Upstate, South Carolina
One of College Football’s most storied and heated rivalries might just be set to get a little more
heated at the end of the 2013 season with the prospect of the two teams closing out the season
as highly ranked as they have ever been in the history of the match-up. Throw in a healthy mix
of bad blood between the team’s two head coaches and the season closing match-up on
November 30 could hardly be more exciting.
The highest ranked match-up between these two in-state rival schools was in 1987 when South
Carolina entered the game ranked at #12 and Clemson entered at #8. The schools are ranked
at #14 and #8 respectively heading into week 11 and a win for the Gamecocks over Florida in
two weeks’ time combined with no bad losses could well create the highest ranked match-up in
the rivalries history.
South Carolina and Clemson are both supported by the state of South Carolina and are
separated by just over 100 miles. The rivalry has historical roots in the state’s history as well as
being based on dislike between two extremely passionate athletic programs and fan bases.
The football game has been renewed annually since 1909 after first being played in 1886.
Clemson holds a 65-41-4 lead in the series, but the games have frequently been fiercely
competitive with 40 decided by just one touchdown or less. The Gamecocks have enjoyed
greater recent success as well winning the last four contests as well as six of the past eight.
This season’s match-up is perhaps the most highly-anticipated in the game’s history for a
number of reasons. Both schools started the seasons with legitimate national championship
contending ambition, but have ultimately fallen out of that race after suffering crucial losses.
Still, there will be plenty at stake in terms of final ranking and eventual Bowl game for each of
these teams when they face-off to finish the 2013 season.
There’s no love lost between either of the current line-ups either. After a blowout victory for the
Gamecocks in 2011, South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier was widely attributed as saying
‘We ain’t Alabama, we ain’t LSU, but we ain’t Clemson’. That quote was never said by Spurrier,
but in fact represented comments made by Gamecocks play-by-play man Todd Ellis. Clemson
coach Dabo Swinney responded angrily and would later be jibed back at Spurrier for his
mistake.
There’s no doubt that the November 30 clash will only further intensify a rivalry that runs deeper
than just about any other in college sports. This is a rivalry that has seen numerous last second
victories, brought a shameful brawl to the sport in 2004, a memorable display of sportsmanship
in 2005 and huge numbers of famous refereeing decisions, most recently the notable
catch/push-off debate from the game in 2000.
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