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1981 South Carolina Gamecocks football team
The 1981 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina as an independent during the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by Jim Carlen in his seventh and final season as head coach, the Gamecocks compiled a record of 6–6.
| 1981 South Carolina Gamecocks football |
|---|
| Independent |
| 6–6 |
| Jim Carlen (7th season) |
| Richard Bell (7th season) |
| Williams–Brice Stadium |
The 1981 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina as an independent during the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by Jim Carlen in his seventh and final season as head coach, the Gamecocks compiled a record of 6–6.
In 1981, South Carolina started 6–3, highlighted by an upset over No. 3 North Carolina on the road, the first win over a top-5 team in program history. It would remain the biggest win in program history until 2010. However, the Gamecocks lost the last three games of the season, which left Carlen's job security in jeopardy, as Carlen and school president James B. Holderman were already constantly at odds over football revenues. Despite Carlen overseeing one of the most successful periods in program history until then (a 45–36–1 record, three of the school's five bowl games, two of the school's three eight-win seasons, and a Heisman Trophy), he was fired.
| Date | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 5 | at Wake Forest | Groves StadiumWinston-Salem, NC | W 23–6 | 29,300 | ||
| September 12 | Ole Miss | Williams–Brice StadiumColumbia, SC | L 13–20 | 56,424 | ||
| September 19 | Duke | Williams–Brice StadiumColumbia, SC | W 17–3 | 56,321 | ||
| September 26 | at No. 17 Georgia | Sanford StadiumAthens, GA (rivalry) | L 0–24 | 82,100 | ||
| October 3 | No. 4 Pittsburgh | Williams–Brice StadiumColumbia, SC | ABC | L 28–42 | 56,495 | |
| October 10 | at Kentucky | Commonwealth StadiumLexington, KY | W 28–14 | 57,553 | ||
| October 17 | Virginia | Williams–Brice StadiumColumbia, SC | W 21–3 | 56,101 | ||
| October 24 | at No. 3 North Carolina | Kenan Memorial StadiumChapel Hill, NC (rivalry) | W 31–13 | 50,500 | ||
| October 31 | NC State | Williams–Brice StadiumColumbia, SC | ABC | W 20–12 | 56,517 | |
| November 7 | Pacific (CA) | Williams–Brice StadiumColumbia, SC | L 21–23 | 51,679 | ||
| November 21 | No. 2 Clemson | Williams–Brice StadiumColumbia, SC (rivalry) | ESPN | L 13–29 | 56,971 | |
| December 5 | at Hawaii | Aloha StadiumHalawa, HI | L 10–33 | 43,958 | ||
| Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to the game |
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