South Carolina football fans have witnessed lots of things on the football field. They’ve witnessed triumph, heartbreak, and downright embarrassment. They’ve witnessed the unbelievable, both in the positive and the negative sense of the word. They’ve witnessed victories and defeats (and, oddly enough, more ties than almost every other program in college football history).
Gamecock fans who have been around for a while, though, can also attest to the fact that they have witnessed their favorite team make amazing plays on the gridiron. But which plays were the best of all the plays?
Creating a list like this is so outrageously subjective that it is almost impossible. However, for the purpose of this list, multiple factors will be considered. Impressiveness (How outstanding was the play itself?), impact (How big was the play to the team’s success?), and improbability (How rare is the play?) will be the three main considerations for each play.
Honorable Mention
Brad Edwards vs. Clemson: “Brad Edwards will get a convoy!” Many Gamecocks remember the famous call for Edwards’ interception of Clemson quarterback Rodney Williams. Edwards picked off Williams and raced back 40 yards for the score to secure the 20-7 victory over the 8th-ranked Tigers. The ’87 Gamecocks were one of the most exciting teams in program history, and Edwards’ interception might be the most famous moment of the entire year.
DJ Swearinger vs. Arkansas (and the Referees): In the third quarter against Arkansas in 2012, DJ Swearinger was called for a horse collar tackle and a helmet-to-helmet hit on back-to-back plays for 30 yards worth of penalties. The next play, Swearinger intercepted Tyler Wilson and took the pick 70 yards for the score. Not to ruin his streak of penalties, #36 tossed the ball into the student section to bring his tab up to 45 penalty yards in a 3-play span.
Hank Campbell vs. Tennessee: During a tightly-contested game against Tennessee in Carolina’s first year in the SEC, the Gamecocks were less than two minutes from the upset of the Vols. Running back Mose Phillips had other ideas, though, and broke off one of the best catch-and-runs in Tennessee history to bring the score to 24-23. UT head coach Johnny Majors elected to go for the win with a 2-point conversion.
Majors ran a play for his other back James Stewart for the 2-point try. Tennessee quarterback Heath Shuler hit Stewart in the flat, but big Hank Campbell read it immediately and made a tremendous tackle in space to bring Stewart down short of the goal line to preserve the Gamecock victory.
Dylan Thompson vs. Michigan: In a game loaded with memorable plays (Ace Sanders’ punt return, Jadeveon Clowney’s “The Hit”), the biggest play on offense might have come from a backup. Dylan Thompson, though, was no ordinary backup as he had gotten significant game action up to this point in his career, including leading the Gamecocks to victory on the road against Clemson.
Before the drive’s final play, the oft-injured Connor Shaw had to leave the game with an ailment. In stepped Thompson who cooly delivered a purposefully underthrown ball that was put where only Bruce Ellington could adjust. The Gamecocks receiver came back to the ball and then jogged into the end zone for the winning score that secured Carolina’s second-straight 11-win season.
Cory Boyd vs. Middle Tennessee State: This play doesn’t make the list due to the stakes (and, frankly, the competition level) being extremely low. However, in 2006, Cory Boyd took a screen pass destined for a short gain for 52 yards, instead, after breaking 9 tackles. The play is one of the most impressive non-touchdowns in Gamecock history.
Jake Bentley and Deebo Samuel vs. NC State: One of the finest throw-and-catch combinations in Carolina history, Jake Bentley escaped pressure from NC State rusher Freddie Phillips, Jr. and slung the ball 50 yards on the run. Deebo Samuel stuck one hand out and snagged the Bentley-fired bullet for the touchdown with a defender breathing down his neck. It was one of three total touchdowns for #1 that day, and all three were needed as Carolina won by just seven points.
Raynard Brown vs. Florida State: The 1984 Black Magic season saw the Gamecocks match up with the Florida State Seminoles in a showdown of elite teams. Running back Thomas Dendy had a big touchdown run (sometimes called the “Dendy Spindy”), but it was overshadowed by another tremendous play.
