The 2023 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina as a member of the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Gamecocks played their home games at Williams–Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina, and were led by Shane Beamer in his third year as their head coach.
This was also the final year for the East division, as Texas and Oklahoma joined the SEC in 2024.
Despite quarterback Spencer Rattler and wide receiver Xavier Legette having two of the best individual seasons in school history in their final college year, the team was noted by the media for being heavily affected by injuries. South Carolina finished sixth in the final SEC East, with an overall record of 5–7, missing a bowl game for the first time since 2020.
The South Carolina Gamecocks football team drew an average home attendance of 77,833 in 2023, the 16th highest in college football.
Schedule Prior to the season, several sports websites named South Carolina as having the most difficult schedule in the country in 2023.
Game summaries vs No. 21 North Carolina (Duke's Mayo Classic, rivalry)
Statistics UNCSC First downs 21 20 Total yards 71–437 70–351 Rushing yards 39–168 31– -2 Passing yards 269 353 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 24–32–2 30–39–0 Time of possession 32:37 27:23 Team Category Player StatisticsNorth Carolina Passing Drake Maye 24/32, 269 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing British Brooks 15 carries, 103 yards Receiving Kobe Paysour 7 receptions, 66 yards, TD South Carolina Passing Spencer Rattler 30/39, 353 yards Rushing Dakereon Joyner 12 carries, 23 yards, TD Receiving Xavier Legette 9 receptions, 178 yards
vs No. 6 Furman (FCS)
Statistics FUSC First downs 16 25 Total yards 65–323 77–571 Rushing yards 31–80 39–108 Passing yards 243 463 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 20–34–1 32–38–0 Time of possession 28:07 31:53 Team Category Player StatisticsFurman Passing Tyler Huff 14/24, 129 yards, TD, INT Rushing Jayquan Smith 8 carries, 30 yards Receiving Joshua Harris 6 receptions, 73 yards South Carolina Passing Spencer Rattler 25/27, 345 yards, 3 TD Rushing Dakereon Joyner 11 carries, 42 yards, TD Receiving Xavier Legette 6 receptions, 118 yards, TD
at No. 1 Georgia (rivalry)
Statistics SCUGA First downs 17 29 Total yards 58–309 79–459 Rushing yards 16–53 44–190 Passing yards 256 269 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 22–42–2 27–35–0 Time of possession 22:47 37:13 Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Carolina Passing Spencer Rattler 22/42, 256 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Spencer Rattler 8 carries, 35 yards Receiving O'Mega Blake 5 receptions, 86 yards Georgia Passing Carson Beck 27/35, 269 yards Rushing Daijun Edwards 20 carries, 118 yards, TD Receiving Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint 6 receptions, 71 yards
vs Mississippi State
Statistics MSSTSC First downs 20 19 Total yards 71–519 67–432 Rushing yards 23–32 47–144 Passing yards 487 288 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 30–48–1 18–20–0 Time of possession 28:18 31:42 Team Category Player StatisticsMississippi State Passing Will Rogers 30/48, 487 yards, TD, INT Rushing Jo'Quavious Marks 12 carries, 27 yards, TD Receiving Lideatrick Griffin 7 receptions, 256 yards, TD South Carolina Passing Spencer Rattler 18/20, 288 yards, 3 TD Rushing Mario Anderson 26 carries, 88 yards, TD Receiving Xavier Legette 5 receptions, 189 yards, 2 TD
at No. 21 Tennessee (rivalry)
Statistics SCTENN First downs 11 24 Total yards 63–333 72–477 Rushing yards 27–132 40–238 Passing yards 201 239 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 25–36–1 21–32–2 Time of possession 30:15 29:45 Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Carolina Passing Spencer Rattler 24/35, 169 yards, INT Rushing Mario Anderson 10 carries, 101 yards, TD Receiving Trey Knox 7 receptions, 51 yards Tennessee Passing Joe Milton III 21/32, 239 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Jaylen Wright 16 carries, 123 yards, TD Receiving Squirrel White 9 receptions, 104 yards
vs Florida
Statistics FLASC First downs 28 23 Total yards 81–494 63–465 Rushing yards 33–71 33–152 Passing yards 423 313 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 30–48–0 23–30–1 Time of possession 32:44 27:16 Team Category Player StatisticsFlorida Passing Graham Mertz 30/48, 423 yards, 3 TD Rushing Montrell Johnson Jr. 11 carries, 50 yards Receiving Ricky Pearsall 10 receptions, 166 yards, TD South Carolina Passing Spencer Rattler 23/30, 313 yards, 4 TD, INT Rushing Mario Anderson 20 carries, 98 yards Receiving Xavier Legette 5 receptions, 110 yards
at No. 20 Missouri (rivalry)
Statistics SCMIZZ First downs 20 22 Total plays-yards 69–286 65–418 Rushing attempts-yards 29–69 40–213 Passing attempts-yards 40–217 25–205 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 23–40–1 15–25–0 Time of possession 31:08 28:52 Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Carolina Passing Spencer Rattler 23–40, 217 yards, 1 INT Rushing Mario Anderson 12 carries, 68 yards Receiving Nyck Harbor 2 receptions, 50 yards Missouri Passing Brady Cook 15–25, 205 yards, 1 TD Rushing Cody Schrader 26 carries, 159 yards, 2 TD Receiving Luther Burden III 5 receptions, 97 yards, 1 TD
