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COLUMBIA — The relief was palpable on Saturday.

Relief from Clemson fans that the Tigers beat South Carolina with a 28-14 win. Relief from the Gamecocks that a miserable season was over. And both glad the process of rebooting for next year can be realized sooner rather than later.

It’s sad in so many ways for both sides.

Even the relentless sunshine that cast long shadows over Williams-Brice Stadium couldn’t warm the crowd and mask the truth. The most recent edition of the rivalry that defines our state athletically will either be forgettable or — perhaps worse — memorable for all the wrong reasons, that being a capstone for sorry seasons.

Otherwise nothing about this game mattered besides the bragging rights tethered to rivalries.

There’s value in that, certainly. Depending upon which side of the fence they’re on, neighbors and family and co-workers will either leverage Saturday’s outcome or have it loom over them for the next year.

Clemson’s fans — if they’d forgotten over the past three years during which South Carolina twice beat the Tigers (all in Death Valley) — have been reminded that winning beats losing to your in-state nemesis. Buckle up, South Carolina faithful — school and church might be rough for 365 days or so.

Besides that, this year’s edition of something that’s had the name Palmetto Bowl forced upon it for about a decade now felt hollow. There’s no other way to describe how short things fell from fulfilling promises that fueled an offseason unlike any other in this state.

Or even living up to the last time they played.

Impossible encore

Has it really been 12 months since what might’ve been the zenith of this rivalry? It seems like yesterday and also forever ago. That’s what slogging through a regular season does to even the best.

But consider everything tethered to last year’s game, a 17-14 South Carolina win that was long on drama and short on apathy.

One team chased momentum for a possible conference championship appearance (and Clemson indeed made the ACC title game thanks also to an assist from Syracuse). High-tier bowl games were in play. College Football Playoff possibilities were on the table.

Few other matchups, even on Rivalry Weekend, had as much juice as that one on that day in the Upstate. What did we get on Saturday in Columbia?

Merely glimpses of what this season was supposed to be all about. South Carolina’s Nyck Harbor splitting two defenders deep. Clemson’s Cade Klubnik threading passes to streaking receivers. Big plays from both defenses. Those moments were glorious.

Otherwise, we were gifted two teams with eventful offseasons ahead, starting with South Carolina.

The Gamecocks’ (4-8, 1-7 SEC) helmets will be stored away until the roster is restocked, the coaching staff is reshaped and the residue from 2025 is scrubbed off.

“I can one-billion percent promise you this: we will have a hell of a season in 2026,” USC coach Shane Beamer said. “And when I’m doing this press conference after the Clemson game next year — and we’ve finished the regular season — that because of the success that we’re gonna have … We’re gonna look back at this season and say it sucked going through it, but because of what we went through in ’25, it led us to what we just did in ’26.”

We’ll see. This was supposed to be that season.

Necessary changes

Clemson (7-5, 4-4 ACC) can relate.

The Tigers were assumed back to the standard that spoiled its fans for more than a decade. Instead merely getting bowl eligible was an accomplishment for arguably the most underachieving roster in America.

“Now we've put ourselves in position to maybe get to the postseason and maybe try to get an eighth win,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “It's not what we set out to do, but it's only two teams that had eight wins in a row, and that's Alabama and Georgia. That's quite a turnaround.”

Fair. Especially since Clemson did get it together to overcome a 3-5 start.

It also weirdly seems almost like punishment, as Clemson faces a holiday season in a second- or even third-rate game. For the uninitiated: El Paso weather in late December isn’t awful. It’s not great, either, but not awful. Getting a bucket of mayonnaise dumped on you in Charlotte seems more appealing — even for a program with playoff aspirations.

That, at minimum, clearly illustrates the disparity between making the end-all, be-all CFP and everything else. This season’s results indicate a wide gap between both Clemson and South Carolina when it comes to joining those 12 elite teams.

It can only be remedied by each making wholesale changes; some more notable than others, though all significant. Rosters will fluctuate, certainly some significant coaching moves, perhaps a pivot in philosophy on one side of the ball or the other.

Any and all that must happen for Clemson and South Carolina. Otherwise, a status quo remains for each that’s proven to not work.

It’s how you must operate these days, anyway. Teams that aren’t constantly adjusting and tinkering are the ones either relegated to lesser bowls, home in December or looking for a new coach. It’s an anxious proposition for lots of people in all walks of life, though especially for coaches. Their way is the way — usually the only way.

But things are going to have to get uncomfortable for both programs. Otherwise, it’s going to keep feeling cumbersome for everyone.

Including those fans who packed out Williams-Brice on Saturday. They did so because it’s what you do on the weekend after Thanksgiving. Never mind the blunt reality that thousands paid a premium price months ago to attend a game that promised massive stakes.

