Jan. 1, 2009

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• South Carolina Captains: #40 Eric Norwood, #11 Kenny McKinley, #52 Jasper Brinkley, #78 Justin Sorensen
• The Gamecocks finish the season 7-6 overall, the fifth consecutive season for South Carolina to finish .500 or better. Carolina drops to 4-10 all-time in bowl games, 2-1 in the Outback Bowl, and 3-6 all-time against schools currently in the Big Ten Conference. It was the first-ever meeting with the Iowa Hawkeyes.
• Head coach Steve Spurrier is now 7-8 all-time in bowl games, 1-2 as South Carolina's head coach. The Head Ball Coach is now 4-2 against schools from the Big Ten Conference.
• In his final contest as a Gamecock, Kenny McKinley extended his school-record receptions streak to 43 games, the fourth-longest active streak in the nation. McKinley finished with 6 catches on the day for 86 yards. He ends his illustrious career as the school's all-time leader and third in Southeastern Conference history with 207 receptions. McKinley also completed one pass on the day for 12 yards.
• Jasper Brinkley had his first interception of the 2008 season and the third of his career in the second quarter. Brinkley led the team with 11 tackles, a season high for the senior playing in his final game.
• Eric Norwood continues to move up the all-time charts at South Carolina as he notched his 43rd career tackle for loss. He had nine total tackles on the day.
• South Carolina was penalized 10 times for 100 yards, setting both a season high and a Gamecock bowl record. The previous high in a bowl game was 9 penalties for 93 yards in the 2006 Liberty Bowl against Houston.
• With Chris Smelley's 10-yard pass to Jared Cook for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, South Carolina put points on the scoreboard for the 37th consecutive game. The Gamecocks avoided a shutout for the first time since Sept. 9, 2006, an 18-0 loss to Georgia. The Gamecocks have never been shut out in a bowl game.
• Eric Baker's 43-yard reception in the fourth quarter was the longest play of his career. It was the third-longest pass play of the season for the Gamecocks.
• South Carolina recovered an onside kick for the first time since Nov. 3, 2007, at Arkansas.
• Only 246 days until the Gamecocks will open the 2009 season on Thursday, Sept. 3, against North Carolina State in Raleigh, N.C.