1971 South Carolina Gamecocks football team

1971 South Carolina Gamecocks football
ConferenceIndependent
Record6–5
Head coach
CaptainDickie Harris
Home stadiumCarolina Stadium
Seasons
← 1970
1972 →
1971 NCAA University Division independents football records
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 5 Penn State     11 1 0
Boston College     9 2 0
No. 17 Houston     9 3 0
No. 13 Notre Dame     8 2 0
Utah State     8 3 0
Florida State     8 4 0
Cincinnati     7 4 0
West Virginia     7 4 0
Temple     6 2 1
Air Force     6 4 0
Army     6 4 0
Colgate     6 4 0
Villanova     6 4 1
South Carolina     6 5 0
Southern Miss     6 5 0
Georgia Tech     6 6 0
New Mexico State     5 5 1
Northern Illinois     5 5 1
Syracuse     5 5 1
Dayton     5 6 0
Holy Cross     4 6 0
Miami (FL)     4 7 0
Rutgers     4 7 0
Virginia Tech     4 7 0
Navy     3 8 0
Pittsburgh     3 8 0
Tulane     3 8 0
Marshall     2 8 0
Xavier     1 9 0
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1971 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina as an independent in the 1971 NCAA University Division football season. Led by sixth-year head coach Paul Dietzel, the Gamecocks compiled a record of 6–5. The team played home games at Carolina Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina.

After competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) from its founding in 1953 through the spring of 1971, South Carolina withdrew due to a disagreement with the ACC's desire to strengthen its academic requirements. The Gamecocks honored existing contracts with the seven remaining ACC schools for the 1971 season.