COLUMBIA --- South Carolina honored two of its best football teams before Saturday night's victory against Vanderbilt.

Members of the 1969 Gamecocks, who won the Atlantic Coast Conference championship with a perfect 6-0 record, wore garnet jerseys. Representatives from the 1984 South Carolina team, which set the school record with 10 victories in a season, wore black jerseys.

The two teams held reunions this weekend and gathered on the home sideline before the kickoff. Both received a rousing ovation from the fans.

Former Strom Thurmond star Ira Hillary was a receiver on the 1984 Gamecocks squad, which came to be known as the "Black Magic" team.

"We had something a little special here, and we didn't realize it until much later," said Hillary, who now works in Cincinnati for a medical supply company.

The Hillary legacy is still strong in Columbia. Ira's nephew, Aramis Hillary , is a backup quarterback for the Gamecocks. The younger Hillary also played at Strom Thurmond.

"It absolutely looks wonderful," Ira Hillary said about seeing his nephew in pregame warmups. "I was just trying to get his attention, but I guess he's a little focused like I used to be."

LOCAL FLAVOR: Former Lincoln County star Brandon Barden had a chance to put Vanderbilt on the scoreboard early in the second quarter.

But a pass from Larry Smith that was intended for Barden on third down fell incomplete. The Commodores had the ball inside South Carolina's 10, but the drive stalled and the field goal attempt missed.

Barden, a transfer from Virginia Tech, is the starter at tight end for the Commodores. He finished with two catches for 52 yards, including a career-long catch of 43 yards.

Former North Augusta star Justin Wheeler , who would have been a senior wide receiver, injured his knee in spring drills. The injury ended his collegiate career.

BLAME THE FAIR: South Carolina and Vanderbilt struggled to put up any points until midway through the second quarter.

With the South Carolina state fair going on next door, there might have been more excitement on the midway than at Williams-Brice Stadium. With traffic problems around the area, the stadium was not at full capacity.

The crowd came to life, though, when Stephen Garcia hit D.L. Moore on a 35-yard touchdown pass. Moore juggled the ball before pulling it in, and the play was reviewed.

The replay booth confirmed the call on the field, and the Gamecocks took a 7-0 lead.

Vanderbilt responded with a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Warren Norman that tied the score.