South Carolina and Clemson enjoy a rivalry with roots deeper than the gridiron grass, its seeds sown by infamous state politics and nurtured by a never-ceasing struggle to claim

recognition as the Palmetto State’s fl agship educational and athletics program.

In a football series that dates back 117 years, the competition has yet to grow stale. After 110 games played, including 104 in a row, the 2013 matchup is one of firsts and potential firsts for USC and Clemson.

For the fi rst time, both teams will boast a top-10 national ranking when they meet Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium, with BCS bowls still in sight.

For the entire Clemson roster, the game could be their fi rst win against the

Gamecocks — the Tigers haven’t won in the series since 2008, when most of the current players were still in high school. And for USC, a win at home could mark the team’s fi rst fi ve-game win streak in the series, topping its current longest streaks from 1951-1954 and 2009-2012.

Both USC President Harris Pastides and Clemson President James Barker said they consider the schools’ football rivalry among the best, if not the best, sports series in the nation.

“I mean, there’s no South Carolinian who doesn’t have a favorite,” Pastides said. “There’s nobody who’s not planning to watch the game. It comes on a holiday weekend, and it’s the last regular-season game — a particularly big game this year.”

For Barker, the intensity of the rivalry

and depth of the division between fans is actually a sign of “what a close-knit state we are.”

“All South Carolinians are basically one big family,” he wrote in an email to The Daily Gamecock. “We play each other in sports and then pull together to improve our state.”

When the 111th line is added to the South Carolina vs. Clemson series Saturday night, the entire state and much of the nation will watch to see which fi rst will go down in the history books.

Pastides, for one, isn’t offering any guesses.

“I can get a little superstitious, so I don’t like to jinx anything,” he said. “I’m not going to make a prediction. I’m going to say I’m very hopeful that we’ll do well.”

2013 a year for fi rsts, potential fi rsts in 117-year-old

USC-Clemson rivalry

Sarah EllisSELLIS@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Photo illustration by Brian Almond / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

1910

1900Clemson, 51-0. The rout still stands as the largest margin of victory for either team in the series.

1896USC 12-6. Under the direction of South Carolina College’s fi rst football coach, W.H. “Dixie” Whaley, and in the fi rst year of Clemson’s football program, South Carolina won the fi rst game played between the in-state rivals. Around 2,000 fans paid 25 cents apiece to watch the game at the state fairgrounds in Columbia on a Thursday morning.

1900

1930

1920

1950

1940

1970

1960

1990

1980

2010

2000

1902USC 12-6. South Carolina College beat Clemson for the fi rst time since the beginning of the series, despite the Tigers being heavily favored in the game. South Carolina students held a victory parade that featured a huge poster of a gamecock riding on the back of a tiger. Around 300 cadets from Clemson, then a military college, marched on the South Carolina campus with bayonets and swords to seize the banner and defend the honor of Clemson. About 30 South Carolina students — including future university president J. Rion McKissick — responded by arming themselves with sticks, clubs, knives and guns and taking cover behind a low brick wall. A six-year hiatus in the rivalry followed.

1946USC 26-14. Two New York gangsters printed counterfeit tickets to the already sold-out game. Thousands of fans, angry that their tickets didn’t work, tore down the gates and overfl owed the stadium onto the sidelines and the fi eld, obstructing the view from the stands. South Carolina rallied for the win with two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. At halftime, a Clemson fan wrung the neck of a live chicken at midfi eld, prompting a near-riot.

2012USC 27-17. The Gamecocks matched their longest win streak with a game that featured 4.5 sacks by sophomore defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and three passing touchdowns by sophomore backup quarterback Dylan Thompson.

2013With a win Saturday, South Carolina will have fi ve straight victories against Clemson for the fi rst time in the rivalry’s history.

1980sFrom 1980 to 1983, Clemson enjoyed a four-game win streak. The streak included a victory over a South Carolina team led by the Gamecocks’ only Heisman trophy winner, George Rogers, in 1980 — the same year the Gamecocks appeared in the Gator Bowl in a 37-9 loss to Pittsburgh.

1920USC 3-0. South Carolina broke a seven-game winless streak in the series (the teams tied in 1915, and Clemson won the previous two games). A 25-yard dropkick fi eld goal by South Carolina star fullback Tatum Gressette sealed the victory just two-and-a-half minutes into the game.

1959Clemson 27-0. The Tigers won the rivalry’s last Big Thursday game after Clemson coach Frank Howard had pushed for the end to the state fair-grounds tradition because he was tired of making the trip to Columbia each year.

1960sPranks have played a mischievous role in the rivalry. In the 1960s, Gamecock fans left their mark on a statue of Thomas Green Clemson. In 1961, South Carolina Sigma Nu fraternity brothers dressed as Clemson football players and took the fi eld in Columbia during warm-ups, where they fell down, dropped passes and whiff ed fi eld goals on purpose. When it became obvious that the players were imposters, Clemson fans tried to storm the fi eld, but security held them back.

1952USC 6-0. The game was only played because a state law was signed to ensure the traditional competition continued. The Southern Conference had barred Clemson from playing any other Southern Conference opponent that year, including South Carolina.

1943USC 33-6. Cary Cox, formerly a member of the Clemson football team, was placed at USC as part of the wartime V-12 Navy College Training Program. Naval instructors ordered him to play on the football team. Cox was named captain and led South Carolina to victory against his former team. He returned to Clemson the next year and was captain of the 1947 team. He’s the only player to ever captain both schools’ football teams.

2004Clemson 29-7. South Carolina coach Lou Holtz’s fi nal game is remembered less for the score than for the on-the-fi eld violence that erupted late in the game. A series of fi ghts cleared the sidelines for both teams, delaying the game for about 10 minutes with fewer than six minutes left to play.

2009USC 34-17. South Carolina began its current four-game win streak. Clemson senior running back C.J. Spiller set an NCAA record with his seventh career kickoff return for a touchdown to start the game. But USC quarter-back Stephen Garcia’s three touchdown passes propelled the Gamecocks to victory.

? File Photo

File Photo

Courtesy of USC Archives

Courtesy of USC Archives

Courtesy of USC Archives

Courtesy of USC Archives

Courtesy of USC Archives

Courtesy of USC Archives

Snapshots Rivalryof aSarah Ellis

SELLIS@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM

Students gathered on the Greene Street intramural f ields Monday night, jumping to “Sandstorm” and yelling, “Go cocks!” Just as they have for years and years before, they had come to watch a tiger effi gy go up in fl ames.

