| Year: | 1989 |
| Team: | South Carolina Gamecocks |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Independent |
| Record: | 6–4–1 |
| Head Coach: | Sparky Woods |
| Hc Year: | 1st |
| Off Coach: | Art Wilkins |
| Oc Year: | 1st |
| Def Coach: | Rick Whitt |
| Dc Year: | 1st |
| Stadium: | Williams–Brice Stadium |
The 1989 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina as an independent dring the 1989 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by first-year head coach Sparky Woods, the Gamecocks compiled a record of 6–4–1. The team played home games at Williams–Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina.
Woods succeeded Joe Morrison, who died of a heart attack in February 1989. Woods was previously the head coach at Appalachian State, having won two Southern Conference titles and been named Southern Conference Coach of the Year in three consecutive years.[1]
In 1989, South Carolina started 5–1–1 and ranked No. 25 in the country.[2] However, in the eighth game against No. 20 NC State, senior star quarterback Todd Ellis, considered arguably the most impactful player in program history until then, suffered a college career-ending injury.[3] The Gamecocks subsequently lost three of their last four games, were not selected for a bowl game, and finished unranked.
Todd Ellis* QBDickie DeMasi QBBen Hogan QBPat Turner QBHarold Green* RBMike Dingle RBAlbert Haynes RBKen Watson RBKeith Bing RBKevin Jones RBRobert Brooks* WREddie Miller* WRGeorge Rush* WRCarl Platt WRDavid Pitchko WRSkeets Thomas WRBill Zorr WRDarren Greene WRDavid Hodge* TECharles Steward TEDany Branch* OLIke Harris* OLKenny Haynes* OLCurt High* OLCalvin Stephens* OLHal Hamrick OLAntoine Rivens OLMarty Dye* DLCurtis Godwin* DLTim High* DLCorey Miller* DLPatrick Blackwell DLTroy Duke DLTrent Simpson DLRobert Gibson* LBPatrick Hinton* LBDavid Taylor* LBScott Windsor* LBMike Conway LBJoe Reaves LBKeith Emmons LBErik Anderson* DBLeon Harris* DBKeith McDonald* DBAntonio Walker DBStephane Williams DB
Griffin, J. C. (1992). The first hundred years: A history of south carolina football. Atlanta, GA: Longstreet Press