Sustained Gamecock Football Success

usc_helmetSouth Carolina finished the regular season with 10 wins.  The Gamecocks had nine wins last season.  Regardless of what happens in the bowl game, the 19 combined wins in two years is the most in Carolina history. The previous high had been 17 by Lou Holtz’s 2000 and 2001 teams.  That’s another record for Coach Spurrier.

Something that has gone unnoticed by many is the consistency and stability that Spurrier has brought to the program. Since he has been here, the Gamecocks haven’t had a losing season.  In fact, USC hasn’t had a losing season since the 2003 campaign. This 8 year streak is the 3rd longest streak among SEC teams.  Only Florida (last losing season in 1979) and LSU (last losing record 1999) have longer streaks.

Here are the current non-losing season streaks for the SEC:

 

Team Years    Last Losing   
1) Florida1 31 1979
2) LSU 12 1999
3) South Carolina 8 2003
4) Alabama 5 2006
5) Auburn 3 2008
Arkansas 3 2008
7) Georgia 1 2010
Miss State1 1 2009
9) Vanderbilt1 0 2010
Kentucky 0 2010
Tennessee 0 2010
Ole Miss 0 2010

Nationally the streak is impressive as well. South Carolina, currently 11th among BCS teams, will move up to 10th in the country after either Florida or Ohio State loses.  Here is that group:

Team Years    Last Losing   
1) Florida State 35 1976
2) Florida1 31 1979
3) Ohio State1 22 1988
4) Virginia Tech 19 1992
5) Oklahoma 13 1998
6) LSU 12 1999
7) Southern Cal 11 2000
8) West Virginia 10 2001
Wisconsin 10 2001
10) Utah2 9 2002
11) South Carolina 8 2003
12) Oregon 7 2004
Penn State 7 2004
Missouri 7 2004
15) Oklahoma St 6 2005

 

This success has been a surprise for some, but it’s elite company to be a part of.  It’s also a nice streak that should continue for years to come.
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1 Team hasn’t avoided a losing season for 2011 yet.
2 Team didn’t compete in BCS conference all years of streak. 

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