USC celebrates the annual rivalry game against Clemson with the

Tigerburn. Clemson fans counter the tradition by hosting a “funeral” for Cocky.

I n 20 07, t he Tigerbu r n was scrapped in favor of a “Tiger Tear Down” af ter a t ragic f ire in an Ocean Isle Beach house claimed the lives of six USC students and one Clemson student. Clemson’s annual mock funeral for Cocky was canceled that year.

This year’s t iger, which stood about 30-feet-tall, was assembled by students in USC’s chapter of the American Society of Mechanical

Engineers. “A couple of years ago, we actually

built the tiger with only six people. This year, it has been a privilege to have about 15 people that can help out on days that they can for the build,” said Jonathan Justice, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student and ASME secretary.

On average, about 3,000 people come to witness the Tigerburn each year.

A group from ASME is in charge of lighting the fi re, and every year it is overseen by the Columbia Fire

Department. “There are l imitat ions, such

as how high the tiger can be, the 50-yard distance the crowd has to be away from the burn, et cetera,” Justice said.

This year’s project leader was ASME vice president Trevor Berry, a second-year mechanical engineering student.

C o c k app e l l a k ic ked of f t he ce lebrat ion w it h a n a c apel l a per formance, fol lowed by step dancing from groups that included Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Throughout the evening, the cheerleaders led t he c rowd in Gamecock cheers, and emcees Tom Bell, a third-year public relations student, and CJ Lake, a fourth-year public relations student, pumped up the crowd.

“It was really cool; it was terribly frigid but lots of fun,” Lake said.

Adam Sal loum, staf f minister for USC’s InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, delivered the traditional eulogy.

“This feline deserves a proper burial,” Salloum began.

The crowd laughed in response to his opening remark.

“You can always depend on the t iger,” Sa l loum sa id. “You can depend on t he t iger to a lways perform below expectations.”

A s t he t iger caught f i re , t he crowed cheered, fi reworks exploded and “Sandstorm” blared.

“There was a lot of school spirit, it made me so excited for the game this weekend,” fi rst-year social work student Rachel Da Silva said.

Carolina students:Thank you for the tremendous

support that you have shown our football team this season. When the call went out for your continued encouragement, you answered with tremendous passion and persistence.

The scenes of our st udent sect ion dur ing S a n d s t o r m , t he beg i n n i ng o f t he f o u r t h q u a r t e r a n d singing the alma mater with the team when the game is over are unquest ionably some of the best i n t he nat ion .

While I have been reading about how other schools have had issues getting students to their games ... not the Gamecocks. We do not take your support for granted.

We’ll need you in Williams-Brice Stadium early and loud for the Clemson game. Not only is it a big game against our in-state rival and top-10 opponent, but it’s the final home game for our seniors, who are the winningest class in school history. Let’s give them our full support for what they have accomplished. It’s also on ESPN2, and college football fans from around the country will get to see your great support and passion.

I hope to see you at Williams-Brice on Nov. 30 and at our other Gamecock athletic events the rest of the fall and in the spring.

Good luck on your upcoming fi nal exams, and have a safe winter break.

Go Gamecocks!

— Ray Tanner

A3Tuesday, November 26, 2013

TANNER

A Letter from Athletics Director

Ray Tanner

Tiger effigy burns in honor of traditionEngineering students build

30-foot replica of Clemson mascot

Hannah RichardsonNEWS@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM

Brian Almond / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

A 30-foot-tall tiger constructed by engineering students goes up in fl ames Monday night at the Greene Street intramural fi elds. DG

Photo illustration by Brian Almond / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Sitting in one of the tables in the center of the dining room, Eddie Frazier swirls his Diet Coke around in a bright yellow cup.

He stares out the window of his restaurant, the Bojangles’ on Bluff Road, directly across from Williams-Brice Stadium, into the tailgating lots that were once home to a farmers market. Frazier has watched the area that surrounds his domain grow and change since he took over as the franchisee of the location in 2008.

“There’s a lot of room for us to grow,” he says, shifting his weight in one of the chairs in the dining room.

H e ’s t a l k i n g a b o u t t h e Bojangles’ company, not his location specifically. While the Bojangles’ chain has grown to around 550 restaurants since the first location opened in 1977 in Charlotte, N.C., Frazier’s store on Bluff Road has been trying to keep up with what he says is a growing demand for biscuits and chicken.

“Wherever they eat biscuits, we will go,” he says. “If you eat grits for breakfast and fried chicken for lunch, we’ll be there.”

It’s an exciting time for the franchise, but right now, Frazier i s more worr ied about how many pounds of chicken will be delivered for this weekend’s game than how many stores will open up this year. On Saturday, his staff will work from before the sun rises to well after the moon appears over Williams-Brice.

‘That’s a lot of food’According to Frazier, 3:30 p.m.

games are the busiest for his staff. But the real work begins 12 hours before kickoff at 3:30 a.m., when the fi rst of the workers report to the store.

The chicken will have already been marinated and the mixes for the biscuits will have been prepared. The restaurant will be clean and everything will be in order for when the hoards of hungry fans begin to queue up.

The biscuit-makers are the fi rst to arrive at work, rolling out the dough that will eventually be made into 5,000 biscuits. Three people will work nonstop throughout the day, a continuous cycle of rolling, shaping, coating with butter and

baking that starts around 4:30 a.m. in the fi ve biscuit ovens.

The store will open up around 5:30 a.m., the same time chicken is being fried up for the f irst customers who are lining up to gather supplies to stock their tailgates. By now, the chicken will have marinated for 24 hours to make sure the f lavors are consistent throughout each bite.

Chicken Supremes are the biggest sel ler on gamedays, according to Frazier. At the end of the day, around 4,000 pieces of chicken, 1,500 pounds of fries, 100 pounds of macaroni and cheese and “gallons and gallons” of dirty rice will have moved from the back of the kitchen into the hands of hungry game-goers and out the door.

And since the thirsty fans need something to wash down the boxes of biscuits, tenders and fries, Frazier’s staff makes a new 40-gallon batch of iced tea every

30 minutes. “That’s a lot of food,” Frazier

says, chuckling and taking another sip of his Diet Coke.

On the front linesThroughout the course of a

gameday, 14 fryers in the kitchen will be sizzling away, fi lled to the brim with hot oil. According to Frazier, there will be half a dozen people who do nothing but fry chicken all day long.

On any given gameday, there are up to 40 people working, compared to the 15 or 18 who would come to work on a normal day.

Outside the kitchen, there are between four and seven cashiers, three to four people cleaning the dining room, three or four others keeping the surrounding parking lots orderly and two security guards on duty all day.

