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For the first time in a long time, the stakes are high as the Palmetto State’s two most prominent institutions meet on the gridiron.
South Carolina and Clemson have been playing football since 1896, but only a handful of times has the game meant more than bragging rights for the next 365 days.
Both the Tigers and Gamecocks, with a win today, could find themselves in the 12-team College Football Playoff. Clemson is ranked No. 12 in the CFP and has a better shot, but No. 15 South Carolina might sneak in if the stars align.
As a lifelong Gamecock fan, this game has always had a special place in my heart. I’ve been following this rivalry for nearly 50 years, and I’ve lived and died with the outcome many times.
Like most things, I can rattle off scores and details from decades ago with ease. Ask me last year’s score, though, and I’d have to look it up.
For much of my first decade following the rivalry, I had to rely on the radio team of Bob Fulton and Tommy Suggs to follow the action. Televised games were a rare treat back then. I remember the thrill from South Carolina’s 1979 win — 13-9, no need to look it up — as the Gamecocks held the Tigers from scoring on a last-minute drive.
Similarly, I remember how crushed I was when Clemson sprang the upset in 1980 over the Gamecocks and Heisman Trophy winner George Rogers. It was 27-6 Clemson as the Tigers wore their all-orange outfits for the first time.
After all these years, though, one game stands out for me. It was 1984, and the Gamecocks were enjoying their best season ever.
Forty years ago, the terms “Black Magic” and “fire ants” were popular terms all over the state as Joe Morrison’s Gamecocks shocked the college football world. South Carolina raced out to a 9-0 start, with wins over traditional powers…
Source link : https://www.postandcourier.com/aikenstandard/opinion/columns/column-clemson-south-carolina-palmetto-bowl/article_25fecc38-acd9-11ef-905f-878854db2650.html
Author : Aiken Standard, S.C.
Publish date : 2024-12-01 00:54:00
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