On Thursday August 31, 2006, the Gamecocks opened their second season under Steve Spurrier in Starkville, MS against the Mississippi State Bulldogs.
There are a couple of different things to remember that game for; a rare SEC shutout in a 15-0 win, Syvelle Newton’s TD pass to Cory Boyd on a wide receiver reverse pass, and of course the bone crunching hit by Jasper Brinkley on the Bulldog QB that introduced him to Gamecocks fans in his first game.
However, it is something else that stands out from that season opener to me, the beginning of Eric Norwood’s rise to stardom in Columbia.