| Year: | 2019 |
| Team: | South Carolina Gamecocks |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Southeastern Conference |
| Short Conf: | SEC |
| Record: | 4–8 |
| Conf Record: | 3–5 |
| Hc Year: | 4th |
| Oc Year: | 2nd as OC; 4th overall |
| Dc Year: | 4th |
The 2019 South Carolina Gamecocks football team (variously South Carolina, USC, SC, or The Gamecocks) represented the University of South Carolina in the 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season. This season marked the Gamecocks 126th overall season, 28th as a member of the SEC East Division. The Gamecocks played their home games at Williams–Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina, and were led by fourth-year head coach Will Muschamp.
South Carolina jumped out to a fast start for recruiting the 2019 class with early commitments from 4 star Defensive Lineman Rodricus Fitten, and 3 star Offensive tackle Jaylen Nichols. In January 2018 the Gamecocks received commitments from 4 star OT Mark Fox out of Miami, and 3 star JUCO DE Devontae Davis from Georgia Military College. USC also picked up 3 star center, Vincent Murphy from St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Florida.[1] [2]
On April 4, 2018, 4 star QB Ryan Hilinski out of Orange Lutheran High School in Orange, California committed to South Carolina.[3] Ryan is the brother of the former Washington State QB Tyler Hilinski.[4] Also in April, 4 star TE Traevon Kenion committed to the Gamecocks.[5]
On May 25, 5 star defensive end Zacch Pickens committed to South Carolina.[6]
The 2019 SEC Media Days were held July 15–18 in Birmingham, Alabama. In the preseason media poll, South Carolina was projected to finish in fourth in the East Division.[7]
| Media poll (East Division) | |||
| 1 | Georgia | 1789 (233) | |
| 2 | Florida | 1499 (21) | |
| 3 | Missouri | 1149 (3) | |
| 4 | South Carolina | 883 (1) | |
| 5 | Tennessee | 804 (1) | |
| 6 | Kentucky | 798 (1) | |
| 7 | Vanderbilt | 358 | |
| Media poll (SEC Championship) | ||
| 1 | Alabama | 209 |
| 2 | Georgia | 49 |
| 3 | LSU | 3 |
| 4 | Auburn | 1 |
| Florida | 1 | |
| Mississippi State | 1 | |
| South Carolina | 1 | |
| Tennessee | 1 | |
The Gamecocks had two players selected to the preseason all-SEC teams.
Offense
3rd team
Bryan Edwards – WR
Defense
2nd team
Javon Kinlaw – DL
South Carolina announced its 2019 football schedule on September 18, 2018.[8] The 2019 schedule consists of 7 home and 4 away games along with one neutral site game in the regular season. The Gamecocks hosted SEC foes; Alabama, Kentucky, Florida, and Vanderbilt. They traveled to face; Missouri, Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas A&M. South Carolina's nonconference schedule features teams from the ACC, Big South, and Sun Belt. They faced North Carolina in neutral site game in Charlotte, NC, and hosted Charleston Southern (Big South), Appalachian State (Sun Belt), and Clemson (ACC).
According to ESPN and other outlets, South Carolina had the toughest schedule in the country.[9] [10] [11] [12]
ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum described the toughness of the Gamecocks schedule. “I don’t think anyone could argue against the following statement that South Carolina has the hardest schedule in the country, it is absolutely brutal. There is just no getting around it. So knowing that you have Alabama, knowing that you have Georgia and Clemson. By almost everyone’s projections, those are the No. 1, 2 and 3 schools in the country.[13]
As part of their penalty for NCAA violations, Tennessee has retroactively vacated its 2019 victory over South Carolina. However, the penalty to vacate victories does not result in a loss (or forfeiture) of the affected game or award a victory to the opponent, therefore South Carolina still considers the game a loss in their official records.[14]
| Name | Position | Consecutive season | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4th | |||
| Tight ends coach | 4th | ||
| Defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach | 4th | ||
| Offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach | 4th | ||
| Running backs coach | 1st | ||
| Defensive line coach | 1st | ||
| Offensive line coach | 3rd | ||
| Linebackers coach and special teams coordinator | align=center | 4th | |
| Outside linebackers coach | 3rd | ||
| Dan Werner | Quarterbacks coach | 2nd | |
| Kyle Krantz | Nickelbacks and strong side linebackers coach, assistant special teams coach | 2nd | |
| Jeff Dillman | Director of Player Strength and Conditioning | 4th | |
| Matthew Lindsey | Director of Player Personnel | 3rd | |
| Director of Player Development | 2nd | ||
See also: 2019 North Carolina Tar Heels football team.
See also: 2019 Charleston Southern Buccaneers football team.
See also: 2019 Alabama Crimson Tide football team.
See also: 2019 Missouri Tigers football team.
See also: 2019 Kentucky Wildcats football team.
See also: Georgia–South Carolina football rivalry and 2019 Georgia Bulldogs football team.
See also: 2019 Florida Gators football team.
See also: 2019 Tennessee Volunteers football team.
See also: 2019 Vanderbilt Commodores football team.
See also: 2019 Appalachian State Mountaineers football team.
See also: Palmetto Bowl and 2019 Clemson Tigers football team.
Schedule Source:[17]
See also: 2020 NFL draft.
| 1 | 14 | DT | San Francisco 49ers | ||
| 3 | 81 | WR | Las Vegas Raiders | ||
| 4 | 117 | DE | Minnesota Vikings | ||
| 7 | 238 | ILB | New York Giants |