1987 Gator Bowl

The 1987 Gator Bowl was a college football bowl game between the South Carolina Gamecocks and the LSU Tigers. LSU defeated South Carolina, 30–13.

Background

South Carolina competed as an independent and was tied for fourth-best record among independent schools. LSU finished second in the Southeastern Conference.
The game would be vaunted as a matchup between the "Black Death" defense of SC versus the prolific pro-style LSU offense led by Tommy Hodson at QB and Wendell Davis, one of the best wideouts in all of college football.

Game summary

First quarter

LSU – Wendell Davis, 39-yard pass from Tommy Hodson
LSU – Davis, 12-yard pass from Hodson
South Carolina – Collin Mackie, 44-yard field goal

Second quarter

LSU – Browndyke, 27-yard field goal
South Carolina – Mackie, 39-yard field goal
LSU – Browndyke, 18-yard field goal

Third quarter

LSU – Davis, 25-yard pass from Hodson

Fourth quarter

South Carolina – Harold Green, 10-yard run
LSU – Browndyke, 23-yard field goal

Aftermath

South Carolina was invited to join the Southeastern Conference in 1990, and began playing football in their new conference in 1992. The Gamecocks and Tigers first met as SEC opponents in 1994 at Baton Rouge. South Carolina won that game 18-17, but is 0-7-1 vs. LSU since.