And that’s not even counting

Photos by Brian Almond / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Up to 40 people work at the Bluff Road Bojangles’ on any given gameday. Franchise owner Eddie Frazier says the restaurant’s profi ts expand nearly 300 percent when the Gamecocks play at home compared to regular service days.

Serving Gameday

Clemson fans infi ltrate USC campus

Local Bojangles’ serves 4,000 pieces of chicken

for home games

Hannah JeffreyNEWS@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM

$100$0

Clemson game

(Spent on eating/drinking, tailgating, lodging, tickets, retail purchases, travel, etc.)

Average game

Money spent for USC football games in 2013

Local fans

Out-of-townfans

$200

BOJANGLES’ • A5

When you’re standing in Williams-Brice Stadium, cheer ing on the Gamecocks with 80,250 of your best friends, it’s easy to forget that not everyone in the stadium grew up loving garnet and black.

If you look around the stadium this Saturday night, you will see a strip of bright orange in the far corner of the stands. But you’ll also see spots of orange and purple intermixed with the students, and those spots represent the students at USC who grew up as Clemson fans.

For Sara Grace Bailey, a graduate student in the USC masters of mass communications program, wearing

or a nge on Sat u rday w i l l be a no-brainer.

“I ’l l def in itely be root ing for Clemson. I can’t ignore 22 years of being a fan,” Bailey said.

Bailey graduated from Clemson with an undergraduate degree last May and came to USC for graduate school. She said she was raised a Clemson fan and misses seeing orange everywhere, especially during the week leading up to the big game.

“It’s been different. I’m used to going to Cocky’s Funeral and all the events Clemson has,” Bailey said. “It’s interesting to see the different events that take place during the week and also how the events are similar.”

A n n a E d w a r d s , d i r e c t o r o f Student Services, also completed her undergraduate degree at Clemson. She said she chose to attend USC for graduate school to be closer to

her future husband. She arrived in Columbia the night of Tigerburn.

“That was my fi rst USC experience, and I felt like I’d be here for two years and then be on my way. But I just really loved being at USC and loved Columbia and had a great experience here,” Edwards said.

Normal ly, Edwards’ Clemson background doesn’t pose a problem at work in Gamecock country, but she said this week is the hardest.

“Most days it ’s not a big deal, but th is week is when it ’s most pronounced,” Edwards said. “I do have a little orange in my offi ce, and it makes for interesting conversations when students come talk to me.”

A s for who she’l l root for on Saturday, Edwards sa id she wil l defi nitely be wearing garnet.

“I love the University of South Carolina, and I love Clemson, too. But

I work here and support the students here,” Edwards said.

S a r a h Va r g o , a t h i r d - y e a r elementary education student, said she decided to be a Clemson fan growing up to rebel against her family’s love of Carolina. Transferring to USC this semester, she says she wears orange around campus and gets lovingly teased by her sorority sisters.

For McKenzie Crocker, growing up a Clemson fan wasn’t a choice. She said after her grandfather played football for Clemson, the ent ire Crocker family became hardcore Tiger fans.

“My sister was in a pa intba l l accident when she was 11 and had her eye removed,” said the third-year hospitality management student. “She now has a fake eye with a Clemson paw instead of a pupil.”

Students, staff cope with confl icting loyalties

Sarah MartinNEWS@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM

FANS • A7

A4 Tuesday, November 26, 2013

everyone in the mobile kitchen, which is essentially a full kitchen stuffed into a trailer that employs around six people on gamedays. Located in the parking lot nearest to Bluff Road, people will form a single-file line across the pavement and onto the sidewalk. Inside, there are fryers and packers, just as there are in the main building.

“I’ll tell you what,” Frazier says, glancing over his shoulder, across the counter and into the kitchen. “This is a great group of people that, when push comes to shove, they can really move food out of here.”

Frazier’s staf f receives as much gameday preparation as possible, but it’s harder to train people outside of football season without high-volume days. Aside from the spring football game and the Kenny Chesney concert last semester, business was relatively slow.

But as soon as football season picks back up, many of the staffers are working 50 or 60 hours in a game week.

During football season, Frazier says, “You get all the hours you want here.”

‘A good problem to have’The kitchen was expanded a few

years ago, doubling the space in order to accommodate larger gameday crowds. However, the bathrooms were not expanded, which left the restaurant with an extra-large kitchen and restrooms that could barely keep up with the masses who come into the restaurant seven days each year.

“Just think, when you get 80,000 people drinking beer and walk ing around, you’ve got to have some bathrooms, you know?” Frazier says.

The restaurant has expanded its efforts from just the kitchen to the surrounding lots, adding in the mobile k itchen and a 25-foot-long bank of six extra bathrooms equipped with plumbing, air conditioning and electricity.

“It’s a good problem to have,” Frazier adds. “It’s the only place I’m facing exponential growth that may outstrip my ability to grow it. I wish I had this problem everywhere.”

Tom Regan, an associate professor in USC’s Department of Sport and Entertainment Management, conducted a study on gameday profi ts in Columbia during the 2008 season and is in the midst of re-creating his study this season with the most recent statistics.

According to Regan’s findings, the games leading up to the Carolina-Clemson matchup in 2008 garnered

approximately $6.26 million in economic impact per game, bringing a total of 660,000 fans to the area.

These games leading up to the ultimate rivalry game had local fans spending approximately $67.40 each game and out-of-town fans dropping around $162.20 when it came to gameday expenses such as tickets, travel, tailgating and food.

Enter Bojangles’.

Organized chaosLess t han an hou r before t he

Gamecocks face off against Coastal Carolina, Bojangles’ kitchen is hopping. Shouts for more straws over here and an extra biscuit over there cut through the sounds of the organized chaos.

“12 piece! 12 piece!”“I need three Chicken Supremes up

here, soon as you can.”“Behind you with hot, behind you

with hot!”The fl oor is slick with grease, but no

one is slipping on it; there’s no time for that today. The line is out the door and wrapped around the building.

The screen displaying the orders being taken and fi lled changes and blinks rapidly like a strobe light. People bustle by one another from one side of the cramped kitchen to the other, packing cardboard cartons and yelling for more food.

An employee holding straws and lids is stationed next to the door to ensure that each customer leaves with one of each.

There are four cashiers behind the counter, trading debit cards for boxes f il led with the food of the South. Someone else is manning the drive-thru window, which has been converted into a walk-up window to maximize locations where customers can place their orders.