Dendy’s backup Raynard Brown took the opening kickoff of the second half back for a score in impressive fashion. Brown picked the ball up at the 1-yard line and ran straight into a wall of four Seminole coverage men. Instead of going down, however, Brown simply bounced off of the white and gold jerseys and kept his feet. He then outraced the rest of the Seminole coverage unit to the end zone to help lead Carolina to a 38-26 victory.
Jadeveon Clowney and Melvin Ingram vs. Georgia: Against Georgia in 2011, a fifth-year senior defensive lineman and a true freshman teamed up for a huge moment. 5-star freshman superstar Jadeveon Clowney showed the college football world that he was the real deal when he raced past his blocker and forced an Aaron Murray fumble with his first career sack.
What made the play remarkable was that he didn’t tackle Murray hard or hit the ball out of his hand; instead, Clowney slung Murray around with so much force that the ball popped out of his hands where Melvin Ingram could recover it and scoot into the end zone for the touchdown that iced the game for the Gamecocks.
The Kicks: No need to do a full write-up of each one of these kicks, but four game-winning field goals stand out above the others. Daniel Weaver broke Ohio State Buckeye hearts with a 42-yard boot in the Outback Bowl after the 2001 season, Josh Brown inched over a 47-yarder to beat Tennessee in Knoxville in 2005, Elliott Fry kicked a 55-yard bomb to beat Vanderbilt in 2016, and Parker White beat Louisiana Tech in 2017 with a 31-yard kick.
Weaver’s was a big kick in a big moment for the second leg of back-to-back Outback Bowl wins over the Buckeyes, Brown’s delivered the Gamecocks’ first-ever win over the Vols in Knoxville, Fry’s started the Will Muschamp era with a victory, and White’s was the first career field goal try for the eventual all-time leading scorer in Carolina football history.
Dylan Thompson vs. Clemson: This play was as much about the moment as impressiveness. In 2012, starting quarterback Connor Shaw missed the Clemson game due to injury. Backup quarterback Dylan Thompson had a good day against the Tigers, but his most memorable play came on the ground.
In what is known as the “Dylan Thompson Game” or the “Jadeveon Clowney Game” (Clowney had 4.5 sacks), Thompson picked up three first downs with his legs, but the best one was a 3rd and 19 quarterback draw that set up the score that put the game away. Thompson took the snap and ran right through the teeth of the Tiger defense to gain 20 yards for the crucial conversion.
Brandon Bennett and Reggie Richardson’s “The Return” vs. Clemson: In what would become one of the most lopsided South Carolina victories over their rival from the Upstate, Brandon Bennett took a kickoff in a game tied 7-7 and faked a return before throwing a 30-yard lateral back to the other side of the field where Reggie Richardson was waiting.
Richardson, one of the fastest players on the Carolina squad, dashed all the way inside the 10-yard line where he was only stopped by tripping over one of his blockers. The return set up a touchdown by Bennett on the next play, and the rout was on. The Gamecocks would thump the Tigers 33-7 that day, granting South Carolina some needed confidence that would help fuel them in their first-ever bowl victory a few weeks later (a win over West Virginia in the Carquest Bowl).
Deebo’s Returns: The best kickoff returner in South Carolina football history was Deebo Samuel. The speedster took back four kicks in his career, and all four were impressive. He had one house call against Western Carolina in 2016, he had two touchdowns in his only two returns of 2017 (against NC State and Missouri), and he scored off a muffed kickoff in 2018 against Ole Miss.
Xavier Legette vs. Texas A&M: Some recency bias could be at play here, but Xavier Legette’s 100-yard kick return against Texas A&M deserves more love than it gets. Not only did the Gamecock receiver take a kick back for 100 yards, but he did so without a shoe for over 60 yards of the return!
The touchdown was also a huge momentum builder in a game that the Gamecocks ended up winning by one score, their first ever over the Aggies. Legette broke a couple of tackles along the way, adding to the moment of one of the loudest “pops” in Williams-Brice Stadium history.
Alshon Jeffery vs. Lots of People: Alshon Jeffery is one of the best receivers in college football history, and he seemingly had vacuums attached to his hands on jump balls. In his career, Jeffery made astonishing one-handed catches against The Citadel, Arkansas, and Kentucky, made tough grabs in traffic against Clemson and Florida, and brought down jump balls against Nebraska and SC State.
