The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, August 13, 1999, Page 1C, Image 25
Full coverage of
the 1984 “Black
Magic" Foothall
season, indud- iM
ing roster, stats ~
and box scores
for every game.
page 6
Friday, August 13,1999 _The Gamecock_PagejC
Todd Money
Sports Editor
The Fire Ant defense.
Black Magic.
The Mitchell-Hold Airways.
“Nine and 0! Nine and 0!
Nine and 0, and three to go!”
Conjure up any images yet?
For many of you, probably not.
It's hard to believe it's been 15
falls since 1984, the last time
football was a happening event
in Columbia. It did happen,
though, “chicken curse” fixa
tions notwithstanding.
Yes, it was only a decade and
a half ago that President
Reagan was campaigning for a
second term, a very successful
Los Angeles Olympics was fin
ishing up and USC's football
team was looking to rebound
from a 5-6 season in 1983 that
had been surprisingly captivat
ing. The squad had made
tremendous strides under first
year coach Joe Morrison, even
surprising the other USC,
Southern Cal., with a 38-14
trouncing in Columbia.
“We have to go out and prove
ourselves for 11 Saturdays,”
Morrison said before 1984. “We
can't take anyone lightly, but
neither do I think anyone can
take us lightly.”
The ledger for the upcoming
season wasn't much different
from 1983's, which was rated
the second toughest in the coun
try. 1984 would include home
dates with national powers
Georgia, Florida State and
Pittsburgh, and road games to
Notre Dame, N.C. State and
Clemson.
The prognosis was optimistic.
How could anyone have figured
what would come next?
USC 31, The Citadel 24:
Down 21-14 at the half, the
Gamecocks used a tough
defense to overcome an upstart
underdog and put an end to
what was much more of a game
than many expected. USC
scored what proved to be the
winning touchdown on halfback
Quinton Lewis’ 40-yard pass to
Chris Wade with only 1:02 left.
And it still wasn’t over. The
Citadel drove all the way down
to Carolina’s 22, but with 22
seconds left, quarterback Robert
Hill's pass waff picked off by
USC defensive back Otis
Morris.
USC 21, Duke 0:
Carolina overcame 15 penal
usc continued on page 6C
Associated Press
1. BYU (12 0-0)
2. Oklahoma (9-1-1)
3. Florida (9-1-1)
4. Washington (10-1-0)
5. Nebraska (9-2-0)
6. Ohio State (9-2-0)
7. South Carolina (10-1-0)
8. Boston College (9-2-0)
9. Oklahoma State (9-2-0)
10. So. Methodist (9-2-0)
11. LSU (8-2-1)
12. Maryland (8-3-0)
13. Miami (Fla.) (8-4 0)
14. UCLA (8-3-0)
15. Florida State (7-3-1)
16. Auburn (8-4-0)
17. Notre Dame (7-4-0)
18. So. California (8-3-0)
19. Texas (7-3-1)
20. Wisconsin (7-3-1)
United Press Int’l
X. BYU (12-0-0)
2. Oklahoma (9-1-1)
3. Washington (10-1-0)
4. Nebraska (9-2-0)
5. Ohio State (9-2-0)
6. Florida (9-1-1)
7. South Carolina (104-0)
8. Boston College (9-2-0)
9. Oklahoma State (9-2-0)
10. So. Methodist (9-2-0)
11. Maryland (8-3-0)
12. LSU (8-2-1)
13. Miami (Fla.) (8-4-0)
14. So. California (8-3-0)
15. UCLA (8-3-0)
16. Florida State (7-3-1)
17. Wisconsin (7-3-1)
17. Notre Dame (7-4-0)
19. Auburn (8-4-0)
20. Texas (7-3-1)
Special 10 The Gamecock
(Above) USC's Scott Hagter kicks the game-winning PAT to beat Clemson in 1984. (Right) Quarterback Mike Hold was a key
part of the Gamecocks' 10-2 season that yea;, frequently coming off the bench to pull out wins in the second halves of games.