Tonight South Carolina travels to Clemson to play the hated Tigers. The Gamecocks have split the last two with Clemson in Pickens County but have lost 5 of the last 6 up there. The Gamecocks won last year by the largest margin since 1975’s 52-20 throttling of the Tigers. The Gamecocks are trying to win back to back games in the series for the first time since 1968-1970. I say it is long past time for the Gamecocks to not only win two in a row but to take back the state that is rightfully theirs. And I think it’s already beginning to happen.
The amount of hate amongst the fans in this state has always been so great that this game stands on its own. It needs no conference implications (though of course it used to have them); it needs no national implications; the state championship is enough to make this game the Big Time, if only around here. Because of that, Gamecock fans have always seemed to view the game differently from the rest of their schedule. In conference, we talk about moving ahead of Tennessee or moving ahead of Georgia on our way to the top of the East. When we talk about Clemson, we don’t really talk that way.
Perhaps we don’t talk that way because it’s obvious that we want to be ahead of Clemson. Perhaps we don’t because we don’t want to acknowledge the possibility of Clemson being ahead of us. I think we don’t talk about it that way because we don’t think of it that way. We only think about beating Clemson; we don’t really think about moving past them, and I think this mindset is holding us back.
Facing facts any Gamecock fan has to admit that Clemson has won more games than South Carolina has in this series. That’s not a revelation; even casual observers know that. And at times it seems that if you look at the rivalry from that perspective, the deficit the Gamecocks have to make up can seem insurmountable. I think that has led the school to look at each game on its own merits, ignoring the overall series, and while that may keep the fan focused on the game at hand, it doesn’t lead to a long-term, overarching push for moving ahead of Clemson.
It seems that South Carolina has started the process of moving ahead of Clemson without even knowing it, and I think tonight’s game will be the next step in the process. This year has seemed to be a breakthrough year for the Gamecocks. It’s not just for the football team but also for the baseball team, and I believe also in terms of Clemson relations.
The baseball team won the first major men’s national championship in school history in June. They beat Clemson not once, but twice in Omaha to advance to the championship series. That win seemed to have a devastating effect on the Clemson faithful if for no other reason that it was the second time it happened to the Tigers in Rosenblatt Stadium.
The football team has ridden the momentum from baseball season, and to an extent, the momentum for last year’s Clemson win to a breakthrough year this season. The wins over Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Florida have propelled the Gamecocks to the SEC East crown and a trip to Atlanta for a chance to win the best conference in college football.
And despite all this, Gamecock fans are approaching the Clemson game the way they always do: a combination of apprehension and hope. The time for those feelings have passed, and the tide has turned. USC fans should approach this game with enthusiasm and the knowledge that not only can they beat Clemson, but that the odds are in their favor. We may very well be approaching an era of Gamecock resurgence and, dare we say it, superiority over Clemson on the football field.
This South Carolina team is different; this Clemson team isn’t. This South Carolina team is getting huge production out of its stars like Alshon, Marcus and Stephen. This Clemson team’s stars are more hype than substance. {See Parker, Kyle.} This South Carolina team hasn’t faltered in November; this Clemson team has faltered all year en route to a 6-5 (4-4) record. This South Carolina team wins the games it needs like Alabama, Tennessee and Florida. This Clemson team loses games it should win like Boston College, North Carolina and Florida State.
South Carolina can stake its claim to this rivalry. It can back up last year’s win and start a streak. South Carolina can show that its football team’s success has staying power, and, perhaps best of all, South Carolina can keep those Clemson fans quiet for this year and years to come.
Enjoy watching your Gamecocks usher in a new era against Clemson tonight and be sure to check back here for coverage of the game and the SEC Championship.
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