The 2000 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 2000 NCAA Division I-A football season . The Gamecocks were led by Lou Holtz in his second season as head coach and played their home games at Williams–Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina .
South Carolina made one of the biggest turnarounds in college football history, going from a winless season in 1999 to an eight-win campaign in 2000. Their first win of the season, against New Mexico State , snapped a 21-game losing streak which dated back to 1998 .[ 1] South Carolina's turnaround in conference play was also one of the biggest in SEC history, going from 0–8 in 1999 to 5–3 in 2000, including a victory against heavily favored No. 10 Georgia that ended the Gamecocks' SEC losing streak.[ 2] South Carolina fans tore down the goalposts at Williams–Brice Stadium on both occasions in celebration.[ 1] [ 2] Before the program's last-ever "Orange Crush" ending the regular season,[ 3] the Gamecocks were ranked No. 17, their highest ranking since 1988 .[ 4] On the first day of the 21st century , the Gamecocks defeated No. 19 Ohio State in the Outback Bowl , their first bowl appearance since 1994 and only the second bowl victory in school history.[ 5] South Carolina finished the season ranked No. 19 in the AP Poll and No. 21 in the Coaches Poll , which was only the fourth final ranking in program history.[ 4]
Date Time Opponent Rank Site TV Result Attendance Source September 2 7:00 pm New Mexico State * PPV W 31–080,814 [ 6]
September 9 3:30 pm No. 10 Georgia Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC (rivalry ) ESPN2 W 21–1083,605 [ 7]
September 16 7:00 pm Eastern Michigan * Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC PPV W 41–680,922 [ 8]
September 23 12:30 pm No. 25 Mississippi State Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC JPS /CSS W 23–1979,949 [ 9]
September 30 3:00 pm at Alabama No. 23 PPV L 17–2783,818 [ 10]
October 7 7:00 pm at Kentucky ESPN2 W 20–1769,334 [ 11]
October 14 12:30 pm Arkansas No. 24 Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC JPS W 27–781,935 [ 12]
October 21 2:00 pm at Vanderbilt No. 18 PPV W 30–1433,369 [ 13]
October 28 12:30 pm Tennessee No. 17 Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC (rivalry ) JPS L 14–1784,200 [ 14]
November 11 3:30 pm at No. 4 Florida No. 21 CBS L 21–4185,718 [ 15]
November 18 3:30 pm at No. 14 Clemson * No. 25 ABC L 14–1685,187 [ 16]
January 1 11:00 am vs. No. 18 Ohio State * ESPN W 24–765,229 [ 17]
*Non-conference game HomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time
[ 18] [ 19]
Ranking movementsLegend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked Week Poll Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Final AP — — — — — 23 — 24 18 17 22 21 25 — — — 19 Coaches Poll — — — — — 23 — 24 19 18 24 25 — — — — 21 BCS Not released — — — — — — — Not released
Lou Holtz , head coach
Skip Holtz , offensive coordinator, quarterbacks
Charlie Strong , defensive coordinator, defensive line
Dave DeGuglielmo , offensive line
John Gutekunst , defensive backs
Oliver Pough running backs
Dave Roberts , tight ends
Chris Cosh , linebackers
Todd Fitch, wide receivers
Paul Lounsberry, offensive line
^ a b "Gamecocks End Loss Streak at 21" . Washington Post . January 11, 2024. ISSN 0190-8286 . Retrieved September 30, 2024 .
^ a b "Georgia Georgia/South Carolina S. Carolina College Football recap on ESPN" . www.espn.com . Retrieved October 10, 2024 .
^ Kendall, Josh (October 29, 2014). "Orange Crush not what it used to be" . The State . Retrieved October 10, 2024 .
^ a b "South Carolina Gamecocks Poll History" . College Football at Sports-Reference.com . Retrieved October 10, 2024 .
^ "South Carolina Gamecocks Bowls" . College Football at Sports-Reference.com . Retrieved October 10, 2024 .
^ "Aggies go blank in Carolina" . Albuquerque Journal . September 3, 2000. Retrieved October 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "So. Carolina? Not So. Carolina" . The Macon Telegraph . September 10, 2000. Retrieved October 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "South Carolina overpowers EMU" . Detroit Free Press . September 17, 2000. Retrieved October 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Carolina defeats Miss. St" . Florence Morning News . September 24, 2000. Retrieved October 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Bama salvages pride by stopping S.C.'s run" . The Atlanta Journal-Constitution . October 1, 2000. Retrieved October 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Cats fall short against Gamecocks" . Messenger-Inquirer . October 8, 2000. Retrieved October 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Gamecocks go bowling" . The Montgomery Advertiser . October 15, 2000. Retrieved October 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Gamecocks run wild, top Vandy" . Anderson Independent-Mail . October 22, 2000. Retrieved October 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Oh Henry! Vols rally past USC" . The Index-Journal . October 29, 2000. Retrieved October 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Gator fans thinking Orange" . Pensacola News Journal . November 12, 2000. Retrieved October 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Tigers win thriller" . The Herald . November 19, 2000. Retrieved October 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Buckeyes bashed; Snubbed Brewer gets the last laugh" . The Akron Beacon Journal . January 2, 2001. Retrieved October 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "2000 South Carolina Gamecocks Schedule and Results" . SR/College Football . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 20, 2024 .
^ "2000 NCAA Football Statistics (South Carolina)" . National Collegiate Athletic Association . Retrieved October 20, 2024 .