South Carolina Gamecocks football is set to celebrate a significant chapter of its history by wearing special throwback uniforms this Saturday night at Williams-Brice Stadium against Akron. These unique South Carolina Gamecocks Uniforms are inspired by the 1980 season, an era most famously remembered for running back George Rogers’ Heisman Trophy victory.
George Rogers, a regular attendee at South Carolina home games, expressed his enthusiasm for the tribute. “I think it’s nice because a lot of those players from that time are still around,” Rogers commented. He emphasized the team’s performance over the attire, stating, “I know the uniform isn’t what’s going to make them win. It’s the people in the uniforms that make them win.” Rogers also lauded the current coach, adding, “I think Coach Beamer is doing a lot of good things that help the team win, so let’s do it baby! Let’s get it on!”
Head Coach Shane Beamer had previously shown interest in introducing an alternate uniform. Under Armour, the official apparel provider for South Carolina Athletics, responded by presenting several options, ultimately landing on the 1980s homage.
“Larry Waters, our head of equipment, came to me probably about this time last year and showed me pictures of how Under Armour wants to do a throwback game,” Beamer explained. Recalling his initial reaction, Beamer said, “I think I looked at it and said, that’s cool. Let’s roll! I didn’t think about it again until he showed me the helmet in July.”
Beamer highlighted the positive reception from the team and the significance of the gesture: “Our players are excited, and it’s great to be able to honor that era of Gamecock Football with that uniform.”
Starting with the helmet, this element of the south carolina gamecocks uniforms is a direct nod to the past. The white helmets prominently feature a larger Block C logo and include the iconic stars on the helmet’s front, details reminiscent of the 1980s design.
The garnet jerseys of these south carolina gamecocks uniforms feature “Carolina” emblazoned across the chest in large block letters. Adding to the vintage feel, the jerseys incorporate a white collar, styled to resemble the neck rolls that were prevalent in that era of football attire.
Completing the throwback look, the pants are white with a bold garnet stripe, further accented by black outlines. This combination of elements ensures the south carolina gamecocks uniforms effectively capture the spirit of the 1980 team.
While George Rogers is thrilled to see the Gamecocks in his era’s uniform, he humorously dismissed any ideas of returning to the field himself. “Hell no!” Rogers laughed. “Maybe I could get on the line and help block. I’ll throw 300 pounds on them. It would be good if I could still run! I do a lot of fishing these days and things that don’t’ take too much movement, but I’ll be at the game.”
Fans can look forward to seeing these special south carolina gamecocks uniforms in action when the game kicks off at 7:30 p.m.
