# 1988 South Carolina Gamecocks football team

The 1988 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina as an independent during the 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team played its home games at Williams–Brice Stadium. They compiled a record of 8–4 with a loss against Indiana in the Liberty Bowl. The Gamecocks were led by head coach Joe Morrison in his final season as head coach prior to his dying of a heart attack in February 1989.
South Carolina had its final eight-win season of the 1980s, and its fifth in ten years. The Gamecocks started 6–0 and were ranked No. 8 in the country. However, they lost four of their final six games, and finished the season unranked.
The 1988 season was also marked by a scandal which surfaced in October, concerning the alleged widespread use of steroids in the school's football program.

## Schedule

| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 3 | North Carolina | No. 19 | Williams–Brice StadiumColumbia, SC (rivalry) | | W 31–10 | 73,275 |
| September 10 | Western Carolina | No. 16 | Williams–Brice StadiumColumbia, SC | | W 38–0 | 68,800 |
| September 17 | East Carolina | No. 14 | Williams–Brice StadiumColumbia, SC | | W 17–0 | 66,000 |
| September 24 | No. 6 Georgia | No. 14 | Williams–Brice StadiumColumbia, SC (rivalry) | TBS | W 23–10 | 74,800 |
| October 1 | Appalachian State | No. 8 | Williams–Brice StadiumColumbia, SC | | W 35–9 | 71,380 |
| October 8 | at Virginia Tech | No. 8 | Lane StadiumBlacksburg, VA | | W 26–24 | 42,845 |
| October 15 | at Georgia Tech | No. 8 | Bobby Dodd StadiumAtlanta, GA | | L 0–34 | 45,103 |
| October 29 | at NC State | No. 17 | Carter–Finley StadiumRaleigh, NC | ESPN | W 23–7 | 54,800 |
| November 5 | No. 5 Florida State | No. 15 | Williams–Brice StadiumColumbia, SC | ESPN | L 0–59 | 75,000 |
| November 12 | Navy | | Williams–Brice StadiumColumbia, SC | | W 19–8 | 66,000 |
| November 19 | at No. 15 Clemson | | Memorial StadiumClemson, South Carolina (rivalry) | JPS | L 10–29 | 84,867 |
| December 28 | vs. Indiana | | Liberty Bowl Memorial StadiumMemphis, TN (Liberty Bowl) | Raycom | L 10–34 | 39,210 |
| Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game ||||||||

## Roster

Todd Ellis – QB; Mike Dingle – RB; Harold Green – RB; Robert Brooks – WR; Jamie Penland- WR; Patrick Hinton – LB; Ron Rabune – Safety; Robert Robinson – CB; Kevin Hendrix – DE; Collin Mackie – Kicker; Keith Bing – RB Mike Dingle – RB Gerald Williams – RB Albert Haynes – RB Ray Bolton – RB Eddie Miller WR Carl Platt – WR George Rush – WR Anthony Parlor – WR Hardin Brown – WR Vic McConnell – WR Bill Zorr – WR Darren Greene – WR Ken Watson – TE Trent Simpson – TE Mark Fryer – OL Ike Harris – OL Randy Harwell – OL Paul Shivers – OL Calvin Stephens – OL Dany Branch – OL Charles Gowan – OL Kenny Haynes – OL Marty Dye – DL Derrick Frazier – DL Tim High – DL David Taylor – DL Patrick Blackwell – DL Kevin Hendrix – DL Kurt Wilson – DL Theartis Woodard – DL Patrick Hinton – LB Derrick Little – LB Matt McKernan – LB Corey Miller – LB Keith Emmons – LB Mike Tolbert – DB Ron Rabune . DB Robert Robinson – DB Stephane Williams – DB Dale Campbell – DB Mike Conway – DB Pat Turner – DB

## Coaching staff

* Joe Morrison, head coach
* Al Groh, offensive coordinator
* Joe Lee Dunn, defensive coordinator
* Charlie Weis, assistant coach
* Fred Jackson, quarterbacks and wide receivers coach