Perhaps the best one, though, was a ridiculous one-handed grab against Alabama in which Crimson Tide defensive back Dre Kirkpatrick was draped all over him. Jeffery snagged the pass out of the air, spun away from Kirkpatrick, and scampered inside the 10-yard line to set up the touchdown that put the game out of reach.
A sterling run by Sharpe…a sharp run by Sterling vs. Duke: One of the best players to ever wear the garnet and black, Sterling Sharpe was more than just an electric wide receiver. In addition to his usual receiver duties and also carrying the ball from scrimmage at times, Sharpe was a dynamic kick returner. In a win against old ACC rival Duke in 1985, Sharpe broke seven tackles on his way to the end zone on the opening kick of the second half.
In a montage of 1980s highlights called by ESPN’s Chris Berman, the broadcasting legend remarked that the return was a “sterling run by Sharpe” and a “sharp run by Sterling.” The 102-yard return was one of two Gamecock plays on the “Plays of the 1980s” list along with Mike Hold’s impossible escape job against Pittsburgh from the same season.
South Carolina Football’s No. 10 Greatest Play of All-Time:
Mike Hold to Raynard Brown vs. Pittsburgh
The Situation: The Gamecocks were on the road against the Pitt Panthers in 1985, and the Panthers were out for revenge after Carolina beat them the year before. Unfortunately, for Gamecock fans, Pitt was a much better team than Carolina was that season, and the Gamecocks lost in lopsided fashion.
Impressiveness: This play is outrageously impressive. The individual effort from Mike Hold is one of the best quarterback plays in college football history as evidenced by the play’s inclusion in ESPN’s “Plays of the Decade” for the 1980s. After the ball bounced off the hands of Anthony Smith, Raynard Brown made a quick-reflexed play and then outraced the defense for the score.
Impact: Sadly, the impact on this play was virtually zero. Pittsburgh blew out the road Gamecocks 42-7 as Brown’s touchdown was the only score for South Carolina football that day.
Improbability: In terms of improbability and uniqueness, this play ranks pretty highly. Very few times in Gamecock history has a quarterback even escaped pressure in such a wild fashion, let alone thrown an Immaculate Reception-lite touchdown after the fact.
South Carolina Football’s No. 9 Greatest Play of All-Time:
“Brandon Bennett over the Top” vs. Georgia
The Situation: South Carolina football was on the road in Athens in 1993 against a superior Georgia Bulldogs team. With under 30 seconds remaining and trailing by five, Steve Taneyhill handed the ball to Bennett who was tackled trying to leap over the line for the score. As the clock ticked down to almost nothing, the Gamecocks had time for one more play.
Impressiveness: Overall, while this is an athletic play, it will rank lower than most on this list in terms of pure impressiveness. However, to fail at the first attempt, rush back to the line, and try (successfully) the same thing again? That adds to this moment.
Impact: Being that this play was the ultimate decider between which team won the game and which team lost the game, “Bennett over the Top” has to be one of the most impactful plays on this list. The Gamecocks were not a great team in 1993, and Sparky Woods went on to get fired after the season, but the win gave the team some needed confidence for the ’94 campaign in which the Gamecocks won their first-ever bowl game.
Improbability: It is not often that a team will run a play, have that play fail, and then, with just enough time for one more play, try the same play again. However, that’s exactly what happened that day. Bennett gave the ‘Cocks just the program’s 10th-ever victory over the ‘Dawgs in 1993, making the play that much more improbable.
South Carolina Football’s No. 8 Greatest Play of All-Time:
Phil Petty and Brian Scott’s “The Catch” vs. Georgia
The Situation: South Carolina football was looking for its fifth win ever in Athens (and the second in a row in the rivalry game), but the Bulldogs were a more talented team. The Gamecocks’ offense couldn’t get much going, but the defense was great. With the score standing 9-7 in favor of Georgia with less than 1:30 on the clock, the Gamecocks had the ball inside the 20-yard line courtesy of some Phil Petty brilliance against the blitz.
On 3rd and 10, Carolina took one last shot to the end zone before trying a field goal. Petty faced pressure as he dropped back and just flicked the ball out toward Brian Scott as he was hit (and injured) by future NFL star Will Witherspoon. (In the video clip above, “The Catch” is shown at the 2:40:00 mark).
