South Carolina football fans, almost in unanimity, have lamented this season that they miss the “good ole days” of Gamecock football. When Steve Spurrier proved to the college football world that he still had it, he led a talent-rich USC team to the program’s best-ever 4-year stretch.
From 2010 to 2013, South Carolina football won its only SEC East championship (2010) and three-straight 11-win seasons (2011, 2012, and 2013). Those seasons also included four of the team’s five-straight victories over the rival Clemson Tigers.
In fact, during the record-breaking run of success in Columbia, Carolina went 15-3 against Clemson, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, and North Carolina and a perfect 3-0 against historical Big 10 programs Michigan, Nebraska, and Wisconsin.
Now, those teams are receiving some long-overdue recognition.
Players like Jadeveon Clowney, Melvin Ingram, Connor Shaw, Stephen Garcia, Marcus Lattimore, Stephon Gilmore, DJ Swearinger, and Alshon Jeffery highlighted the best years of Gamecock football, and a number of them will be in attendance on Saturday. (Before anyone asks: No, none of them will be eligible to participate in the game.)
Lattimore, who often has avoided the public spotlight since his career ended after devastating knee injuries, will not be in attendance but will be in Columbia for next weekend’s game against Vanderbilt.
The halftime ceremony will also include an opportunity for Spurrier to address the Gamecock crowd during his first major public appearance in Columbia since resigning midway through the 2015 season.
Some South Carolina football fans harbored ill will toward the Head Ball Coach for how things ended, but now that eight years have passed and USC has not reached the Spurrier-level heights again, Saturday (hopefully) will be a well-deserved time of honor and recognition and a good experience for all involved.