2014 Independence Bowl results: South Carolina tops Miami in Shreveport

In the nine previous years of F/+ rankings, the highest-ranked team with a losing record has often seen a significant bump the next year. In 2006, Tennessee went from 5-6 and 24th in the F/+ rankings to 9-4 and 10th. In 2010, Clemson went from 6-7 to 10-4. And in 2014, Utah went from 5-7 to 9-4. A couple of others (Alabama in 2007, Pitt in 2013) saw at least small bumps in the win-loss record.

That’s the good news. The bad news: four other teams saw the bottom drop out. UCLA fell from 6-7 and 24th in 2007 to 4-8 and 85th in 2008. In 2009, Illinois fell from 5-7 and 43rd to 3-9 and 92nd. In 2010, Wake Forest fell from 5-7 and 43rd to 3-9 and 103rd. And in 2012, USF fell from 5-7 and 35th to 3-9 and 73rd.

The Canes fall to 6-7 after losing, 24-21, to South Carolina in Shreveport. That’s their first losing record since 2007 and third since 1979, and Florida State people such as former Noles lineman Dockett are having a pretty good time.

This Miami Hurricanes fan at the Independence Bowl in Shreveport is clearly loves her city’s sports teams.

Sadly, her Hurricanes couldn’t finish a late comeback and lost 24-21 against South Carolina.

It was far from an offensive display, but Steve Spurrier and South Carolina did enough to come away with a 24-21 victory against Miami in the Independence Bowl.

Miami didn’t go down without a rebuttal, driving 72 yards for a touchdown to pull back within a field goal. South Carolina struggled to muster drives for much of the day but moved the sticks when it needed to at the end. The Gamecocks picked up a key first down to run out the rest of the clock and secure the victory.

MMMMM ... fish fry.

This isn’t the first great unintentional moments of jersey humor this season. We’ve also seen Clark Griswold and Golden Showers show up.

Who wins: movable force or resistible object?

Any game involving Cincinnati (25th in Off. F/+, 88th in Def. F/+) can become a shootout. Any game involving Virginia Tech (91st in Off. F/+, fourth in Def. F/+) can become a defensive slog. Cincinnati won games by scores of 58-34, 54-46, and 38-31. Virginia Tech lost games by scores of 21-16 and 6-3.

Two of the Southeast’s best football programs suffered terribly disappointing seasons in 2014. South Carolina and Miami both finished the year 6-6, and only one will emerge from the Duck Commander Independence Bowl with a winning season.

Miami opened the year with a debilitating loss to Louisville, but managed to work their way back into the Coastal discussion with a 6-3 start. The Hurricanes ended the season with three straight losses -- Florida State, at Virginia, and Pittsburgh -- leaving them with their worst record under Al Golden.

Steve Spurrier would like you to know that he never told Jeremy Shockey his 2000 Florida team got beat up by the Miami Hurricanes in a Bourbon Street brawl.

The South Carolina coach took time out of his Friday press conference to say he was misquoted by the former Miami tight end during ESPN’s 30 for 30 film, “The U Part 2.” Part of the documentary focuses on an alleged bar fight between Florida and Miami in New Orleans the week of the 2001 Sugar Bowl. A boastful group of former Hurricanes tells the cameras that they won the fight.

The Independence Bowl has been around since 1976. The game has had seven sponsors over the last 38 years, ranging from Poulan Weedeater to AdvoCare. But now, for the first time ever, the game will be called the Duck Commander Independence Bowl, instantly shooting it to the top of the bowl game name power rankings. This year, Miami and South Carolina will fight to be king of the ducks, according to ESPN.

Duck Commander is, you guessed it, one of the nation’s leading duck call companies. It’s run and owned by the Duck Dynasty gang, which took over TV with their quirky redneck ways.