9 YEARS in the NFL and a legendary Gamecock career — Brandon Bennett made Riverside proud.
Brandon Bennett, who graduated from Riverside High School in 1991, was a bruiser RB who was near impossible to bring down between the tackles.
Bennett was a catalyst for the most successful four-year run in Riverside history. While Bennett in the backfield and HC Mike Hawkins on the sidelines, Riverside enjoyed a combined 35-14 record from 1987 to 1990.
Bennett was a man amongst boys as a Warrior, and his talent quickly caught the eye of several major universities. During his senior year, Bennett chose to stay in-state for college, committing to the South Carolina Gamecocks.
While in Columbia, Bennett excelled in the backfield. He formed a dynamic rushing duo in Columbia with Rob DeBoer. Over the course of Bennett’s South Carolina career, he rushed for over 3,000 yards.
But there was one singular yard that stood out above the rest.
In a September 1993 matchup at rival Georgia, the QB Steve Taneyhill and the Gamecocks orchestrated a last-minute drive, down 21-17 to the No. 14 Bulldogs. But with no timeouts left and the clock ticking down under 10 seconds, South Carolina was stopped at Georgia’s 1-yard line.
Time for just one more play remained.
The Gamecocks quickly lined up, snapped the ball, and handed it to Bennett. Bennett took a giant step toward the goal line before leaping with all his might… over a Georgia defender and just barely into the end zone.
It helped that while at Riverside High School, he was a star jumper for the Warriors’ track-and-field team.
“He scored on the last play of the game. Bennett, a great athlete, leaps over the pile and broke our hearts with two seconds to go,” went the now-famous call from UGA legendary announcer Larry Munson.
Bennett would go on to enjoy a successful NFL career after his college days, including six years with the Cincinnati Bengals and his final year in the league with the Carolina Panthers.
Bennett still stands as the second-leading rusher in Gamecocks history, behind only Heisman-winner George Rogers.
Bennett is forever etched into Gamecock lore, as the scrappy, bulldozing RB from Riverside who broke a million Georgia hearts on that famous 1993 afternoon.
9 days until high school football is back.
