CCAROLINAAROLINA NNOTEBOOKOTEBOOK SETTING THE STAGE: The South Carolina Game- ON THE NATIONAL STAGE: The bowl game repre- cocks (7-5, 3-5 SEC) out of the Southeastern Confer- sents the ninth time in 13 games this year that football 2006 SEC STANDINGS ence face the Houston Cougars (10-3, 7-1 C-USA), fans across the country can watch the Gamecocks champions of Conference USA, in the 48th annual Au- live, including seven appearances on ESPN. Seven EASTERN DIVISION toZone Liberty Bowl on Friday, Dec. 29, 2006 in Mem- of USC’s eight SEC games in 2006 were nationally SEC PCT. PF PA ALL PCT. PF PA phis, Tenn. Game time is set for 4:30 p.m. ET (3:30 televised. ESPN2 and CBS each televised one South Florida 7-1 .875 178 126 12-1 .923 375 175 Tennessee 5-3 .625 212 172 9-3 .750 352 234 p.m. Central) at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. Carolina contest. Georgia 4-4 .500 185 168 8-4 .667 296 205 Kentucky 4-4 .500 163 207 7-5 .583 319 349 MEDIA COVERAGE: The game will be televised na- ABOUT THE GAMECOCKS: South Carolina won its S. Carolina 3-5 .375 147 146 7-5 .583 302 207 tionally on ESPN with John Saunders, Craig James fi nal two games to fi nish the regular season with a 7-5 Vanderbilt 1-7 .125 131 206 4-8 .333 264 284 and Doug Flutie in the booth and Todd Harris on the record. All fi ve of their losses came to teams ranked sidelines. Todd Ellis and Tommy Suggs will be in the in the top 25 at the time of the game. They were 3-5 WESTERN DIVISION SEC PCT. PF PA ALL PCT. PF PA radio booth for the Carolina Gamecocks Sports Net- in SEC action, fi nishing fi fth in the Eastern Division. Arkansas 7-1 .875 221 134 10-3 .769 390 239 work, with Rob DeBoer working the sidelines. The Gamecocks posted a 3-4 record at Williams-Brice Auburn 6-2 .750 162 133 10-2 .833 305 167 Stadium, logging non-conference wins over Wofford, LSU 6-2 .750 220 131 10-2 .833 397 150 A LITTLE HISTORY: This is the 113th season of Florida Atlantic and Middle Tennessee, but going 0-4 Alabama 2-6 .250 133 175 6-6 .500 267 216 college football at the USC, dating back to 1892. The in SEC action, with all four losses coming to ranked Ole Miss 2-6 .250 123 182 4-8 .333 188 275 university did not fi eld a team in either 1893 or 1906. opponents – Georgia, Auburn, Tennessee and Arkan- Miss. St. 1-7 .125 127 222 3-9 .250 221 309 This is the 100th consecutive year in which USC has sas. They were 4-1 on the road, posting wins at Mis- competed on the gridiron. Carolina owns an all-time sissippi State, Kentucky, Vanderbilt and Clemson and SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME record of 514-517-44. The school’s only league title a one-point loss at Florida). The Gamecocks rank 52nd Florida 38, Arkansas 28 came in 1969 when it went 6-0 to win the ACC crown. in the country in scoring offense (25.2 ppg) and 22nd in the country in scoring defense (17.2 ppg). GOING BOWLING: The 2006 AutoZone Liberty SEC BOWL GAMES Bowl will mark Carolina’s 13th bowl appearance over- AND FOR THE COUGARS: Houston rolled to a 10-3 Thursday, December 28 all. The Gamecocks are 3-9 all-time in bowl games. record, including a 7-1 mark in winning the Confer- Petro Sun Independence Bowl They dropped their fi rst eight bowl games, won three ence USA title. The Cougars won their fi rst four games, Alabama (6-6) vs. Oklahoma State (6-6) straight, then fell last season to Missouri in the Inde- lost three straight, then ran off six consecutive wins to Shreveport, La. pendence Bowl. Here’s a look at the Gamecocks’ bowl end the season. They logged victories in seven of eight appearances: games at home, with their lone loss coming to Louisi- Friday, December 29 Year Bowl Opponent Result ana-Lafayette by a 31-28 score. They were 3-2 on the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl 1946 Peach Wake Forest L, 14-26 road. They avenged one of their three losses during Kentucky (7-5) vs. Clemson (8-4) 1969 Peach West Virginia L, 3-14 the season when the knocked off Southern Miss in the Nashville, Tenn. 1975 Tangerine Miami (Ohio) L, 7-20 C-USA Championship Game. The Cougars are 11th in AutoZone Liberty Bowl 1979 Hall of Fame Missouri L, 14-24 the country in scoring offense, averaging 32.8 points South