Gamecocks football
Outback Bowl Champions
Outback Bowl vs. Michigan, W 33–28
Conference	Southeastern Conference Eastern Division
Ranking
Coaches	#7
AP	#8
2012 record	11–2 (6–2 SEC)
Head coach	Steve Spurrier (8th year)
Co-offensive coordinator	Steve Spurrier Jr. (1st as Co OC, 8th overall year)
Co-offensive coordinator	Shawn Elliot (1st as OC, 3rd overall year)
Offensive scheme	Multiple
Defensive coordinator	Lorenzo Ward (1st as DC, 4th overall year)
Base defense	4–2–5
Home stadium	Williams-Brice Stadium (Capacity: 80,250)

2012 SEC football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
Eastern Division
#5т Georgia xy		7	–	1					12	–	2
#9 Florida x%		7	–	1					11	–	2
#8 South Carolina		6	–	2					11	–	2
#23 Vanderbilt		5	–	3					9	–	4
Missouri		2	–	6					5	–	7
Tennessee		1	–	7					5	–	7
Kentucky		0	–	8					2	–	10
Western Division
#1 Alabama x$#		7	–	1					13	–	1
#14 LSU		6	–	2					10	–	3
#5т 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 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 Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference. The season finished with 11–2, 6–2 in SEC to finish in third place in the East Division. They were invited to the Outback Bowl, where the Gamecocks defeated Michigan 33–28 by a game-winning TD with 11 seconds remaining in the game.

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.

Schedule

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

Date	Time	Opponent#	Rank#	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 30	7:00 PM	at Vanderbilt	#9	Vanderbilt Stadium • Nashville, TN	ESPN	W 17–13	38,393
September 8	12:21 PM	East Carolina*	#9	Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, SC	SECN	W 48–10	77,006
September 15	7:00 PM	UAB*	#8	Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, SC	SECRN	W 49–6	77,963
September 22	3:30 PM	Missouri	#7	Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, SC (Battle of Columbia)	CBS	W 31–10	80,836
September 29	7:00 PM	at Kentucky	#6	Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY	ESPN2	W 38–17	49,810
October 6	7:00 PM	#5 Georgia	#6	Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, SC	ESPN	W 35–7	85,199‡
October 13	8:00 PM	at #9 LSU	#3	Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA	ESPN	L 21–23	92,734
October 20	3:30 PM	at #3 Florida	#9	Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL	CBS	L 11–44	90,833
October 27	12:00 PM	Tennessee	#17	Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, SC	ESPN	W 38–35	80,250
November 10	12:00 PM	Arkansas	#12	Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, SC	CBS	W 38–20	78,772
November 17	1:00 PM	#9 (FCS) Wofford*	#12	Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, SC	PPV	W 24–7	79,982
November 24	7:00 PM	at #12 Clemson*	#13	Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC (Battle of the Palmetto State)	ESPN	W 27–17	84,513
January 1	1:00 PM	vs. #19 Michigan*	#11	Raymond James Stadium • Tampa, FL (Outback Bowl)	ESPN	W 33–28	54,527
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll. All times are in Eastern Time.

• ‡ New Williams–Brice Stadium Attendance Record

Game notes

Vanderbilt

See also: 2012 Vanderbilt Commodores football team

1 2 3 4 Total • #9 South Carolina 7 3 0 7 17 Vanderbilt 0 10 3 0 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

1 2 3 4 Total East Carolina 0 0 3 7 10 • #9 South Carolina 14 7 14 13 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

1 2 3 4 Total UAB 3 3 0 0 6 • #8 South Carolina 7 14 14 14 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

1 2 3 4 Total Missouri 0 3 0 7 10 • #7 South Carolina 0 21 7 3 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

1 2 3 4 Total • #6 South Carolina 0 7 14 17 38 Kentucky 3 14 0 0 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

1 2 3 4 Total #5 Georgia 0 0 0 7 7 • #6 South Carolina 21 0 7 7 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

1 2 3 4 Total #3 South Carolina 0 7 7 7 21 • #9 LSU 3 0 7 13 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