They were left with the proposition of either unloading them for a loss or subjecting themselves to one more draining Saturday. Again, there were those rivalry implications involved, so sitting in the chill still trumped taking a financial hit.

But as they sat in that deceptive sunshine, you can’t help wonder if they felt like they weren’t getting enough bang for their bucks.

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Dabo Swinney extended some empathy for rival coach Shane Beamer after Clemson took down South Carolina 28–14 on Saturday. The game marked the disappointing resolution of the Gamecocks’ season, which saw them finish 4–8.

South Carolina went into the 2025 season ranked No. 13 and coming off a promising 9–4 campaign a year ago. They proved unable to build off those efforts, instead doubling their loss total from 2024 and failing to qualify for a bowl game. Their season culminated with a loss to their in-state rivals, only adding to the sour taste this year has produced.

After the game, Swinney was seen extending support to Beamer’s family, .

“I’ve got a lot of respect for Shane and what he’s done here,” . “My heart hurts for him and Emily because I’ve been on the other side of it. But I’m proud of our guys.”

Swinney also stuck up for Beamer by recalling some of the ups and downs his own Clemson teams have undergone during his tenure. “All I can tell you, Shane’s good football coach, better person, and he cares,” Swinney said. “I think these are reactionary games where you can really overreact. I lost five in a row, and we were really good teams. And again, we had 15 turnovers to their three. And that was a bad run. But we were a good team, and they were a good team, but you hang in. I’m glad that Clemson people didn’t give up on me.”

as well on Saturday following their loss. He said earlier this month that next year show to see where they land, and has doubled down that next year will prove much more successful.

“I hate that we’ve gone through this,” Beamer said. “I hate it for the seniors that don’t come back. But I can one billion percent promise you this. When we have a hell of a season in 2026 and when I’m doing this press conference after the Clemson game next year and we finished a regular season because of the success that we're going to have next season, I know we will. We’re going to look back at this season and say, ‘It sucked going through it, but because of what we went through in ’25, it led us to what we just did in ’26.’”

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Entering Saturday, South Carolina already knew there was no chance of going to a bowl, with seven losses. Clemson knew it was going to a bowl game with six wins. All teams had to play for in the 122nd edition of the Palmetto Bowl was pride.

For the fourth straight year, South Carolina saw a chance to win it in the fourth quarter. However, for the second straight time at home, they squandered it. The road team has now won the last five matchups in the South Carolina-Clemson rivalry.

Through the game’s final 30 minutes, South Carolina had five chances to take a lead-taking touchdown. They failed on every single one as Clemson led wire-to-wire. The 28-14 loss resulted in the Gamecocks’ sixth straight loss to the Tigers at Williams-Brice Stadium.

Throughout Saturday’s game, it felt as if all South Carolina needed was to take the lead once. However, everything they kept doing, Clemson kept answering.

The Gamecocks stayed in it through the entire game. However, when crunch time approached, they could not answer, a theme for South Carolina all season. The loss became its sixth where the Gamecocks were within one score entering the fourth quarter.

“I think today was our seventh one-score game going into the fourth quarter … When we came together at the 50-yard line like we always do, said here we are. This is 15 minutes, and you guys can leave your legacy here with how we go play in these last 15 minutes,” Beamer said.

“Thought we were going to win the game in the fourth quarter, and what a story it would be, and it didn’t happen. Turnovers, lack of execution, poor coaching, all of it.”

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Clemson opened the game with a punt, inspiring the Gamecock faithful to get loud in a sold-out Williams-Brice. However, a quick three-and-out from South Carolina briefly stopped that.

South Carolina’s second drive got off to a better start. After breaking out of its own endzone, LaNorris Sellers then found Jared Brown for a 32-yard gain.

However, as if it were a microcosm of South Carolina’s season, Brown proceeded to fumble the ball after the catch. Meanwhile, a collective groan sounded over Williams-Brice as Clemson took over in plus territory.

Luckily for the Gamecocks, Cade Klubnik found Jalon Kilgore instead of Adam Randall in the endzone six plays later.

The Gamecock response set the standard of the Gamecocks having to match the Tigers on every drive the rest of the way.

If the opening quarter showcased the teams’ defenses, the second showcased the offense after the Tigers opened the afternoon’s scoring.

Once the Tigers scored, LaNorris Sellers put the Gamecocks in the end zone in three plays after a 53-yard touchdown by Nyck Harbor.

Harbor’s 115 yards on Saturday is a new career high, and his second straight game with 100-yard games. He credits a lot of that to interim offensive coordinator Mike Furrey and Sellers.

