The South Carolina Gamecocks football team has been part of the Southeastern Conference since 1992. When they were part of the Atlantic Coast Conference, they won the ACC Championship in 1969. Other claims to fame include having George Rogers, who won the Heisman Trophy in 1980. Interestingly enough, their mascot is named after a war hero to South Carolina, a man that was also called the Carolina Gamecock, due to his courageous and fierce fighting tactics. The team has a history of excellent coaches who have been recognized for their brilliance, including Lou Holtz and Joe Morrison. Currently, the team is under the leadership of Steve Spurrier.



The Gamecocks are no strangers to bowl games, having been to 15 in total. They had an extremely rocky start every since their first appearance to the Gator Bowl in 1946, having lost eight in a row. That losing streak was finally broken in 1995 at the Carquest Bowl against West Virginia and they have won four out of the next seven they played, displaying their determination and skill against Ohio State and Houston. Either way, it's difficult to argue that they don't live up to their name, considering how fierce and aggressive they are on the field.

As the team prepares for the 2010 season, they received the good news that their linebacker, Rodney Paulk, was just made eligible to play his sixth year in 2011. Not only will they be able to utilize his power this year, but they will also have him the next. The reason for his eligibility involves several knee injuries which have prevented him from playing a large portion of the games from 2008 to 2009. Although he is eligible to play, he still continues rehabilitation work, though he is scheduled to be back for fall training in August.

At the end of the day, the Gamecocks never let a history of defeat get in their way and continue to honor and live up to the memory of their mascot. In 2010, they will be bringing a lot more to the table and will be a serious threat to less conditioned and determined teams.