The 1989 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina as an independent dring the 1989 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by first-year head coach Sparky Woods, the Gamecocks compiled a record of 6–4–1. South Carolina was invited to the Liberty Bowl, where they lost to Indiana. The team played home games at Williams–Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina. Woods succeeded Joe Morrison, who died of a heart attack in February 1989.