Impressiveness: “The Catch” was very impressive as Brian Scott had to stop his route, work through the body of Bulldog corner Bruce Thornton (a future NFL player), and snatch the ball from the fingers of Thornton. Then, he had to maintain his body control enough to not fall forward through the contact. Scott managed to get his feet under him just enough to push toward the end zone and cross the goal line.
Impact: “The Catch” gave the Gamecocks back-to-back victories over the ‘Dawgs, a rarity in the history of the rivalry. Carolina used the momentum from the top-10 victory to propel forward to an even better year than the storybook 2000 season as the 9-3 finish was their best in fifteen seasons.
Improbability: The South Carolina offense hadn’t moved the ball well all day against a stingy Georgia defense that was littered with future NFL players, Phil Petty had thrown for under 150 yards heading into that final drive, and Brian Scott had only gotten free for two catches before the final play. Heading into that final drive, the end result seemed almost impossible.
South Carolina Football’s No. 7 Greatest Play of All-Time:
Bryan Edwards’ Record-Tying Snag vs. Tennessee
The Situation: South Carolina football had a less-than-stellar offense in 2019 that threw the ball a ton despite having multiple quality running backs. On the road against Tennessee, the Gamecocks trailed by three with under 30 seconds remaining in the half. Senior receiver Bryan Edwards entered the game four catches shy of the school’s all-time record for receptions, and leading up to this play, he had three catches on the day.
On 3rd and 11, freshman quarterback Ryan Hilinski threw a fade route to the pylon in hopes that his receiver could make a play.
Impressiveness: Potentially the most impressive catch in the history of South Carolina football, Bryan Edwards leaped up with his defender, stuck out a paw, and snatched the ball out of the air. Edwards didn’t contact the tip of the football or bring it in to his wrist/forearm for the grab. Instead, he got his hand around the middle of the football and brought it in less than a foot outside of the end zone. The Gamecocks took the lead two plays later.
Impact: The impact of this play was big for history but minimal for the game at hand. South Carolina took the lead right after Edwards’ amazing play, but an awful defensive and special teams performance saw Carolina lose in ugly fashion. Historically-speaking, the catch had a major impact. The jaw-dropping effort tied Edwards with the late Kenny McKinley for the most career catches in Gamecock history, a record #89 would break in the second half.
Improbability: The Edwards grab is about as rare of a play as you’ll see. First, players almost never make catches that resemble this one. Second, even when they do, they are usually falling down, not jumping up over a defender’s head. Edwards’ play was simply special.
South Carolina Football’s No. 6 Greatest Play(s) of All-Time:
Ace Sanders vs. Special Teams Coordinators
The Situation: Admittedly, this one is a bit of a cop-out. Ace Sanders was the best punt returner in college football during his career, and his three scores against ECU, Georgia, and Michigan (and almost-score against Missouri) were all major plays in each game and season.
Former Carolina quarterback and current radio broadcaster Todd Ellis said it best: “Why, oh why, do they kick to him?!” To the benefit of the Gamecocks, Ace continued to receive punt return opportunities and continued to deliver.
Impressiveness: The four punt returns included in the above video clip (touchdowns against ECU, Georgia, and Michigan and an almost-touchdown against Missouri) are four of the best returns in Gamecock history. 32 different players had real chances to bring down Sanders on the four returns (ECU (9) Missouri (10), Georgia (7), Michigan (6)), but all but one failed. The only “success” still saw Sanders wriggle and juke his way inside the 2-yard line.
Impact: Against ECU in the 2011 opener, the Gamecocks put the game away with Sanders’ jaunt to the end zone. In the game against Georgia in 2012, Ace’s return provided one of the loudest moments in Williams-Brice history as Sanders and the Gamecocks effectively ended the game in the 1st quarter when the score became 21-0. The touchdown against Michigan put Carolina up by two scores in an Outback Bowl game that the Gamecocks won in the final seconds.
