2008 South Carolina Gamecocks football team

2008 South Carolina Gamecocks football
Outback Bowl, L 10–31 vs. Iowa
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
DivisionEastern Division
Record7–6 (4–4 SEC)
Head coach
Offensive schemeMultiple
Defensive coordinatorEllis Johnson (1st season)
Base defense4–2–5
Home stadiumWilliams-Brice Stadium
2008 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
Eastern Division
No. 1 Florida x$#  7 1   13 1  
No. 13 Georgia  6 2   10 3  
Vanderbilt  4 4   7 6  
South Carolina  4 4   7 6  
Tennessee  3 5   5 7  
Kentucky  2 6   7 6  
Western Division
No. 6 Alabama x%  8 0   12 2  
No. 14 Ole Miss  5 3   9 4  
LSU  3 5   8 5  
Arkansas  2 6   5 7  
Auburn  2 6   5 7  
Mississippi State  2 6   4 8  
Championship: Florida 31, Alabama 20
  • # BCS National Champion
  • $ BCS representative as conference champion
  • % BCS at-large representative
  • x Division champion/co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2008 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach was Steve Spurrier, who served his fourth season at USC. The Gamecocks played their home games at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina. The team compiled a record of 7–6.

South Carolina had the top defense in the country by October, but also three different starting quarterbacks and one of the worst offensive lines in the country throughout the year. After Tommy Beecher sustained a poor performance and injury in the season-opener against NC State, the team's offense alternated mainly between quarterbacks Chris Smelley and Stephen Garcia. The Gamecocks nearly upset No. 2 Georgia and defending national champion No. 13 LSU, but fell short in both games.