COLUMBIA, SC — It is Game Day at Williams-Brice Stadium where Clemson looks to continue their dominance in the series with South Carolina.
The Tigers look to keep the hopes alive for another ten win season.
Location: Williams-Brice Stadium
Kickoff: 7:30 PM
Television: SEC Network
Announcers: Taylor Zarzour, Matt Stinchcomb, Alyssa Lang
2021 Record: Clemson 8-3, South Carolina 6-5
ACC Record: Clemson 6-2
Series History: Clemson leads 71-42-4
Last Meeting: Clemson won 38-3 on November 30, 2019
CLEMSON TO RENEW RIVALRY WITH SOUTH CAROLINA ON SATURDAY
After a year in which pandemic-induced schedule changes ended a streak of 111 consecutive meetings between the two schools from 1909-2019, Clemson will resume its rivalry with South Carolina on Saturday, Nov. 27. Kickoff at Williams-Brice Stadium is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.
The game’s removal from last year’s schedule delayed an opportunity that now awaits Clemson’s 2021 squad. Clemson has won each of the series’ last
six games, including wins in Columbia in 2015, 2017 and 2019. A Clemson win on Saturday would give the Tigers seven straight wins against the Gamecocks and would tie the 1934-40 Tigers for the longest winning
streak by either team in series history. A win would also make Dabo Swinney the first coach on either side to win seven straight games in the series.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEK
– Clemson and South Carolina resuming a rivalry that had been contested for 111 consecutive years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Before its interruption, it was the nation’s second-longest uninterrupted series.
– By virtue of the 2020 interruption, Clemson, whose last game against South Carolina in 2019 was in Columbia, playing consecutive games at South Carolina in the series for the first time since 1959. Clemson played the first 57 games in the 117-game series on the road on “Big Thursday” during the annual State Fair until the series transitioned to the home-and-home format in
1960.
– Clemson attempting to improve to 72-42-4 all-time against South Carolina. Clemson’s 71 all-time wins against South Carolina are the program’s most against any opponent.
– Clemson having held the lead in its all-time series with South Carolina for 44,935 consecutive days (123 years and 10 days) at the time of kickoff on Saturday. South Carolina won the series opener in 1896 before Clemson evened the series in 1897. Clemson won the third game in the series on Nov. 17, 1898 to take a 2-1 series lead that Clemson hasn’t relinquished.
– Clemson attempting to record seven consecutive wins against South Carolina for the first time since a sevengame streak from 1934-40. That seven-game streak stands as the longest winning streak in the series by either
team.
– Clemson attempting to move its all-time road record against South Carolina to 53-32-3. Clemson’s 52 current road wins at South Carolina are double its most all-time road wins against any other opponent. Clemson’s secondmost road wins against an opponent is 26 at Wake Forest.
– Clemson attempting to earn a fourth straight road win against South Carolina for the first time since defeating the Gamecocks on the road six straight times across the 1989-99 seasons.
– Clemson entering the contest having won its last four games in the series against South Carolina by at least 21 points (49 points in 2016, 24 points in 2017, 21 points in 2018 and 35 points in 2019). Clemson’s four consecutive wins of 21-plus points mark the longest streak of 21-point victories in the series by either team.
– Head Coach Dabo Swinney attempting to improve to 8-5 all-time against South Carolina. He would be the first Clemson coach with seven straight wins against South Carolina, surpassing the six straight wins secured by Jess
Neely from 1934-39.
SERIES HISTORY VS. SOUTH CAROLINA
Saturday’s game will be the 118th all-time meeting between Clemson and South Carolina. It will be the first time the teams have met since 2019, as a streak of 111 consecutive years in which the two teams faced off was interrupted by the pandemic-adjusted schedule for the 2020 season.
Previously, the teams had played every year from 1909-2019, which at the time was the secondlongest active streak of consecutive years played in a
rivalry in the nation. The only longer consecutive rivalry at the time was Minnesota vs. Wisconsin, which had played every year since 1907. Despite the interruption, at 117 games, the ClemsonSouth Carolina series entered 2021 tied for the 12thmost played rivalry in the FBS.
The Clemson vs. South Carolina series dates to 1896, the first year of football at Clemson and the fourth season for South Carolina. Clemson holds the advantage 71-42-4 since that first meeting in Columbia, a game won by
South Carolina, 12-6. Clemson’s first win took place the following year, an 18-6 victory in Columbia.
Clemson broke a five-game losing streak to South Carolina in 2014 with a 35-17 win at Clemson. Deshaun Watson led the Tigers to the victory with 269 yards passing and 13 yards rushing. He threw for two scores and rushed for two more despite playing with a torn ACL.
A win this week would be Clemson’s seventh in a row in the series, which would tie the longest streak in series history set from 1934-40 when the Tigers won seven in a row.
TCI Predictions
Robert – Clemson 31, South Carolina 20
Sam – Clemson 28, South Carolina 17
Gavin: Clemson 27, South Carolina 20
Davis: Clemson 27, South Carolina 13