2001 South Carolina Gamecocks football team

2001 South Carolina Gamecocks football
Outback Bowl champion
Outback Bowl, W 31–28 vs. Ohio State
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
DivisionEastern Division
Ranking
CoachesNo. 13
APNo. 13
Record9–3 (5–3 SEC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorSkip Holtz (3rd season)
Offensive schemeSpread
Defensive coordinatorCharlie Strong (3rd season)
Home stadiumWilliams-Brice Stadium (c. 80,250, grass)
Seasons
← 2000
2002 →
2001 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Eastern Division
No. 4 Tennessee x   7 1     11 2  
No. 3 Florida  %   6 2     10 2  
No. 13 South Carolina   5 3     9 3  
No. 22 Georgia   5 3     8 4  
Kentucky   1 7     2 9  
Vanderbilt   0 8     2 9  
Western Division
No. 7 LSU xy$   5 3     10 3  
Auburn x   5 3     7 5  
Ole Miss   4 4     7 4  
Alabama   4 4     7 5  
Arkansas   4 4     7 5  
Mississippi State   2 6     3 8  
Championship: LSU 31, Tennessee 20
  • $ – BCS representative as conference champion
  • % – BCS at-large representative
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2001 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Gamecocks were led by Lou Holtz in his third season as head coach, and played their home games in Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina.

South Carolina followed up one of the biggest turnarounds in college football history in 2000 with another successful season in 2001. South Carolina's game on September 20 against Mississippi State was the first NCAA Division I-A game played following the September 11 attacks.[1] Just over a week later, South Carolina defeated Alabama for the first time in program history, resulting in fans rushing the field.[2][3] By early October, the Gamecocks were 5–0 and ranked No. 9 in the AP Poll, their highest ranking since 1988.[4] On January 1, 2002, the Gamecocks defeated Ohio State in the 2002 Outback Bowl in Tampa, Florida, finishing the season with a record of 9–3 and ranked No. 13 in both the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll. The final win total and final ranking were both the second highest in school history until then.[5][6]

  1. ^ Cleveland, Rick (September 12, 2021). "Sept. 20, 2001: When football was played and patriotism broke out". Mississippi Today. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  2. ^ "The last time every SEC team rushed the field". Saturday Down South. August 26, 2016. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  3. ^ "Winsipedia - South Carolina Gamecocks vs. Alabama Crimson Tide football series history". Winsipedia. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  4. ^ "South Carolina Gamecocks Poll History". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  5. ^ "South Carolina Gamecocks College Football History, Stats, Records". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  6. ^ "South Carolina Gamecocks Poll History". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved June 6, 2024.