South Carolina football renews its rivalry with UGA on Saturday.
The South Carolina football team faces the Georgia Bulldogs tomorrow, in the 68th meeting between the two Southeast Conference rivals. These teams met for the first time in 1903, with the Bulldogs having a general advantage of 47-18-2.
Gamecocks and Bulldogs met every season between 1958 and 1989. After a short hiatus, Gamecocks joined the SEC, and the two schools have met every year since.
Over the years, we’ve seen some fantastic finishes between these programs. As we get closer to the next match, we will look back at some of the best matches from the past.
1980
The 1980 showdown featured two of the best running backs in the country, with George Rogers and No. 14 Gamecocks traveling to Athens to face Herschel Walker and the Bulldogs in fourth place. It was the first time that the South Carolina program was featured in ABC’s national game of the week.
Walker, then a freshman at the time, started carrying the ball 43 times, totaling 219 yards. Rogers, the eventual Heisman winner, carried the stone 35 times for 168 yards.
Georgia climbed 13-0, but South Carolina struggled to score the next 10 points. The game reached the fourth period, while the Gamecocks tried to extend their winning streak in the series to three.
South Carolina dominated Georgia six minutes from the end of the game, looking to take the lead and continue a dream season. The Gamecocks returned the ball to their superstar, who had just returned to the lineup after hurting his hand. Rogers was hit in his final game transport, fumbled and the Bulldogs recovered to secure a 13-10 victory.