The 2020 South Carolina Gamecocks football team (variously South Carolina, USC, SC, or The Gamecocks) represented the University of South Carolina in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The season marked the Gamecocks' 127th overall season, and 29th as a member of the SEC East Division. The Gamecocks played their home games at WilliamsâÂÂBrice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina, and were led by head coach Will Muschamp until his firing on November 15. Mike Bobo, the team's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, was named interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, South Carolina played a ten-game all-conference schedule in 2020. The Gamecocks did not play their archrival Clemson for the first time since 1908. Home games were extremely regulated, limited to approximately 15,000 season ticket holders and a small number of other spectators, all required to wear masks. The Gamecocks compiled a 2âÂÂ8 record, their fourth losing season in six years. The team accepted a bid to the Gasparilla Bowl, as the NCAA had waived bowl eligibility requirements for the season. The Gamecocks were slated to play UAB, but had to withdraw on December 22 due to COVID-19 issues within the program.
In the preseason media poll, South Carolina was predicted to finish in fifth place in the East Division.
South Carolina had games scheduled against Clemson, Coastal Carolina, East Carolina, and Wofford, which were all canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was the first season since 1908 that the Gamecocks did not play Clemson.
As part of their penalty for NCAA violations, Tennessee has retroactively vacated its 2020 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.