Dec. 19, 2005

South Carolina wide receiver Sidney Rice has been named the 2005 Southeastern Conference Offensive Freshman of the Year by The Sporting News, the national publication announced today.

Rice, a redshirt freshman from Gaffney, S.C., was previously named the Rivals.com national Freshman of the Year after leading the Gamecocks with 58 catches for 952 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was a consensus first-team All-SEC selection after ranking first in the SEC and 16th in the country with 95.2 receiving yards per game, and third in the SEC and 35th in the country with 5.80 receptions per game. He set the school record with 12 touchdown catches in a single season and is just 48 yards from joining Sterling Sharpe (1,106 in 1986) as the only 1,000-yard receivers in school history. He also established a school record by catching a touchdown pass in eight straight games and tied the school record set by Sharpe in 1986 with five 100-yard receiving games.

Rice and the 7-4 Gamecocks will face the Missouri Tigers (6-5) in the 2005 Independence Bowl on Friday, December 30 in Shreveport, Louisiana.