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Gamecocks End With A Thud

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By ADAM ADKINS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 2, 2009

TAMPA - A once-promising South Carolina season went south real fast.

The Gamecocks' 7-3 start in 2008 will be marred by three consecutive lopsided losses to end the season, with the last coming Thursday in a 31-10 setback to Iowa in the Outback Bowl.

Many of the struggles during that stretch, which included a 56-6 loss to Florida and a 31-14 loss to Clemson, can be attributed to the Gamecocks offense. That's a somewhat unfathomable reality, considering the man running the show - Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier - is considered an offensive genius.

"We played probably the three best teams we played all season," Spurrier said of his team's final three opponents. "But the offense, yeah, we didn't do so well."

Taking care of the ball was the Gamecocks' biggest problem. South Carolina committed 13 turnovers during the three-game slide, including a season-high five Thursday.

Thursday's bowl performance was one of the worst in Gamecocks bowl history. While the 10 points scored tied for the third-fewest for the program in a bowl game, South Carolina was shut out through three quarters for the first time in its bowl history.

"I thought we would play better offensively," Spurrier said, "but we didn't."

OUT-RANKED

Thursday's Outback Bowl matchup was just the second time in the bowl's 23-year history that neither team entered the game ranked by The Associated Press.

The only other occasion when neither team had an AP ranking was in the bowl's second year, when Michigan and Alabama squared off Jan. 2, 1988. In each of the bowl's other 21 matchups, at least one team was ranked.

IN THE BOOKS

Iowa standout RB Shonn Greene wasn't the only Hawkeyes player to find his way into the record books Thursday. Iowa SS Tyler Sash etched his name in a few spots as well.
Sash tied an Outback Bowl record and an Iowa bowl record with two interceptions against the Gamecocks. His 48-yard interception return in the second quarter and his 74 interception return yards also were school bowl records. Sash tied for second on the team with four tackles.

It was the type of performance Hawkeyes defensive veterans were glad to see from Sash, a redshirt freshman who has continued to improve since cracking the starting lineup in the second game of the season against Florida International.

"You guys saw as the season unfolded. I mean, from his first start to now, he's come miles," Iowa junior LB A.J. Edds said of Sash. "And that's what you want to see from the young guys. You want young guys learning and getting better every week, and that's exactly what's happened with him."

BY THE NUMBERS

4 - Times instant replay was used in Thursday's Outback Bowl. Three of the four on-field calls were reversed after review.

5 - Times in Coach Kirk Ferentz's 10-year tenure at Iowa the Hawkeyes have won nine or more games.

43 - Number of consecutive games with a reception for South Carolina senior WR Kenny McKinley, a school record. McKinley had game highs in receptions (six) and receiving yards (86) in his final collegiate game.

10-100 - Number of penalties and penalty yards for the Gamecocks, both South Carolina bowl records.

Adam Adkins

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