“Hot biscuits coming through, hot biscuits!” Frazier cries, as he scurries out of the kitchen and across the parking lot to the outdoor trailer, where the line stretches almost to the street. The door to the mobile kitchen is wide open, providing easy access to the cashier — who is working without a cash register — to reach back and fi ll orders.

Cooking for ClemsonWhen Frazier fi nally slows down long

enough to stand still, he says despite the hectic atmosphere, its actually been a pretty slow day.

“The weather was bad earlier, and we’re playing an early game against Coastal,” he says. “We’re hoping for

BOJANGLES’ • Continued from A4

BOJANGLES’ • A7

She might easily be lost in the sea of uniforms that f loods the field at Williams-Brice Stadium at halftime on gamedays — if it weren’t for her special talent.

For the fi nal time this Saturday, you can fi nd Catherine Ramirez fl inging her fi re-lit batons into the air, dancing and spinning without missing a beat as the Mighty Sound of the Southeast marches around her.

Ramirez, a fourth-year broadcast journalism student, began twirling batons at the age of 2. Her mother was her fi rst coach and has remained one of her biggest supporters.

Twirling, which is a competitive sport

outside of marching band performances, has become one of the most important aspects of her life. She twirls between eight and 12 hours a week year-round, whether in preparat ion for a USC halftime show or a major competition — regional, national or worldwide. She balances the baton with a full course load and leadership positions across campus.

Ramirez has experienced great success in the competitive world of twirling, making yearly appearances at national and worldwide competitions. She won a f lurry of awards two summers ago in the senior division of the United States Twirling Association League National Championships. Last summer, she finished in the top five among all competitors across divisions.

But despite so much success on large stages, Ramirez still maintains her little fears about her performances, many of which include batons set on fi re for additional effect.

“What makes me feel better about doing fire is that I’ve twirled so much without fire,” Ramirez said. “Having t w irled my ent i re l i fe , I ’m ver y comfortable with the tricks that you see.

“That said, I’m always really scared that I’m going to set myself on fi re, no matter how many times I do it. I mean, I know the chances of me doing it are really slim, and I do trust myself not to, but I always think I’m going to.”

R a m i rez e ven c he c k s her se l f occasionally to make sure she has not, in fact, set herself on fi re.

“All my friends can tell when I do it, so they think it’s the funniest thing that I’m checking to be sure I’m not in fl ames and they just burst out laughing,” she said.

Unlike the band, the twirling acts aren’t choreographed. In the interest of safety or crowd approval, Ramirez can tailor her performances in a variety of ways.

“I definitely do adapt some things,”

she said. “On the fi eld, it revolves more around what the crowd likes and what feels right at that time.”

At the Nov. 2 halftime show during the Mississippi State game, for instance, Ramirez said she had to take into account the windy conditions on the fi eld, which can complicate even a nonfire baton routine.

Overall, though, Ramirez considers twirling a fun and engaging pastime, regardless of all the stress or anxiety that others might feel were they in her place.

“Every time we hit the Gamecock chant, I just have to sit back and think, ‘This is ending soon, but it’s so awesome,’” Ramirez said. “My favorite part of what I do is when people come up to me and say that they really enjoy watching me.”

— Ne ws Edi t o r Amanda Coyne contributed reporting.

The Daily GamecockA6 Tuesday, November 26, 2013

CATCHING FIRE

Andy Levine / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Fourth-year broadcast journalism student Catherine Ramirez tosses her batons at a Parents Weekend tailgate. She will perform for the last time Saturday at the USC vs. Clemson game.

Twirler braves dangers of fl ying, fl aming batons

Davis KlaboNEWS@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM

DG

Desperate for a Halloween costume, a current USC student bought the cheapest thing he could find in Target four years ago: a giant chicken suit.

In that chicken suit, he broke out of his shell. He spent Halloween “acting a fool” and wore the suit periodically throughout the year, messing around and entertaining his friends. Now a fourth-year student, he wears a suit of a slightly different feather.

“I’m not kidding you, it’s the funniest foreshadowing,” said the student, who is one of three students who currently play Cocky.

The identities of the students who play — or, as they say, “assist” — Cocky are closely guarded.

This student, scouted to suit up as USC’s favorite bird because of his extreme school spirit at sporting events, has only had one roommate discover his secret in all four years in the Cocky program. Some of the cheerleaders with whom Cocky performs still don’t know whom the people inside the suit are.

Almost nobody at USC will know this student’s true identity until he walks across the stage at the Carolina Coliseum this May, when he plans to accept his diploma while wearing Cocky’s feet and gloves.

The student has gone to various lengths to conceal his secret identity. He tells most friends that he’s a waterboy. Once, he told a friend he worked at bachelorette parties.

“That was a fun story to keep up,” he said. “I had her going for, like, two and a half months.”

St udent s who play Cock y typically spend about 10 hours each week in the suit but can go upwards of 20 during a busy week. Cocky appears at many home

sporting events and Greene Street events and rides across the state on Cocky’s Reading Express. He gets booked for weddings, birthday parties and even bar mitzvahs.

“My favorite thing is to turn a k id who’s crying and wants nothing to do with you into a kid that loves you,” the student said. “That’s really powerful, especially when you see that kid again and he doesn’t want to let go of you.”

Somet imes , Cock y makes special trips to brighten the days of terminally ill children. Last February, the student got a call from Erika Goodwin, USC’s cheer coach who oversees the Cocky program. Cocky and the cheer team were going to visit a young boy who had a week to live.

“The kid’s a Pittsburgh Steelers fan and he lives in Georgia, but we made him a Gamecocks fan that

day,” the student said.The student has kept up with

the boy’s family. A couple of weeks ago, he learned the boy’s brain tumor had shrunk 90 percent from its original size.

Cock y ’s reach ex tends a l l over the state. He encourages schoolchildren to read while traveling on Cocky’s Reading Express and attends many campus and area philanthropic events.

But Cocky and the students in the suit also find service in the bird’s most basic function: spurring school spirit.

“I’ve been blessed to be in the suit. Everyone should learn how it feels to help someone just by being there,” the student said. “It’s easier behind the beak, but you can do it whether you’re in costume or not.”

The USC Division of Law Enforcement and Safety has been preparing for the rivalry game against Clemson to assure the event is safe for everyone.

While police cannot say how many of its offi cers will be at Saturday’s game, there will be a “suffi cient amount” to keep spectators safe, according to division spokesman Eric Grabski.

There will be between 50 and 60 Columbia police offi cers in uniform and in plainclothes, according to Columbia Police Department spokeswoman Jennifer Timmons. The Lexington and Richland County sheriff’s departments also assist at most football games.

