| 2004 South Carolina Gamecocks football | |
|---|---|
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| Conference | Southeastern Conference |
| Eastern Division | |
| Record | 6–5 (4–4 SEC) |
| Head coach |
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| Offensive coordinator | Skip Holtz (6th season) |
| Defensive coordinator | Rick Minter (1st season) |
| Home stadium | Williams-Brice Stadium |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 13 Tennessee x | 7 | – | 1 | 10 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 7 Georgia | 6 | – | 2 | 10 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Florida | 4 | – | 4 | 7 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Carolina | 4 | – | 4 | 6 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kentucky | 1 | – | 7 | 2 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vanderbilt | 1 | – | 7 | 2 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Western Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 2 Auburn x$ | 8 | – | 0 | 13 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 16 LSU | 6 | – | 2 | 9 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alabama | 3 | – | 5 | 6 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arkansas | 3 | – | 5 | 5 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ole Miss | 3 | – | 5 | 4 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mississippi State | 2 | – | 6 | 3 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Championship: Auburn 38, Tennessee 28 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2004 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Gamecocks were led by Lou Holtz in his sixth and final season as head coach and played their home games in Williams–Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina. They finished the season with a 6–5 record.[1]
Senior Dondrial Pinkins and sophomore Syvelle Newton shared the quarterback position.[2][3] Wide receiver Troy Williamson became a focal point of the offense, nearly doubling his production.[4] Free safety Ko Kimpson was named the SEC Freshman of the Year.[5]
Holtz had privately indicated in the summer that the upcoming season might be his last.[6] The Gamecocks started the season somewhat successfully, with five wins and two close conference losses.[1] However, to Holtz's surprise,[6] the Gamecocks then played poorly against No. 12 Tennessee at home, the first of three losses in South Carolina's final four games.[1][6] During the two weeks between the losses to Tennessee and Florida, in secret, Holtz informed the athletics department that it would be his last season and former Florida head coach Steve Spurrier agreed to replace him.[6]
Two days before the regular season finale against archrival Clemson, Holtz informed his players of his decision.[7] Down 7–29 against the Tigers near the end of the fourth quarter, a fight broke out between the two teams.[8] Although they had their first winning season since 2001,[9] South Carolina declined to accept a bowl bid due to the team's involvement in the brawl, marking the first time the school had declined a bowl bid since 1990.[8] Over the next several days, Holtz retired from coaching after 44 years and Spurrier was introduced as the next head coach at South Carolina.[10][11]
- ^ a b c "2004 South Carolina Gamecocks Schedule and Results". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
- ^ "Gamecocks Win!". wltx.com. September 25, 2004. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
- ^ "Gamecocks Roll Past South Florida, 34-3". University of South Carolina Athletics. September 18, 2004. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
- ^ Rosa, Poch de la (October 13, 2021). "What Happened To Troy Williamson? (Complete Story)". Pro Football History. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
- ^ "Ko Simpson named SEC Freshman of the Year". 247Sports. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
- ^ a b c d Spear, Bob (July 29, 2016). "How Steve Spurrier became a Gamecock". The State. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
- ^ Iacobelli, Pete. "Holtz to retire after season, Spurrier on tap to replace him". Gadsden Times. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
- ^ a b "Both South Carolina and Clemson opt out of bowl games due to brawl". WIS News. November 20, 2004. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "South Carolina Gamecocks College Football History, Stats, Records". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
- ^ "Lou Holtz Announces Retirement From Coaching". University of South Carolina Athletics. November 22, 2004. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
- ^ "Steve Spurrier Announced as New Head Football Coach at South Carolina". University of South Carolina Athletics. November 23, 2004. Retrieved October 15, 2024.