at Texas A&M
Statistics SCTXAM First downs 12 19 Total yards 209 354 Rushing yards 33 105 Passing yards 176 249 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 23:30 36:30 Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Carolina Passing Spencer Rattler 20/33, 176 yards, TD Rushing Mario Anderson 16 rushes, 72 yards Receiving Nyck Harbor 6 receptions, 59 yardsTexas A&M Passing Max Johnson 20/30, 249 yards, TD Rushing Amari Daniels 13 rushes, 68 yards, TD Receiving Ainias Smith 6 receptions, 118 yards, TD
vs Jacksonville State
Statistics JVSTSC First downs 23 20 Total yards 84–421 77–488 Rushing yards 57–225 38–89 Passing yards 196 399 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 13–27–2 27–39–1 Time of possession 27:07 32:53 Team Category Player StatisticsJacksonville State Passing Zion Webb 12/23, 183 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Ron Wiggins 17 carries, 88 yards Receiving Perry Carter 5 receptions, 106 yards, TD South Carolina Passing Spencer Rattler 27/38, 399 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Mario Anderson 16 carries, 75 yards Receiving Xavier Legette 9 receptions, 217 yards, 2 TD
vs Vanderbilt
Statistics VANSC First downs 17 21 Total yards 235 487 Rushing yards 131 136 Passing yards 104 351 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 13–28–0 28–36–1 Time of possession 32:47 27:13 Team Category Player StatisticsVanderbilt Passing Ken Seals 13–28, 103 yards, TD Rushing Walter Taylor 6 carries, 39 yards Receiving London Humphreys 3 receptions, 33 yardsSouth Carolina Passing Spencer Rattler 28–36, 351 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Mario Anderson 9 carries, 102 yards, TD Receiving Xavier Legette 9 receptions, 120 yards
vs Kentucky
Statistics UKSC First downs 17 17 Total yards 293 257 Rushing yards 122 50 Passing yards 171 207 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 17–34–1 19–27–0 Time of possession 28:21 31:39 Team Category Player StatisticsKentucky Passing Devin Leary 17/34, 171 yards, TD, INT Rushing Ray Davis 12 carries, 61 yards, TD Receiving Dane Key 4 receptions, 51 yardsSouth Carolina Passing Spencer Rattler 19/27, 207 yards, 2 TD Rushing Mario Anderson 13 carries, 27 yards Receiving Xavier Legette 6 receptions, 94 yards, 2 TD
vs No. 24 Clemson (rivalry)
Statistics CLEMSC First downs 19 12 Total yards 73–319 56–169 Rushing yards 46–219 24–57 Passing yards 100 112 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 15–27–1 16–32–1 Time of possession 38:00 22:00 Team Category Player StatisticsClemson Passing Cade Klubnik 15/27, 100 yards, INT Rushing Phil Mafah 19 rushes, 89 yards Receiving Tyler Brown 5 receptions, 40 yardsSouth Carolina Passing Spencer Rattler 16/32, 112 yards, INT Rushing Mario Anderson 13 rushes, 35 yards Receiving Xavier Legette 6 receptions, 68 yards
Honoring Alshon Jeffery and the early 2010s teams
During halftime of the home game against Mississippi State on September 23, 2023, the university retired Alshon Jeffery's jersey, only the sixth retired jersey in program history, and second in two years, following Jadeveon Clowney in 2022.
Several weeks later, during halftime of the home game against Jacksonville State on November 4, 2023, the university honored the 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 Gamecock football teams, ten years after the 2013 team played. Over that four-year stretch, Steve Spurrier led the Gamecocks to a combined 42–11 with one SEC East Championship. It was the most successful era in program history. Spurrier as well as roughly forty former players and their families were in attendance for the ceremony.
A special recognition had been in the works for several years, but had been rescheduled several times because of the COVID-19 pandemic, hurricanes, and conflicts with Spurrier’s schedule and availability. However, the timing was still not without some controversy, as D.J. Swearinger publicly expressed his displeasure with the ceremony taking place at halftime against a non-SEC and non-Power 5 school.
Spurrier gave a speech to the crowd: “Everybody asks, how’d you guys do it? I say, first of all we had talented players with the attitude, effort and leadership among the older guys passed through the team ... I’m a Florida Gator now, but my wife and I will always be South Carolina Gamecocks.”
Rankings
Coaching staff NamePositionConsecutive season Shane Beamer Head coach 3rd Dowell Loggains Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach 1st Clayton White Defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach 3rd Pete Lembo Associate head coach/special teams coordinator 3rd Torrian Gray Defensive backs coach 3rd Montario Hardesty Running backs coach 3rd Lonnie Teasley Offensive line coach 1st Justin Stepp Wide receivers coach 3rd Jody Wright Tight ends coach 2nd Sterling Lucas Outside linebackers coach 2nd Travian Robertson Defensive line coach 1st
Notes and references