Improbability: By the time Ace Sanders’ Gamecock career was over, perhaps punt return scores weren’t viewed as an improbability anymore. His make-you-miss-in-a-phone-booth quickness and elite field vision should have resulted in every punt being kicked out of bounds. The real improbability in Sanders’ return success is that he was given so many chances to touch the football in space, something many special teams coordinators wish they could take back.
South Carolina Football’s No. 5 Greatest Play of All-Time:
Melvin Ingram vs. Georgia
The Situation: A big early-season matchup with the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens saw the Gamecocks trailing the home team by a score of 13-7. On 4th and 7 from their own 38-yard line, Steve Spurrier elected to try a fake punt, but not just any fake punt. The Gamecocks were putting their fate in the hands of a 270-pound defensive lineman.
Impressiveness: Not many big men can move like Melvin Ingram. #6 was shot out of a cannon but also displayed a few subtle moves with the ball in hands, a clear snapshot of his high school days when he moonlighted as a running back. Ingram gave a mini hurdle to get through traffic at the line of scrimmage and then put a quick move on the Bulldog returner Brandon Boykin.
Impact: A huge play in a game that saw the Carolina offense struggle in the first half, the punt return gave the Gamecocks a needed score and some more-needed confidence. Second-half scoring picked up significantly, and the visiting Gamecocks pulled off a win that fed into the first 11-win season in South Carolina football history.
Improbability: After scouring the internet, there do not appear to be any other 270-pound defensive linemen who have taken a fake punt over 60 yards for a score. Broadcast partners Sean McDonough and Chris Spielman couldn’t believe Ingram could have possibly been the ball carrier on the play and kept trying to give credit to DeAngelo Smith (also #6 for South Carolina football). Eventually, they learned it really was big Melvin, no matter how improbable it may have seemed.
South Carolina Football’s No. 4 Greatest Play of All-Time:
Mike Hold off the Bench vs. Georgia
The Situation: The top-12 Georgia Bulldogs came to Columbia in 1984 expecting to knock off the Gamecocks. Carolina played well and had the score tied at 10 when starting quarterback Allen Mitchell left the game with an injury. Less than a week after being told by offensive coordinator Frank Sadler that he’d “never see the field,” Mike Hold was called on to save the day.
Hold executed a nice quick kick that went over 60 yards to flip the field and, sensing that scoring opportunities would be few and far between, on the next offensive possession, Sadler asked Hold to throw the ball deep. (In the video clip above, Hold enters the game after Mitchell’s injury at the 10:30 mark)
Impressiveness: Hold had played only seven plays in his South Carolina football career before this moment. The junior college transfer uncorked a 62-yard bomb that hit Ira Hillary in stride and set up the game-winning score, one that Hold ran in himself. The throw was impressive in that it was on target, but it was even more so considering Hold’s lack of experience or in-game rhythm.
Impact: The impact of this play was enormous. Not only did the Gamecocks hold on to beat the Bulldogs that day, but it sparked one of the best seasons in Carolina history. Hold became a regular contributor in the offense as South Carolina football finished the regular season 10-1 in what was known as the “Black Magic” season.
Improbability: Backup quarterbacks come into games for a number of reasons, and it is not that uncommon for it to happen. However, what was so improbable about this play was that Hold had called his father earlier that week about transferring away from the South Carolina football program after offensive coordinator Frank Sadler told him he would never play for him.
Thanks to Mr. Hold convincing his son to stick it out, #7 was called upon to provide some heroics for the Gamecocks, and he delivered in the biggest way possible. Adding to the improbability of this play was the fact that Hold was asked to throw the ball deep, something most backup quarterbacks are not prepared to do.
South Carolina Football’s No. 3 Greatest Play of All-Time:
Connor Shaw to Bruce Ellington on 4th and 15 vs. Missouri
The Situation: Coming off of a heartbreaking, last-second loss on the road against Tennessee, South Carolina football was again on the road against top-5 and undefeated Missouri. Connor Shaw’s injured knee was too banged up to play, and Dylan Thompson started at quarterback. Thompson was not on his game and struggled tremendously.
The Gamecocks were down 17-0 in the 4th quarter, and Shaw was brought into the ball game, essentially playing on one leg. He led an astounding comeback (including this ridiculous throw-and-catch with Bruce Ellington) and pushed the game to overtime. Missouri scored to make the score 24-17, and Carolina had the ball on 4th and goal from the 15 with the game in the balance.