“It’s not just police offi cers that work the game. There are security officers as well,” Grabski said. “There are many first responders that work the game. From police offi cers to security staff to EMS to fi re offi cials.”

According to Grabski, police officers will be posted at all the entrances to the stadium and parking lots, as well as nearby areas USC owns and operates.

“They’re responding to calls for help or service,” Grabski said. “If they see a situation that requires their attention, they’ll respond and take whatever action is necessary.”

Such situations include fights, reports of stolen tickets, visible intoxication and health emergencies.

Patrols will increase in the Vista, Five Points and the Harbison area as well, Timmons said. There will be at least two offi cers on every street corner in Columbia’s most highly trafficked hospitality districts. The Columbia Police Department has a safety plan in place for all major city events, which includes this week’s game against Clemson. During these events, there can be between 20 and 40 additional offi cers on patrol.

With so many offi cers around, Grabski estimated that about 20 people are usually cited or arrested by authorities during big games like the Clemson game. Since there is usually a larger attendance at a rivalry game or a game against a highly ranked Southeastern Conference team, there are generally more arrests made at these games. Night games like Saturday’s matchup also typically have more arrests than day games.

“We tend to have less arrests, fewer responses that we’re responsible for and calls for services during a day game than during a night game, whether that’s a Carolina-Clemson game or not,” Grabski said.

DG

Jeff ery Davis / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Very few people know Cocky’s true identity until the students wear the suit’s gloves and feet when they walk across the stage at graduation.

Cocky identities kept tight secret Police prepare for heated rivalry game

One current student opens up about perks of playing USC mascot

Amanda CoyneACOYNE@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM

DG

USC, city, county offi cers collaborate to keep fans safe

Safi yyah Ali & Sarah MartinNEWS@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM

Five score and 17 years ago, Old MacDonald thrust his lofty pitchfork into a ravaged post-bellum farm field, striking an arbitrary rock.

In that moment of serendipity, he swore to establish a renowned agricultural school dedicated to the sole purpose of triumphantly snatching the Hardee’s Trophy f rom t he Universit y of Sout h Carolina each and every year, in perpetuity. Today, that same rock of no apparent value is enshrined at Clemson University’s stadium as motivation for the farmer’s union football team, although neither the rock nor the farmer’s wishes have done much good considering USC’s recent win streak. A las, despite the drought in this decade’s competition, the rivalry still roars on as one of college football’s fi nest.

This weekend, the Gamecocks will seek to extend their win-streak over Clemson to five. In spite of USC’s domination, adrenaline is running part icularly high since Clemson has f ielded one of it s f inest teams in recent years. As card-carrying members of the All Cupcake Conference, the Tigers’ plate runneth over with subpar competition week after week. This season, the vaunted Tigers have

faced eight conference foes with combined 45-43 records (and, yes, that includes 11-0 Florida State, and we won’t rehash the gory details of the R-rated bloodbath that the Seminoles infl icted on the Tigers, lest there be youthful eyes reading this.)

Nevertheless, we can’t count the Tigers out just yet. We’re pained to acknowledge this, but Clemson leads the series with a record of 65-41-4. And that brings us to the most endearing attribute of the typical Clemsonite; the uncanny ability to remember football results that took place long before full-color photos became all the rage. Ask any Tiger about USC’s current four-game winning streak in the series and you will inevitably hear about the overall series record.

Yes, many a Tiger w i l l t ake immense pride in the 51-0 win over the Gamecocks back in 1900. And

who among us could forget that stirring 13-7 Tiger victory in 1948, when Clemson was heroically led by quarterback J.S. McGillicuddy.

Or so we assume. After all, it was 65 years ago. Or, roughly twice as many years ago as Clemson’s national championship, which you will also inevitably hear about this week.

No matter, history is behind u s , a nd today, USC enjoy s a commanding win-streak. Funnily enough, the four-game st reak statistic doesn’t seem to faze the lauded math and science students of Clemson. Thankfully, they’ve got a fi ght song that conveniently emphasizes elementarily language skills, so where the Tigers fail in statistical analysis, they’ll succeed in spelling their school’s name.

OK , we’ l l get ser ious for a moment. The Carolina-Clemson rivalry is tried and true, that much we know. While we ultimately want to “beat hell out of Clemson,” just like students in 1944, we can rest easy knowing that no matter which school comes out on top, our shared state wins — especially when it comes to hilarious stories of rivalry pranks. And while the football fi eld has provided our schools some of their fi nest moments, we’ve got our ever-improving academic values to enjoy as well. In that vein, win or lose, our Gamecocks will always fi nd success in whatever their fi eld of study is, and those Clemson Tigers are sure to enjoy whatever f ield of produce they choose to harvest.

Fellow USC fans, less than a week from now, our beloved Gamecocks will be taking on the Clemson Tigers.

This classic Palmetto Bowl is set to be one of, if not, the best game in the r ivalry’s history. Both teams are ranked in the top 10 for the fi rst time and USC will be trying to show the Tigers the thumb as they attempt to beat Clemson for an unprecedented f if th year in a row.

With all this hype, I have on ly one reque s t for a l l Gamecocks: Show class, and most ly important ly, show respect.

In September, I traveled t o G e o r g i a t o p e r f o r m i n t he g a me ag a i n s t t he Bulldogs. I was absolutely appalled at the disturbing treatment we received from Georg ia fans. Profan it ies and beer were thrown at us, and inappropriate gestures were made in our face. It was horr ible, and in t hat moment, I couldn’t help but think, “We are students just like you.” I have never been disrespected l ike I was by the fans in Athens, Ga., on Sept. 7. This is why I urge all Gamecocks, students and adults alike, to show respect for the opposing students, players, band members and fans that are making a trip to Williams-Brice Stadium after the Thanksgiving break.

Please do not curse at them, degrade them or give them the type of verbal harassment that has come to be expected of these important rivalry games. Please don’t get me w rong ; I , too, am a d ie-hard USC fan. I would love nothing more than to send the Tigers packing with their fi fth straight loss to Carolina and for us to go on and play in a BCS bowl game. It can still happen. We can still be SEC champions. That said, let’s not tarnish the potential success by hurting our reputation as a school and as fans.

All I ask is that we continue to be the better school by showing the national stage that we are the better people. We don’t have to trash talk to w in. We don’t have to harass the other players and team. We simply must show Clemson fans what Gamecock Nation and Carolina really is: the best school in the state of South Carolina. Let’s prove to them that we don’t plan on relinquishing that anytime soon, either! Go Gamecocks.