1 2 3 4 Total #9 South Carolina 3 3 2 3 11 • #3 Florida 7 14 16 7 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

1 2 3 4 Total Tennessee 7 7 7 14 35 • #17 South Carolina 7 21 7 3 38 Date: October 27 Location: Columbia, South Carolina Game start: 12:01 pm Elapsed time: 3:34 Game attendance: 80,250 Television network: ESPN

Arkansas

See also: 2012 Arkansas Razorbacks football team

1 2 3 4 Total Arkansas 0 10 3 7 20 • #12 South Carolina 7 14 17 0 38 Date: November 10 Location: Columbia, South Carolina Game start: 12:10 pm Elapsed time: 3:26 Game attendance: 78,772 Television network: CBS

Wofford

See also: 2012 Wofford Terriers football team

1 2 3 4 Total Wofford 0 7 0 0 7 • #12 South Carolina 0 7 0 17 24 Date: November 17 Location: Columbia, South Carolina Game start: 1:05 pm Elapsed time: 2:44 Game attendance: 79,982 Television network: PPV

Clemson

See also: 2012 Clemson Tigers football team

1 2 3 4 Total • #13 South Carolina 7 3 10 7 27 #12 Clemson 14 0 3 0 17 Date: November 24 Location: Clemson, South Carolina Game start: 7:15 pm Elapsed time: 3:32 Game attendance: 82,000 Television network: ESPN

Michigan

See also: 2012 Michigan Wolverines football team

1 2 3 4 Total • #11 South Carolina 14 7 0 12 33 #19 Michigan 3 10 9 6 28 Date: January 1, 2013 Location: Tampa, Florida Game start: 1:00 pm Elapsed time: 3:45 Game attendance: 54,527 Television network: ESPN

Players

Depth chart

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

Defense FS D. J. Swearinger Kadetrix Marcus WLB MLB SLB ⋅ Reginald Bowens ⋅ Quin Smith Damario Jeffery ⋅ SS Brison Williams Jared Shaw CB Victor Hampton Ahmad Christian DE DT DT DE Devin Taylor Kelcy Quarles Byron Jerideau Jadeveon Clowney Aldrick Fordham J.T. Surratt Gerald Dixon, Jr. Chaz Sutton CB Akeem Auguste Jimmy Legree Offense WR Ace Sanders Nick Jones LT LG C RG RT Corey Robinson A. J. Cann T.J. Johnson Ronald Patrick Brandon Shell Brandon Shell Will Sport Kyle Harris Kaleb Broome Cody Gibson TE Justice Cunningham Rory Anderson WR Bruce Ellington Damiere Byrd QB Dylan Thompson Connor Shaw Key Reserves RB Mike Davis WR D.L. Moore WR DeAngelo Smith WR Shaq Roland WR K.J. Brent TE Jerell Adams DE Gerald Dixon LB Cedrick Cooper RB Kenny Miles Mike Davis FB Qua Gilchrist Connor McLaurin Special Teams PK Adam Yates P Tyler Hull KR Bruce Ellington PR Ace Sanders LS Walker Inabinet H Seth Strickland

Awards

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

Rankings

See also: 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
NR = Not ranked. RV = Received votes. ( ) = First place votes.

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	Final
AP	9	9	8	7	6	6	3	9	17	11	12	12	13	11	11	8
Coaches'	9	9	9	8	6	6	3	8	16	11	11	11	12	10	10	7
Harris	Not released						3	7	16	11	11	11	12	10	10	Not released
BCS	Not released							7	13	8	8	9	12	10	10	Not released

Coaching staff

• Steve Spurrier – Head Coach
• Lorenzo Ward – Defensive Coordinator
• Kirk Botkin - Linebackers/Spurs
• Grady Brown - Secondary/Assistant Special Teams Coordinator
• Shawn Elliott – Co-Offensive Coordinator/Offensive LIne
• Brad Lawing – Defensive Line
• G.A. Mangus – Quarterbacks
• Joe Robinson - Special Teams Coordinator/Tight Ends
• Everette Sands - Running Backs
• Steve Spurrier, Jr. – Recruiting Coordinator/Wide Receivers