Carolina (7-5) vs. Houston (10-3) 1980 Gator Pittsburgh L, 9-37 per game, and rank 52nd in scoring defense, allowing Memphis, Tenn. 1984 Gator Oklahoma State L, 14-21 21.9 points per game. 1987 Gator LSU L, 13-30 Saturday, December 30 1988 Liberty Indiana L, 10-34 SERIES NOTES: This is the third meeting on the Chick-fi l-A Bowl 1995 Carquest West Virginia W, 24-21 gridiron between the two universities. Houston won Georgia (8-4) vs. #15 Virginia Tech (10-2) 2001 Outback Ohio State W, 24-7 both of the previous encounters, claiming a 27-19 vic- Atlanta, Ga. 2002 Outback Ohio State W, 31-28 tory in Houston in 1973, then winning in Columbia by Monday, January 1 2005 Independence Missouri L, 31-38 a 24-14 score in 1974. Outback Bowl #17 Tennessee (9-3) vs. Penn State (8-4) BEEN HERE BEFORE: This is South Carolina’s sec- PLAYING C-USA: The Gamecocks are 17-12 in Tampa, Fla. ond trip to the Liberty Bowl. USC dropped a 34-10 de- games against teams that currently make up Confer- cision to Indiana in front of 39,210 fans on a windy and ence USA. East Carolina has been the most common AT&T Cotton Bowl cold day in 1988. The Hoosiers rolled up 575 yards opponent, as USC holds a 10-5 advantage against the #9 Auburn (10-2) vs. #23 Nebraska (9-4) of offense while holding Carolina to 153. Quarterback Pirates. Carolina also has a winning record against Dallas, Texas Todd Ellis completed 15-of-37 passes for 130 yards Central Florida (3-0), Tulsa (1-0) and UAB (1-0) and Capital One Bowl and three interceptions. The Gamecocks’ lone touch- has split four games with Memphis (2-2). Tulane (3-0) #12 Arkansas (10-3) vs. #7 Wisconsin (11-1) down came off a blocked punt. Indiana’s Dave Schnell and Houston (2-0) have winning records against the Orlando, Fla. was 16-of-31 for 378 yards, while Anthony Thompson Gamecocks. ran for 140 yards and two touchdowns. Wednesday, January 3 OUT OF THEIR LEAGUE: The Gamecocks are a Allstate Sugar Bowl SENIOR SALUTE: The following 12 Gamecock se- perfect 4-0 in non-conference action this season, were #4 LSU (10-2) vs. #11 Notre Dame (10-2) niors are playing in their fi nal collegiate game today: 2-2 in non-league action in 2005 (wins over UCF and New Orleans, La. Fred Bennett, Thomas Coleman, Ike Crofoot, Seth Troy and losses to Clemson and Missouri) and have Edwards, Jamal Hayes, Jerod June, Scott Morgan, fi nished with a .500 or better mark in games outside Monday, January 8 Syvelle Newton, Brett Nichols, Keron Rouse, Chris the SEC each year since the start of the 2000 season. Tostitos BCS National Championship Game White and Noah Whiteside. Only Bennett, Newton, They are 21-7 in non-conference games since the #2 Florida (12-1) vs. #1 Ohio State (12-0) White and Whiteside came to Carolina as scholarship 2000 campaign. Glendale, Ariz. players. 4 2006 South Carolina AutoZone Liberty Bowl Guide CCAROLINAAROLINA NNOTEBOOKOTEBOOK A CAROLINA WIN WOULD... 14 GOING ON 15: Steve Spurrier has recorded back- * Be the Gamecocks fi rst win in December since 1960 to-back 7-5 campaigns to notch 14 victories in his fi rst Carolina–Houston when they defeated Virginia on Dec. 3 by a 26-0 score. two seasons at the helm. With a bowl win, he can tie By the Numbers Since that time, Carolina has dropped 10 straight De- Joe Morrison for the most wins by a Carolina head cember contests. coach in his fi rst two seasons in Columbia. Morrison * Give the Gamecocks three straight wins to end the won 15 games (5-6 and 10-2) in 1983 and ‘84. C.R. USC UH season for the fi rst time since 1973 when they defeated Williams is the only other USC coach to post as many Record 7-5 10-3 Appalachian State, Florida State and Clemson in the as 14 wins in his fi rst two years. Williams went 6-1 in fi nal three games to fi nish 7-4 under Paul Dietzel. 1902 and 8-2 in 1903. Points Scored 302 426 * Give the Gamecocks an eight-win season, their high Points/Game 25.2 32.8 mark since posting a 9-3 campaign in 2001. TOUGH SCHEDULE: The Gamecocks faced six * Give the Gamecocks three wins in their last four bowl ranked opponents during the 2006 regular season, Opp. Points Scored 207 285 games and improve their overall bowl record to 4-9. the most in school history. USC went through a three- Opp.