Stephen Garcia, the former University of South Carolina quarterback known for leading the Gamecocks to some of their most memorable victories, is now facing the toughest opponent of his life—and he's not backing down. Diagnosed with Stage 4 colorectal cancer, Garcia, 38, has a message for anyone who might count him out: "I'm not dead yet."

It all started last July when Garcia noticed irregular bowel movements and nagging pain in his lower left abdomen. Like many athletes, he tried to tough it out. "I don't need to go see a doctor to figure out what's wrong with me," he recalled thinking. "I'll just beat this." But when the symptoms persisted through fall and winter, his wife Masha grew worried and pushed him to get an ultrasound. The tests that followed delivered a devastating blow: cancer had been hiding in Garcia's colon for three to seven years and had already spread to his liver.

In late April, doctors delivered the Stage 4 diagnosis, leaving Masha in tears and Garcia stunned. But the same grit that made him a fan favorite in Columbia is now fueling his fight. On Wednesday, Garcia began his first round of FOLFIRINOX chemotherapy—what he calls "the big gun"—with a wry chuckle. The plan is to shrink the tumor in his colon, target it with radiation, and then remove it surgically. "We're going to kick this thing in the teeth and knock it out," Garcia said during a Friday press conference. "There is no other option."

Garcia and Masha went public with his diagnosis on the same day he started chemo, launching a GoFundMe campaign that has already raised nearly $200,000. But for Garcia, the goal is bigger than financial support. "If you feel even a little bit off, go get checked out," he urged. "It took my wife six or seven months to kick my ass into seeing the doctor, and it was seven months too long. I wish I would have listened to her earlier."

For fans who remember Garcia's fearless plays on the field—where he threw for over 8,000 yards and led the Gamecocks to three straight bowl wins—his determination now is no surprise. From the gridiron to this battle, one thing remains clear: Stephen Garcia is fighting with everything he's got, and he's not ready to hang up his cleats.