Top Ten Greatest South Carolina Gamecocks

The big Carolina back led the team in rushing three consecutive seasons from 1987 to 1989. His 3,005 yards rank third all-time in school history. He owns the school record for single season rushing TDs with 15 in 1987 and is currently tied with George Rogers for most rushing TDs in school history with 31 trips to paydirt. His 702 carries rank second all-time to Rogers as well.

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The second-team All-America quarterback amassed over 5,000 yards of total offense during his Gamecock career. As the captain of the 1975 squad, Grantz engineered only the third bowl berth in school history when the Cocks landed in the Tangerine Bowl that season (they lost to Miami-OH). Grantz tied a school record with five TD passes against rival Clemson in 1975. A tremendous athlete, Grantz finished his career with 1,577 yards rushing and 26 TDs – good for fifth all-time. His 260 yards rushing against Ohio in 1973 set the single-game rushing record at the time (since broken by Brandon Bennett, 278). A fantastic middle infielder on the diamond, Grantz not only lettered three times on the football field but was a major part of three playoff baseball teams – including the 1975 College World Series team.

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One of the most physically gifted players to ever play at South Carolina, Rice redshirted as a freshman and left after only two seasons in Columbia — which was plenty of time for Rice to make his mark. He, at the time, posted the No. 1 (1,143 yards) and No. 3 (1,090 yards) receiving seasons in school history (broken in 2010 by Alshon Jeffery’s 1,517 yads). His 72 (2006) and 70 (2005) catches were good for third- and fourth-best all-time (again, Jeffery set the current record with 88 last fall). Rice’s 13 TDs in 2005 still stands as the school’s all-time single-season record. Rice ranks fourth all-time with 2,233 yards, first with 23 TD catches and is the only Gamecock to ever score five TDs in a game (FAU, 2006). In two bowl games, Rice set every USC postseason receiving mark with 12 receptions for 191 yards against Mizzou in 2005 Independence Bowl. He followed that up with an eight-catch, 39-yard, TD performance the next year against Houston in the Liberty Bowl.

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This talented All-Pro defensive end led the team in sacks four straight seasons, finishing with 23.5 total quarterback traps – good for third all-time in school history. The All-SEC performer was selected with the 13th overall pick in the first round of the 200 NFL Draft by the New York Jets.

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This smooth, handsy receiver is No. 2 all-time in school history for TD catches with 19, No. 4 all-time in receptions with 156 and No. 6 all-time with yards at 2,211. He went on to win a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers as a consummate professional. His longest lasting legacy on the football field would have to be the advent of the “Lambeau Leap.”

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Provence ranks No. 2 in school history in many of the most important defensive statistics. His 401 career total tackles, 26.0 career sacks and 35.0 career tackles for a loss each rank No. 2 in Gamecock history. He still owns the single-season sack record with 10 in 1982. Provence was drafted by his home state Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 1983 NFL Draft.

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Ellis completely rewrote the passing record books at South Carolina. He claimed 20 different school records in his time as the starter in Columbia. His 425 yards against ECU in 1987 were a single-game school record. His 53 attempts against Virginia Tech in 1988 were a school record. His 241 completions in 1987 were a single-season school record. His 20 passing TDs in 1986 were a school record. His 46 career TDs were also a school record. All of these have since been broken by the guy on the next slide, but Ellis is still prominently featured in the “career” section of the record book. His 1,350 career attempts and 9,953 yards are still tops at South Carolina. His 3,206-yard 1987 season is still the best in school history as well. The three-time team MVP led the Cocks to back-to-back bowl games for the first time in school history.

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After Todd Ellis totally reworked the passing record books, Taneyhill came through and rewrote many of the same records. Taneyhill has the best two games passing in school history with a 473- and 451-yard performances. He has the top four games in school history in terms of completions. He owns the single-season TD mark with 29, completion percentage record with 67.1% and total completions with 261. He obliterated the career TD mark of 49 with his 62 scoring throws. The SEC Offensive Freshman of the Year finished No. 2 on the all-time yards chart with 8,782 yards. Most importantly, however, the trademark longhaired gunslinger led South Carolina to its first-ever bowl win in the 1995 Carquest Bowl victory over West Virginia. Taneyhill was the MVP.

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As high school standout in Georgia, Sharpe left an indeliable mark on South Carolina football. He set school records for receptions with 169, yards with 2,497 and touchdowns with 17 (all of which have since been broken). He also set the single-season catches record with 74, touchdowns with 10 and was the first receiver to ever top 1,000 yards in a season (1,106). He is still only one of three players to ever top the 1,000-yard mark. The two-time All-American also set a Carolina record with a 104-yard kick return – the longest play in school history. A perennial All-Pro with the Green Bay Packers, Sharpe saw his stellar career cut short with head and neck injuries. Is the brother of Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe.

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There is little doubt who the best player in South Carolina history is as Rogers not only holds most every rushing record but also has the school’s only Heisman Trophy. The All-American led the nation in rushing in 1980 with 1,894 yards – which broke his own single-season school record when he was second nationally in 1979 with 1,681 yards. He is the Gamecocks’ all-time leading rusher with 5,204 yards, and no player has scored more TDs than Rogers’ 33. Rogers topped the 100-yard mark in 27 of his 46 collegiate games, including an insane 22 straight 100-yard efforts to end his amateur career. As the first overall pick in the 1981 NFL Draft, Rogers went on to win NFL Rookie of the Year honors with the Saints after he led the league in rushing in his first season. He went on to win a Super Bowl with the Redskins in 1988.

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