Ten Seasons of Spurrier: Steve Spurrier's Top Ten Wins at South Carolina

So, ten seasons. That's how long Steve Spurrier has been at the helm of the South Carolina Gamecocks. He's recorded 84 wins here, but which ones are the most memorable? We asked for your help in putting together ten of the biggest, and you delivered. Our staff has slaved over ranking them (OK, not really) and here they are for your reading pleasure. Think we missed one or feel that another game deserves to be #1? Let us know.

10. Tennessee, 2005

The Gamecocks had never won against the Tennessee Volunteers, but Spurrier came in with a 9-5 personal record against them. And with the Vols in a tailspin, he and Josh Brown—knocking through an eventual game-winning FG with just under three to go—made a disappointing start to the season at Rocky Top that much more worse.

9. Clemson, 2006

We have to include this in here, right? The Gamecocks entered Death Valley on a four-game losing streak against their rivals and having dropped the last four at Clemson. This time would be different: after the teams entered the fourth tied at 28, Ryan Succop would make sure the streak wouldn't get to five with 7:45 left with a 35-yard field goal.

8. Capital One Bowl, 2012

While 2010 was certainly a memorable season for the Gamecocks (more on that later), 2011 was the most successful: it was their first 11-win season and the first of three straight seasons reaching the 11-win plateau. That couldn't have been possible without beating the Huskers in the 2012 Capital One Bowl. And, naturally, it involved a play to remember by Connor Shaw.

7. Florida, 2005

Ho hum, just another game. Just Steve Spurrier, facing off in his very first season against his alma mater and former employer. No big deal. Yeah, right. If you believe that this wasn't circled on Spurrier's calendar, then we don't know what to tell you. Mike Davis (the other one) and Daccus Turman had a pair of rushing TDs each in this one to help the Gamecocks pick up their first ever win over the Gators in fourteen tries.

6. Clemson, 2013

There's no five-game winning streak over the team in the Upstate without a come-from behind victory in Connor Shaw's final home game. This one was tied 17-17 after three, but South Carolina took the lead after a Mike Davis touchdown run with 11:47 left. Then we would see a different cat—a Wildcat, to be specific—to put the game away. Take it away, Pharoh Cooper:

5. Mizzou, 2013

One quarterback, one leg, two overtimes, one night to remember. This one looked destined for an easy win for the Tigers as they took a 17-0 lead into the fourth quarter. Connor Shaw stepped on in relief of Dylan Thompson, and...well, you know the rest.

4. Ole Miss, 2009

You basically didn't want to be a highly ranked team early in the 2009 season: four top-seven teams fell in the first two weeks. The Gamecocks made sure that the Rebels would be team number five. Joshua Shene nailed a 42-yard field goal late in the first, but USC scored the next sixteen points, including three field goals by Spencer Lanning, and held a potent Rebels offense to just 248 yards overall.

3. Georgia, 2012

#6 versus #5 was supposed to be a nice, close competitive matchup...right? Well, not quite. The Gamecocks hung 21 on the Bulldogs in the first quarter—capped by a 70-yard punt return for a touchdown by Ace Sanders—and just ran away with the thing.

2. Alabama, 2010

We thought long and hard about making this #1, but...oh, well. Greg McElroy and Co. rode into Columbia as the #1 team in the country...and rode out with a loss as the Gamecocks jumped out to a 21-9 halftime lead. The Tide dropped seven spots in the polls after the loss and would end up losing twice more that season.

1. Florida, 2010

November 14, 2010. A day that will live in college football infamy. Well, not quite. A win would clinch the Gamecocks' first ever SEC East title. And this one wasn't really close after the Gators took a 7-0 lead: USC rolled up 239 yards rushing (212 of those courtesy of Marcus Lattimore) and turned a 7-0 deficit into a 29-7 fourth quarter lead. And good old Stephen Garcia got in on the action.