— Gabriel McGee, fi rst-year

history student

A7 Tuesday, November 26, 2013

CORRECTIONS

IT’S YOUR RIGHT

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The editor reserves the right to edit and condense submissions for length and clarity, or not publish at all.

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Fans shouldn’t take part in poor sportsmanship

NICK NALBONEAsst. Photo Editor

MAX STOLARCZYKViewpoints Editor

MAXWELL BAUMAN Copy Desk Chief

KRISTMAR MULDROWDesign Director

SYDNEY PATTERSON Editor-in-Chief

THAD MOOREManaging Editor

ANNIE PARHAMAsst. Design Director

KYLE HECKSports Editor

USC students must stay classy, even in big rivalry games

ISSUE USC will take on rival Clemson for the 111th time this Saturday.

OUR STANCE The Tigers are terrible, but the rivalry is tried and true.

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Courtesy of University Libraries Digital Collections

A spirited banner encouraging South Carolina to beat in-state rival Clemson hangs on what is now McKissick Museum in 1944.

“While we ultimately want to ‘beat hell out of Clemson,’ just like students in 1944, we can rest easy knowing that no matter which school comes out on top, our shared state wins — especially when it comes to hilarious stories of rivalry-inspired pranks.”

@

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better weather for Clemson. It should be a full day.”

The Palmetto State showdown will bring a much larger, much hungrier crowd to the restaurant next weekend, Frazier says, even though there are hundreds of people around in the parking lot, taking up any available space — picnic tables, truck beds and even the curb.

Regan reported that for the 2008 game against Clemson, there were over 82,000 fans in attendance. When fans came to tailgate before the big game, the local fans’ spending jumped up nearly $60 to $97.40. Out-of-town Gamecock fans paid nearly 30 percent more than their regularly season total, spending approximately $212.20 for just that day. The 2008 game made an overall economic impact of around $8 million in

Columbia, according to Regan — more than $1.7 million more than any other game of the season.

Frazier estimates his profits expand nearly 300 percent on gamedays compared to days throughout the offseason.

Just before the game starts, Frazier’s business partner Henry Atkins walks up to check in and make sure everything has been running smoothly. Frazier assures him that it has and tells him he plans on taking his “grandbabies” into the game, but for just one quarter.

He has to be back in the kitchen before the game is over to make sure the post-game crowd gets out the door with some chicken, a biscuit and a big cup of sweet tea.

BOJANGLES’ • Continued from A5

FANS • Continued from A4

DG

DG

Despite her family’s devotion to a l l th ings orange, Crocker sa id she decided to attend USC for its international business program.

“I completely support Carolina when it comes to football. But when it comes to playing Clemson, I’m a Clemson fan through and through, and my heart belongs to Clemson,” Crocker said. “Honestly, I’ll be happy either way because my life doesn’t

revolve around football. But at the games I wear orange and purple.”

Bailey said she thinks it’s good to see the rivalry from both points of view, but ultimately, her heart will always be tiger-striped.

“Growing up in South Carolina, you pick a team when you’re born, and I don’t know many people who change,” Bailey said.

PHD • JORGE CHAM THE SCENE

A9Tuesday, November 26, 2013

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EMPLOYMENTExperienced Personal Trainers neededPt and Ft hours available. Gym is 1 mile from campus. Contact Anne Marie for details 803.799.9455.Email mfulmer44@aol.com

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ACROSS1 Photo fi nish6 Turned right10 Caen cleric14 Meet the need15 Chorus girl16 Catch with thegoods, maybe17 Digs20 Amateur ending21 Sgt. maj., e.g.22 Uncle Samfeature23 “A Dog ofFlanders” author26 Trading place27 Angled joint28 Digs32 Textbook unit33 “Air Music”composer34 Alberta native35 Limited number,with “the”36 Mosul’s land40 Not hide43 Country with sixtime zones45 Digs49 Syst. of soundsyllables50 Mil. ranks51 Very peculiar52 1997 NicolasCage hair-raiser54 First name inobjectivism55 Overseas denial58 Digs62 Bus sched. data63 Leap for ScottHamilton64 Reunion group65 __ speak66 Banks on thetube67 Rapper’s crew

DOWN1 When repeated,a fi sh2 Name on anairport shuttle3 British tavern4 Service reward5 Priest in I Samuel6 Garage container7 Cockney greeting8 WWII command9 More evasive10 Spotlit solo11 Teasing

12 Omaha chief whowas an ally of theU.S. in the War of181213 1950s bombs18 Conclude with19 “I haven’t thefoggiest!”24 Open, in a way25 Simpson judge26 Bow28 Mom’s skill,briefl y29 Flying prefi x30 “On the Record”host VanSusteren31 Key with nosharps or fl ats35 Whopperjuniors?37 Famished38 Ending for lime39 __ in Quebec41 ScreenwriterEphron42 Big spender’soffer43 Held on44 Qty.45 Anglican priests46 Wine city north ofLisbon47 Surgeon’s tool48 Common Jesuitschool name

53 Semi-serious “Isee”54 One of the Sox,e.g.56 Silo contents:Abbr.57 Latin 101 verb59 Acne treatmentbrand60 You may be toldto shut yours61 “Out of Sight”co-star,familiarly

11/26/13

For solutions to

today’s puzzle,

go to

dailygamecock.com

or download our

app!

11/26/13

1 2 3 4

For solutions totoday’s puzzle,

go to

dailygamecock.com

or download ourapp!

HOROSCOPES

Aries Communication is key and comes easier than normal. Write a business proposal, a love letter or both. Apply discipline to communications and they’re potent. Let your partner take the lead on a project.

Taurus I mprove you r l i v i ng cond it ion s a nd you r loving. Don’t be afraid to express your true feelings. It ’s a g reat t ime for meaningful conversation. Consider the game you’re play ing, and ed it for awesomeness.

Gemini Your home could use some tender loving care just about now. Do a tough job yourself and save money, or just pay for it. Take a serious approach, regardless, and get it done.

Cancer S i mpl i f y you r d a i l y r o u t i n e t o i m p r o v e work i ng cond it ion s . Take pride in your basic pr i nc iple s . A n older person offers help. The action you’re taking feels exactly right.

Leo Take a big step towards a new level of financial i n d e p e n d e n c e . G e t i n t o u c h w i t h o l d acquaintances and profit a r i s e s nat u r a l l y. Do what seems right, even if nobody else knows. Offer compassionate listening.

Virgo R e m i n i s c e w i t h o ld friends. Heed a friend’s concerns, but don’t get stopped by them. Being in charge can be sexy. You’ve got it cook ing. Make poetry.

