Trey Wallace
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There has always been bad blood between South Carolina and Clemson fans, just like any other in-state rivalry. But, that hatred doesn’t spill over to the head coaches, as both Shane Beamer and Dabo Swinney describe their relationship as friendly, even if they are battling for state supremacy.
It dates back to when Beamer was an assistant coach under Steve Spurrier at South Carolina, while Swinney was an assistant coach under Terry Bowden at Clemson, so they’ve definitely run into each other along the recruiting trail. Beamer had nothing but nice things to say about the Tigers head coach, as he discussed the upcoming game on Saturday night.
“I’ve just enjoyed getting know Dabo over the years,” Beamer said. “I’ve always had a ton of respect for him. Then throughout this process, he was fantastic to me. Reached out to me when my name was getting mentioned for this job, to say I hope you get it, and it would be great. I talked to him, did my press conference here on that Monday, then literally, I think twice, that week after the press conference, I talked to him. Even during the season, it’s not like I’m calling him weekly, but we’ve had a couple of phone conversations during the season.”
We’ve witnessed transfer QB Jason Brown lead this South Carolina offense to 40 points against Florida and a 21-3 stretch against Auburn last weekend. One of the problems that the Gamecocks could run into is protection, as they’ve allowed Brown to be sacked nine times since taking over as the starter.
Last week, Clemson’s defense held Wake Forest to a season-low 27 points and sacked quarterback Sam Hartman eight times. The Tigers also held the Demon Deacons to 36 yards rushing. But, the Tigers could be focused on other games on Saturday, as the only way they make the ACC Championship game is if Wake Forest and NC State lose. So, we will see how truly motivated this Clemson team is at 7:30 pm ET.
There’s no denying what a win over Clemson could do for the South Carolina program. First, they’d snap the six-game losing streak. Second, they’d finish the regular season with seven wins, which many thought was a pipe dream during fall camp. Third, it will set the Gamecocks up for success heading into 2022, which is huge for Shane Beamer, as he continues building this football program.
It will be a sold out Williams-Brice Stadium, that has witnessed some amazing moments over the past two games at home. But on Saturday, they are looking for one more reason to soak in the postgame atmosphere, while sending out the Seniors with another special moment.
I don’t think an upset over Clemson is far-fetched, especially if we get the same motivated team we’ve watched take the field in Columbia over the past month. Pay attention to Shane Beamer, as he could be building something very special at South Carolina, and a win over Clemson would only add to the first year success.