Clemson continued to match, as its wide receiver core continued to carve up the Gamecock defense. Two quick short passes moved the Tigers to their 33. Randall added on 22 on the ground. Then, a facemask set Clemson up in the red zone.

Saturday’s second-quarter madness continued when, at the 3-yard line, Klubnik fumbled the ball, picked it up, and ran it into the end zone. Again, South Carolina found a quick answer.

On the opening play of the following drive, Sellers found Vandrevius Jacobs through double coverage, who took it 74 yards to the house.

Neither secondary got off to a hot start on Saturday. By halftime, the Gamecocks and Tigers had five combined players who averaged 10 or more yards per completion. South Carolina’s three, Harbor, Jacobs and Brown each averaged at least 20.

As the first half came to a close, South Carolina kept scratching. Clemson kept answering, and the Tigers took a 17-14 lead into the break.

Though the game looked tight on the scoreboard, the stat sheet told a different story. At the halftime break, Clemson led in time of possession 21:44 to 8:16. The Tigers also ran 47 plays to the Gamecocks’ 19.

“We had a couple big plays that got the 14 points that we had right there, but I think on third down, any coach would tell you got to be great on first and second down to stay out of those situations,” Beamer said. “We didn’t do a great job on first and second down.”

South Carolina entered halftime 0-3 on third down. They finished the game 1-11 and 1-3 on fourth down.

South Carolina had its chance to take the lead coming out of the break. They proceeded to go three and out. However, its defense kept it in the game after only allowing a field goal to keep it a one-score game.

Then, as the third came to a close, the Gamecocks had another chance. Sellers and South Carolina were on their longest drive of the game. The Gamecocks had the ball in field goal range at the Clemson 23.

Then, on third down, Sellers threw an interception. The play felt like a backbreaker across Williams-Brice Stadium as the Tigers took over at the 20.

The Gamecocks called a read option. Sellers saw nothing but green grass streaking down the sideline. It seemed as if the touchdown was inevitable. Then, Wade Woodaz made a game-changing tackle after a 13-yard gain.

South Carolina went to turn it over on downs as the clock ticked under nine minutes. Clemson’s ensuing drive drove into plus territory. On third down, needing only a few yards to make a game-sealing field goal, South Carolina forced a Clemson punt.

The Gamecocks got one last chance, Sellers threw an immediate pick-six. Then, Harbor fumbled the ball. Clemson’s sideline and coaches’ box erupted. South Carolina finished the season 4-8.

“There were so many weeks where we got our guts absolutely ripped out of our bodies on Saturdays,” Beamer said. ” … There’s so many plays where we got to be more detailed.”

He hopes that, coming off the difficult season, his players will learn the fine line between winning and losing.

Fans at Williams-Brice Stadium, including the Barksdale, Lee, and Murphy families, embraced their Clemson–South Carolina divides at a frigid Palmetto Bowl.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — It was a chilly start to tailgating outside Williams-Brice Stadium, but not even freezing temperatures could dim the energy of thousands of South Carolina and Clemson fans gearing up for the annual Palmetto Bowl. Tailgates across the parking lots were full of sizzling meals, team colors, and plenty of good-natured rivalry banter.

"Whether it’s 80 degrees or 20 degrees, we’re still going to support our Gamecocks,” one USC fan said.

For many families, this year’s matchup carried even more meaning. Several households proudly showed off their divided loyalties.

Roger and Libby Barksdale, together for 32 years, said they’ve learned to navigate the rivalry season with a bit of compromise.

"I’m a Clemson fan. My daughter graduated from Carolina, so mostly I wear my Clemson stuff when they play Carolina,” Roger said. “But when I come down to Columbia, I have my Carolina gear.”

Twin brothers Jack and Connor Lee, who are seniors at Clemson and USC, said the rivalry keeps their family interactions entertaining.

“It is pretty bitter, especially this weekend,” they said. “Being able to talk trash and everything in between has been great, and experiencing this with our family has been phenomenal.”

Maureen and Michael Murphy, whose two children attend Clemson and whose youngest son attends USC, said the rivalry has sparked plenty of playful chaos at home.

"The rivalry is fun. At home, we have a sign from one college, the kids will knock it down. Or we’ll have a hat, and they take it off and throw it away,” Michael Murphy said.

While both programs have fallen short of preseason expectations, fans agreed the rivalry still holds weight, and for many, it means more than ever this year.

“It’s really been depressing for the state of South Carolina," one fan said. "It’s been very tough to watch."

Another called Saturday’s game “the real championship,” given the challenging seasons.

Others said the passion remains regardless: “We still have so much school spirit even though the games haven’t been the best.”

“It’s still South Carolina vs. Clemson, the biggest game of the year,” said another.