Libra The skies are clearing up, fi guratively speaking, but it’s still not a good idea to argue, especially with authority. Phone a neighbor or friend for support, or ask someone with more experience.

Scorpio Look far and wide for bargains. Don’t take “no” for an answer. Keep your word. Plan a trip to a favorite place, and advance through distant contacts. Build a fun game with friends, and turn your phone off for a while.

Sagittarius I t ’s e a s i e r t o m a k e you r se l f u nder s to o d today. What can you say for the greatest impact on your community? You’re included in that. Be your best. New ideas come in odd moments; catch them.

Capricorn A friendship formed now will last. Heed wise words from a loving woman. Be open to change for others and yourself. You can delegate some of your chores. It’s a win-win.

Aquarius Tr ust t he s t r uc t u res you’ve built, and continue de ve lop i n g s upp or t . Improving skills increases your benefits, and your level of fun. Ask for more and get it . Re-assure someone who’s wobbly.

Pisces K e e p t r a c k o f w h at you’re doing, and take copious notes, or record it. Increase your level of optimism and you’re contagious. Others love to be around you. The result is stability. Relax and have fun.

TODAY“12 YEARS A SLAVE”

8:30 p.m., $8 Nickelodeon Theatre,

1607 Main St.

HOLIDAY HOUSE TOURS 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., $8

Robert Mills House & Gardens,

1616 Blanding St.

TOMORROWCAROLINA BALLET’S

“THE NUTCRACKER BALLET” 10 a.m., $12.50 students / $20.50

Township Auditorium, 1703 Taylor St.

TUTANKHAMUN: RETURN OF THE KING 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., $7

South Carolina State Museum 301 Gervais St.

Despite not experiencing a loss to Clemson in his career, redshirt junior defensive back Victor Hampton is looking at the bigger picture when it comes to the rivalry between the Gamecocks and Tigers.

“We’ve won four in a row, but the (overall) record looks really bad,” Hampton said. “So we still have a lot of motivation and a lot of stuff to do to catch up to those guys.”

However, South Carolina has done their best to trim the margin down. Clemson and South Carolina will be playing for the 111th time on Saturday, and the Tigers hold a 65-41-4 edge in the series.

The fact remains, though, that the Gamecocks have dominated the series recently with the four-game winning streak, and that is something that Clemson coach Dabo Swinney wants to change.

“Nobody wants it more than me, I promise you,” Swinney said.

Then, in the postgame press conference after South Carolina’s 70-10 thrashing of Coastal Carolina, Hampton took perhaps the first jab of rivalry week.

“I always feel like it is a problem if your coach wants to win the game more than your players,” Hampton said. “At the end of the day, the players have to play, so we’re going to step in between the lines and we’re going to be ready.”

Perhaps making the highly anticipated matchup even more so is the fact that it will be senior day for one of the best senior classes in Gamecock history.

The class is relatively small and includes some juniors that have decided to enter, or are thinking about entering, into the NFL draft a year early.

Junior defensive lineman Jadeveon Clowney and Kelcy Quarles are expected to leave early and participate in Senior Day ceremonies, and there is a possibility that Hampton may do the same.

There are only fi ve seniors on the team, one a walk-on, and that is something that sticks out to coach Steve Spurrier, who said that its encouraging for next year.

But t he smal l g roup of sen iors includes quarterback Connor Shaw, defensive back Jimmy Legree, offensive lineman Ronald Patrick and defensive end Chaz Sutton, players who have made a tremendous impact on the Gamecocks.

“They’ve achieved some accomplishments that obviously have never happened before, with the 17-game home winning streak,” Spurrier said. “We’ve got 31 wins the last three years, 40 total now. And hopefully we can add to that.”

The seniors and the rest of South Carolina can

add another fi rst to the list with a victory over the Tigers on Saturday. The Gamecocks have never defeated Clemson fi ve years in a row.

The vast majority of the team has never lost to Clemson and that is enough motivation for them to not let the current winning streak get to their heads.

“I’ve never lost to Clemson, so I don’t really plan on losing to Clemson,” tailback Brandon Wilds said.

The team also realizes the historic streak it is on at Williams-Brice and they will rely on the fans to back up South Carolina. The 17-straight games won at home is the longest such streak in the nation.

“We have a lot of goals that we set this year, and we still have a chance to reach all of the goals that

we set,” Hampton said. “It’s not even about the excitement for me; it’s about the excitement of our program and our team. We have an opportunity to do something great here.”

The blowout victory over the Chanticleers this past weekend will also give the Gamecocks momentum heading into the big game against the Tigers and Shaw said it was something that the offense needed.

This year’s matchup will be the fi rst time in the history of the rivalry that both Clemson and South Carolina are ranked in the top 10.

But Spurrier is downplaying the hype, saying it’s only another game on the schedule.

“This game counts on the record the same as all of them this year, so you try to get your players prepared to play the best they can every game,” Spurrier said. “Every single game’s extremely important, and since this is the next one up, this is the one that’s most important to all of us right now.”

But don’t try telling that to Swinney and the rest of the Clemson team, who have not tasted victory against the Gamecocks in quite some time.

“It’s something that no one has done around here,” said senior Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd. “Not our senior class, not many of the coaches that have been here. It’s the one we are waiting for.”

THE BLITZ Tuesday, November 26, 2013

USC CLEMSONNOV.

30vs.

South Carolina trying for fi rst-ever 5-game winning streak over Clemson

Kyle HeckKHECK@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM

“I’ve never lost to

Clemson, so I don’t

really plan on losing to

Clemson.”

— Brandon Wilds

File Photo

Clemson and South Carolina will meet for the 111th time this Saturday in the Palmetto State Showdown. After four wins in a row, the Gamecocks are still hungry for more.

Jeff rey Davis / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Coach Steve Spurrier said that tailback Brandon Wilds (22) may be “instrumental” in the remaining games.

RIVALRY RENEWED

Florida’s defense let up 26 points to Georgia Southern, so fans should be concerned with how many Winston will put on the struggling Gators.

Ole Miss @ Mississippi State,

Thursday, 7:30 p.m., ESPN

The Ole Miss Rebels made serious strides this year as a program. The Rebels defeated Vanderbilt, LSU and Arkansas this season. A few tough losses to Alabama, Auburn, Texas A&M and Missouri have the Rebels out of talks for top SEC teams, but it should not take away what they were able to accomplish. The Rebels are 7-4 and have a chance on Thursday to have their first eight-win season since 2009 when the Rebels won nine games. Their in-state opponent, Mississippi State holds a 5-6 record (2-5 SEC) and hasn’t shown the ability to beat the tough teams of the SEC. Mississippi State has a solid balance between its offense and defense, but just hasn’t made the big plays to secure wins this season. Ole Miss’s junior quarterback, Bo Wallace, will be the key to success

on Thursday for the Rebels. He needs to come out fi ring and put up some points quickly. If Mississippi State’s defense can stop drives and create a couple of turnovers, the Bulldogs could upset the Rebels in front of the state crowd.