Impressiveness: The pass from Connor Shaw was perfect and much further than one might think because it was thrown across the field. However, the throw is significantly more impressive because Shaw had a sprained knee on his plant foot. It’s a wonder he was able to throw the ball with enough velocity to score on the play.
Impact: Without the score, the Gamecocks lose to Missouri. It also preserved a third-straight 11-win season in Columbia. Shaw and Ellington kept one of Carolina’s best-ever seasons alive, and had another team been able to beat Missouri that year, the Gamecocks would have represented the SEC East in the SEC Championship Game with a spot in the National Championship on the line.
Improbability: According to data from the National Football League, professional teams convert on 4th and 17 or longer at a rate less than 12% (with almost half of those conversions coming on a penalty). While the college game is not the NFL, the numbers are likely pretty similar, meaning that the successful 4th and 17 play (without aid of a defensive penalty) sits right around 6%.
Add to the fact that the Gamecocks needed a touchdown and the game was, quite literally, over if the conversion was missed, and Shaw to Ellington becomes an extremely improbable play. Oh, yeah. And the quarterback was playing on one leg and threw the ball to a basketball player.
South Carolina Football’s No. 2 Greatest Play of All-Time:
Erik Kimrey and Jermale Kelly’s “The Fade”
The Situation: With a 19-13 deficit against the Mississippi State Bulldogs, Gamecock starting quarterback Phil Petty was injured on 3rd and 10 from the 25-yard line with just over 4:30 remaining in the ball game. With no proven options at quarterback, Lou Holtz turned the game over to a redshirt sophomore who told him, “I can throw the fade, coach.”
Impressiveness: In a vacuum, the pass wasn’t outrageously impressive. However, for a quarterback with no legitimate experience, with no real warmup, with the blitz coming, and with the game on the line, it is hard to imagine a more impressive throw from #13.
Impact: Kimrey’s pass led the Gamecocks to a win over Mississippi State that day and kept hope alive in the 2000 season. The 4-0 start turned into a 7-1 run to begin the season, and South Carolina football went from 0 wins in 1999 to 8 in 2000, a college football record at the time for the biggest single-season turnaround ever.
Improbability: I mean…come on!
South Carolina Football’s Greatest Play of All-Time:
Jadeveon Clowney’s “The Hit” vs. Michigan
The Situation: In a classic game against the Michigan Wolverines, the Gamecocks trailed by 1 in the 4th quarter. On 4th down, Michigan ran a fake punt and came up just short of the yard to gain for the 1st down. Everyone but the referee understood this, but, inexplicably, Michigan was granted a new set of downs and elected to run the football with the very next play.
Impressiveness: Jadeveon Clowney was off the line faster than should be possible for a 260-pound man, and he shot into the backfield to meet Vincent Smith as he received the handoff. The running back’s helmet landed nine yards behind where the forward-moving Smith was hit by #7, causing many watching the game to question the validity of Newton’s first law of motion.
Impact: The literal impact was significant (check out this video from the classic ESPN segment “Sport Science”), but the impact on the game was even bigger.
Having just been outrageously screwed over by the officiating crew, the Gamecocks could have hung their heads and allowed Michigan to score again and put the game away. Instead, Mr. Clowney took matters into his own hands.
In one of the most impactful “ball don’t lie” moments in sports history, ESPN’s Mike Tirico said it best, “South Carolina deserves to have it, and they do!” The Gamecocks would go on to win the game on a last-second touchdown drive.
Improbability: Nothing about this play makes logical sense, meaning it is extremely improbable. The rarity of “The Hit” begins with the context of the refereeing decision from a few moments prior. The strangeness of the play doesn’t stop there.
All-Big Ten offensive tackle Taylor Lewan missed his assignment. That’s rare in and of itself. However, the fact that Lewan missed his assignment when his assignment was the best defensive end in college football is even more improbable.
The only thing that could have made the play any more improbable would have been if Clowney hadn’t tripped over Vincent Smith’s lifeless corpse and, instead, scored a touchdown.