On anniversary of 9/11, remembering how South Carolina football helped the nation heal 24 years ago

The South Carolina football team took the field on September 20, 2001. The Gamecocks’ opponent that day was the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The two SEC foes faced off in Starkville for what was a top-20 matchup.

At first glance, that might not seem that significant. The SEC has competitive, ranked matchups all the time.

However, this meeting between former cross-divisional rivals was different than any other SEC contest. September 20, 2001 marked the first major football game played in the United States following the devastating terrorist attacks of September 11th.

Now, on that day’s 24th anniversary, a look back at the game that helped a nation heal is warranted.

The final was 16-14 in favor of Lou Holtz’s Gamecocks, but the score didn’t seem that important. The impact that football game had on the greatest country in the world was much larger than the on-field results.

In the same nation that is dealing with a strong sense of political divide today, there was real unity inside Davis Wade Stadium on September 20, 2001.

For security purposes, there were delays getting inside the venue. Yet, every corner of the stadium was filled. Fans arrived early. As far as sports go, the environment was about as tame as it could be. There weren’t many pregame arguments or needless complaining about long lines or traffic on Highways 82 or 25.

Instead, South Carolina and Mississippi State supporters felt a sense of solemn camaraderie that day. There seemingly was as much red, white, and blue in the stands as maroon and white or garnet and black. American flags were as plentiful as cowbells in the stadium.

In the minutes leading up to kickoff, players from the two teams joined together with military personnel to present the United States flag.

Old Glory waved in front of 50,000 people–50,000 Americans–chanting “U-S-A.” Regardless of athletic affiliation, many of those 50,000 stood arm in arm and cried together at the rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner performed by Bonnie Sherrill, daughter of then-MSU coach Jackie Sherrill.

In a way that was both heartbreaking and uplifting, a college football game brought tens of thousands together.

Some have even claimed that President George W. Bush had coordinated with the SEC office for the Thursday night showdown to be the country’s return to sports “normalcy” because of the expected patriotic response from the two fanbases involved. If that’s true, the decision was a good one. The Gamecocks and Bulldogs present in Starkville, Mississippi represented their country well that night.

You can watch the entirety of the pregame festivities at the beginning of the YouTube video below.

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It had only been nine days since around 3000 people died in the biggest terrorist attack in United States history. The days between September 11th and September 20th, though, had been an eternity. War was beginning, and fear and uncertainty were the prevailing feelings across the nation. Nothing felt right.

But when a group of young men with “Carolina” and “Miss. State” across their chests got together to play ball, it was just the tiniest glimpse of normalcy that signaled to a mourning nation that healing was possible. It was a sign that no outside force could irrevocably damage the American resolve. It was a sign that, despite the many differences that exist in this country, the people of the United States of America could come together in patriotic unity for the land that they love.

Last fall, an MSU Films documentary entitled 9/20 commemorated the game and spotlighted the lead-up to kickoff. You can watch it here.

In watching the pregame or the MSU Films documentary, it is clear that there is much that the 2025 version of the United States can learn from its 2001 counterpart.

In a divided society that has endured the assassination of politicians and political pundits on both sides of the aisle in recent days and months, once again, things are not right in America. The world’s largest melting pot is only made complete when it recognizes that it is full of different persons but just one people.

A look back at September 20, 2001 should help remind us all that a return to unity is possible. There are things much more important than our differences.

In a nation that claims, in each recitation of its pledge to the national flag, that it is “one nation, under God, indivisible,” we all could use the reminder that the indivisibility doesn’t just come by default. It takes effort. It takes love. Sometimes, it might even take watching football together.

South Carolina and Mississippi State helped remind America of those things back in 2001. Hopefully, that game can help remind us of those things again today.

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