The 2016 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina in the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Gamecocks played their home games at Williams–Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina and competed in the East Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The Gamecocks' first-year head coach was Will Muschamp, with Kurt Roper as offensive coordinator and Travaris Robinson as defensive coordinator. They finished the season 6–7, 3–5 in SEC play to finish in fifth place in the East Division. They were invited to the Birmingham Bowl, where they lost to No. 25 South Florida in overtime. Following a 2–4 start, freshman Jake Bentley became the starting quarterback and led the Gamecocks to a 4–3 finish, including an upset over No. 18 Tennessee. South Carolina had a three-win improvement over the previous year and returned to the postseason, but finished with a second consecutive losing season. Wiki link