As USC preps fro Duke Mayo Bowl, we revisit the top South Carolina bowl game performances

COLUMBIA – South Carolina reached bowl eligibility in 2021 for the first time in three seasons.

The Gamecocks (6-6) will meet border rival North Carolina (6-6) in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl on Dec. 30 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte (11:30 a.m., ESPN). It’ll mark the second consecutive time USC has been in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, the last time in 2018 when it was known as the Belk Bowl.

South Carolina has played in 23 bowl games and has an all-time record of 10-13.

As the Gamecocks and first-year coach Shane Beamer prepare to take on the Tar Heels and Hall of Fame coach Mack Brown later this month, let’s revisit some of USC’s top bowl game performances:

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Outback Bowl (2018): South Carolina 26, Michigan 19

It took three second-half touchdown passes from sophomore quarterback Jake Bentley for USC to erase a 16-point deficit with less than six minutes remaining in the third quarter to rally against the Wolverines.

Bentley led three straight touchdown drives, passing for touchdowns to Rico Dowdle, Bryan Edwards and Shi Smith, for South Carolina go ahead, 23-19, with 11:33 to go.

Will Muschamp’s defense held on to earn his only bowl game win as South Carolina’s coach.

Carquest Bowl (1995): South Carolina 24, West Virginia 21

From 1946 to 1995, the Gamecocks had gone winless in the only eight bowl games in which they had played.

Quarterback Steve Taneyhill made sure South Carolina’s streak ended that January in Miami against the Mountaineers. He opened the game by leading USC to a touchdown, a 2-yard pass to Boomer Foster. Taneyhill, the game’s MVP, went 26-for-36 for 227 yards and had two scores.

The Gamecocks led wire-to-wire, despite West Virginia cutting the deficit to 24-21 by the end of the third quarter.

Outback Bowl (2001): South Carolina 24, Ohio State 7

Ohio State came into the matchup with South Carolina ranked No. 8 in the BCS poll, having won eight games. USC and its defense didn’t care that day.

The Gamecocks defense kept the Buckeyes’ offense from scoring – Ohio State’s lone points coming from a recovered fumble in the end zone.

South Carolina running back Ryan Brewer scored three times to help lead his team, and coach Lou Holtz, to the upset win over the Buckeyes. Ohio State coach John Cooper was fired after the loss.

Capital One Bowl (2012): South Carolina 30, Nebraska 13

Steve Spurrier already had built the Gamecocks to a consistent top-10 football team and had led them to five bowl games prior to the Capital One Bowl showdown with No. 20 Nebraska after the 2011 season.

The significance of South Carolina’s win over the Cornhuskers that day was that it clinched the first 11-win season in program history. The Gamecocks ended the year No. 9 in the BCS rankings and the buzz around Spurrier’s program was at an all-time high.

Quarterback Connor Shaw scored three times, two passing and one rushing, while receiver Alshon Jeffery amassed 148 yards on four catches with a touchdown against what was a sporty Nebraska defense.

Outback Bowl (2013): South Carolina 33, Michigan 28

This game is known for one play: “The Hit.”

With South Carolina trailing 22-21, Michigan was piecing together a long, time-consuming drive with a little more than 8 minutes left in the game. On first and 10 at the Wolverines 41, tailback Vincent Smith took a handoff and was immediately by USC defensive end Jadeveon Clowney for a thunderous tackle that popped Smith’s helmet off and caused him to fumble.

Clowney recovered the fumble. And the next play, Connor Shaw found Ace Sanders for a 31-yard touchdown pass that reclaimed the lead for South Carolina.

Michigan responded with a 10-play drive to regain the lead, 28-27, with 3:29 left. Needing to put a drive together, South Carolina would have to do it without Shaw, who exited a couple of plays later because of a foot injury.

Sophomore quarterback Dylan Thompson entered and marched the Gamecocks on an 11-play, 70-yard drive that he capped with a 32-yard game-winning touchdown pass to Bruce Ellington.

Cory Diaz covers the South Carolina Gamecocks for The Greenville News as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his work for all things Gamecocks on Twitter: @CoryDiaz_TGN

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Revisiting South Carolina football's top performances in bowl games