CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1980 South Carolina

8–⁠4, coached by Jim Carlen.

Schedule and results

South Carolina in 1980, game by game: won vs. Pacific 37–0; won vs. Wichita State 73–0; lost at No. 4 USC 13–23; won at No. 17 Michigan 17–14; won vs. NC State 30–10; won vs. Duke 20–7; won vs. Cincinnati 49–7; lost at No. 4 Georgia 10–13; won vs. The Citadel 45–24; won vs. Wake Forest 39–38; lost at Clemson 6–27; lost vs. No. 3 Pittsburgh 9–37+73−28Won 37–0 vs. Pacific+37PacificWon 73–0 vs. Wichita State+73Wichita StateLost 13–23 at No. 4 USC-10No. 4 USCWon 17–14 at No. 17 Michigan+3No. 17 MichiganWon 30–10 vs. NC State+20NC StateWon 20–7 vs. Duke+13DukeWon 49–7 vs. Cincinnati+42CincinnatiLost 10–13 at No. 4 Georgia-3No. 4 GeorgiaWon 45–24 vs. The Citadel+21The CitadelWon 39–38 vs. Wake Forest+1Wake ForestLost 6–27 at Clemson-21ClemsonLost 9–37 vs. No. 3 Pittsburgh-28No. 3 Pittsburgh
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below; orange marks an upset win.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 6vsPacificW 37–⁠077%
Sep 13vsWichita StateW 73–⁠082%
Sep 20at4USCL 13–⁠2324%
Sep 27at17MichiganW 17–⁠1436%
Oct 4vsNC StateW 30–⁠1062%
Oct 11vsDukeW 20–⁠786%
Oct 18vsCincinnatiW 49–⁠788%
Nov 1at4GeorgiaL 10–⁠1340%
Nov 8vsThe CitadelW 45–⁠2472%
Nov 15vsWake ForestW 39–⁠3876%
Nov 22atClemsonL 6–⁠2758%
Dec 29Bowls & playoffvs3PittsburghGator BowlL 9–⁠3726%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Pittsburgh 37–⁠9 in the Gator Bowl; unranked in the final AP poll.

In program history: The 12th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 123 on file).

AP poll, week by week

  1. Wk 3: 20
  2. Wk 5: 18
  3. Wk 6: 17
  4. Wk 7: 15
  5. Wk 8: 14
  6. Wk 9: 14
  7. Wk 10: 15
  8. Wk 11: 14
  9. Wk 12: 14
  10. Wk 13: 19
  11. Wk 14: 18
  12. Wk 15: 18

Players on this team

Before 2004 our records hold honors and the draft; these are the players whose college years here, from their Wikipedia articles or their honors, include 1980.

Led the nationGeorge Rogers: rushing yards (1,781 yds)

Heisman TrophyGeorge Rogers, RB

Consensus All-AmericanGeorge Rogers, RB

Record
8–⁠4
Conference
—
AP final
Unranked peak No. 14
Points
348–⁠200
Coach
Jim Carlen
Elo
1583 +29 this season
SP+ rating
19.5 No. 15 of 133; offense No. 10, defense No. 30
SRS
15.3 No. 19 of 138 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Defensive coordinator
Richard Bell

Drafted in 1981

The 1981 draft
Rd 1George Rogers RBNew Orleans Saints
Rd 1Willie Scott TEKansas City Chiefs