Many also hoped a win in the Palmetto Bowl could provide much-needed momentum going into next season. For Clemson, coming out with the victory, they hope to carry the momentum into next year.

“I’m super proud of the way the team has fought throughout the year,” one fan said.

“It’s given me a lot of optimism going into next year,” a Clemson fan added.

COLUMBIA — Clemson defensive line coach Nick Eason wasted no time after a 28-14 win over South Carolina. He made a beeline to a black door in the bowels of Williams-Brice Stadium, snapping it open.

The 45-year-old assistant, purple hat backward, sunglasses over his eyes, strutted out of that room on Nov. 29 confidently holding the base of a silver Palmetto tree trophy.

“I told y’all I was coming down to get this merch,” Eason proclaimed.

As soon as that rivalry trophy was in the Tigers’ possession, they all rushed out of the visitors locker room and back onto the Gamecocks’ field. They set up in one corner of the end zone, some standing, some sitting directly on the turf, and posed for a picture.

Many held out their hands with three middle fingers clenched, thumbs and pinkies out, pointing them groundward for a “Spurs Down” symbol.

“We tried to keep it classy. They did a lot when they won,” Clemson defensive end T.J. Parker said. “That's what we could do without trying to be too disrespectful.”

“But it was a great picture,” Parker added. “It's going to sting on them for a little bit.”

There’s no love lost between two bitter rivals.

The Tigers and Gamecocks have battled as intensely as ever in recent years, each team beating the other on their respective home fields dating back to 2019.

On the last few occasions, players from each side have taken the opportunity to plant the flag of their institution on their rival’s logo.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said he talked with his contemporary, South Carolina’s Shane Beamer, about those shenanigans after last year’s game. They were in agreement that flag-planting, which could lead to brawls, wasn’t a good thing.

But that’s not to say all the vitriol was sucked out of the contest. Clemson safety Ricardo Jones, who had two game-altering interceptions, including a pick-6, was jawing with the South Carolina student section before the game even kicked off.

Jones didn’t notice it in the moment, but a teammate showed him a picture postgame of those South Carolina students flipping him the bird after he scored.

“I just laughed,” Jones said. “Fans are passionate about football.”

Clemson, in particular, was passionate about stopping South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers after he ran all over the Tigers’ defense for 166 yards last season.

This year, he was dropped for five sacks and finished with two yards on 12 carries. There was nothing complicated about Clemson’s plan of attack, other than a disciplined pass rush and physically wrestling Sellers to the ground.

“Pain has a way of making you better. And there was a lot of pain in this game last year because we led the entire game,” Swinney said.

Third-and-17, the coach continued, recalling Sellers’ burst for a 20-yard touchdown, ripping through multiple Clemson tacklers to claim a 17-14 lead with 1:08 remaining.

“Everybody's had to live with that all year,” Swinney added. “We turned the pain into purpose.”

Apropos for this season, more broadly.

Clemson (7-5) dropped three of its first four games. A last-minute touchdown drive against LSU fell short, Georgia Tech’s walk-off field goal from 55 yards had more than enough distance, and Syracuse’s onside kick helped claim a 10-0 lead in Memorial Stadium before the Tigers even touched the ball.

A nightmare start to the season turned desperate when Clemson dropped to 3-5 with losses to SMU and Duke. Swinney saw athletic director Graham Neff in a postgame press conference and joked about getting fired.

But there was a smile on Swinney’s face this weekend after a fourth straight win, heading to who-knows-where for a bowl game that could help the Tigers finish 8-5.

“We're not gonna win a championship, we're not getting to the playoff. But man, that doesn't diminish my love for the guys in that locker room,” Swinney said. “I'm thankful that, again, the good Lord gave them a moment like this today to just celebrate and enjoy.”

But he wanted them to celebrate the right way.

Even if there was some bravado.

Clemson left tackle Tristan Leigh waved a giant orange Clemson flag as both teams left their sideline, but he never made it to the Gamecocks’ logo for a planting.

His fellow lineman, Collin Sadler, strutted like a chicken as he departed the field. Clemson receiver T.J. Moore walked by stragglers in the South Carolina student section with a whiteboard that read “Our State.”

Swinney, who left Clemson’s locker room momentarily, was upset when he returned and discovered his players had ventured back onto the field for a picture. As they filed back into the locker room, he yelled “What the hell y’all doing?!"“

“They just wanted to take a picture,” Swinney said. “They weren't doing anything disrespectful. I just didn't want anybody out there.”

The picture was enough for Parker, who knew this was Clemson’s sixth straight win in Columbia.

“So this is Death Valley Junior,” Parker said, “if you want to call it that.”