G e or g i a @ G e or g i a Te c h ,

Saturday, 3:30 p.m., ABC

It’s t ime for some “Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate” in Georgia on Saturday. The longtime rivalry game dates back to 1893 and the Georgia Bulldogs may have some trouble this time around. Although history favors the Bulldogs, injuries and poor performance has put this one in question. Georgia Tech is 7-4 this season with a 5-3 ACC record. The Yellow Jackets played a good game against top-ranked Clemson a couple of weeks ago, and have had some time to make a game plan for in-state rival Georgia. When the Bulldogs come into Bobby Dodd Stadium, get ready for some loud “boos.” These two programs are not fond of one another, and when push comes to shove, these two teams will fi ght for the right to call Georgia

9 Area Locations

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B2 THE BLITZ

SEC • B4

SEC • Continued from B3

YEAR ONE 2009 YEAR TWO 2010

YEAR FOUR 2012YEAR THREE 2011

A LOOK BACKAT THE 4-YEAR WIN STREAK

Coming into the game, Clemson had won two in a row and 10 out of the last 12 games in the rivalry. Things looked like they would continue that way when C.J. Spiller took the opening kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown. But it was all Gamecocks from there as redshirt sophomore Stephen Garcia threw three touchdown passes, two of them to tight end Weslye Saunders. Redshirt freshman Kenny Miles racked up 114 yards on 17 carries to lead the running game, and South Carolina dominated Clemson 34-17 in Columbia. The Tigers would go on to lose to Georgia Tech in the ACC championship game the next week.

Steve Spurrier’s reaction: “Really proud of our guys. We have good spirit on this team and outstanding senior leadership with (linebacker) Eric Norwood and (wide receiver) Moe Brown. It was a wonderful win.”

Dabo Swinney’s reaction: “Our next goal is to try and win the ACC. We will turn the page.”

This year, it was South Carolina’s turn to have a championship game to look forward to the week after the Palmetto State showdown. A victory at Florida two weeks before had clinched the SEC East for the Gamecocks. Clemson once again got off to a quick start when freshman receiver DeAndre Hopkins tore through the South Carolina secondary for a 45-yard touchdown less than two minutes into the game. But the Gamecocks and sophomore receiver Alshon Jeff rey took over from there. Jeff rey had 141 yards receiving and a touchdown and Garcia threw for 227 yards and two touchdowns in the 29-7 Gamecock win at Clemson. Antonio Allen’s 37-yard interception return for a touchdown sealed the Gamecock’s fi rst two-game winning streak over Clemson since 1968-70.

Spurrier’s reaction: “I’m 3-3 with Clemson and two in a row is, I guess, good, because it hasn’t happened in a long time.”

Swinney’s reaction: “This was a very disappointing season. To lose to USC is very unacceptable. Our future is bright, but it’s awful dark right now.”

Connor Shaw got his fi rst taste of the rivalry and savored it. The sophomore threw for 210 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 107 yards and a score in the 34-13 win at Williams-Brice. Freshman receiver Bruce Ellington led the team with 71 receiving yards and a touchdown. The South Carolina defense stuff ed the Tiger off ense, giving up just 153 yards of total off ense. Senior defensive end Melvin Ingram recorded fi ve tackles and two sacks against Clemson. The Gamecocks made sure they didn’t let the Tigers strike early once again, taking a 10-0 lead into the second quarter and cruising to victory. The win gave South Carolina just its second 10-win season in program history.

Spurrier’s reaction: “It’s neat to beat Clemson because they, I guess, have historically owned South Carolina. They don’t own us right now, that’s for sure.”

Swinney’s reaction: “That is the most disappointing thing to me coming out of this game, is that we let the quarterback beat us. We knew exactly what they were going to do, but we could not stop it.”

This was a game of milestones for South Carolina. With the 27-17 come-from-behind-win in Clemson, Spurrier became the winningest coach in program history. Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney punished the Clemson off ense with 4.5 sacks, a Memorial Stadium record, and his 13 sacks on the season was also a South Carolina record. A 34-yard punt return by Ace Sanders gave him the most punt return yards in school history. The Gamecocks’ victory also snapped the Tiger’s school record of 13 straight home wins. Clemson took a 7-0 lead in the fi rst quarter and a 14-10 lead into halftime. But quarterback Dylan Thompson, playing for the injured Shaw, threw for 310 yards and three touchdowns and Sanders caught six catches for 119 yards and a touchdown.

Spurrier’s reaction: “You can’t block Jadeveon one-on-one. We’ve got him one more year and then we’re going to shake his hand and thank him for everything he has done for South Carolina.”

Swinney’s reaction: “We couldn’t disrupt (Thompson). He threw the ball incredibly well. He was the diff erence in the game.”

—Compiled by Kyle Heck, Sports Editor

No. 1 Alabama @ No. 4 Auburn,

Saturday, 3:30 p.m., CBS

It’s finally upon us; this year’s Iron Bowl is here and these two teams have been waiting all year to do battle and take bragging rights for the state. For Alabama, its perfect 11-0 record (7-0 SEC) has not been in question once this season. The Crimson Tide’s only close loss came against then-No. 6 Texas A&M on Sept. 14; Alabama won 49-42. The defense for Alabama holds opponents to the fewest points among the FBS: 9.3 points allowed per game. The balance on offense with senior quarterback AJ McCarron (23

touchdowns, only fi ve interceptions) and the running attack led by sophomore T.J. Yeldon has the Crimson Tide sitting in a solid position heading into Jordan-Hare Stadium. But how good is this Auburn team? The Tigers suffered a slip up on Sept. 21 against LSU, but other than that loss, Auburn has compiled a 10-1, 6-1 SEC record. It’s important to note those SEC wins came against Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Tennessee and Georgia. Some say Auburn hasn’t had a true test this year, but on Saturday we will all certainly fi nd out how competitive this Auburn Tigers team is.

No. 21 Texas A&M @ No. 5

Missouri, Saturday, 7:45 p.m.,

ESPN

Pay attention Gamecock fans, it is South Carolina’s last hope of securing the SEC-East title and challenging

Alabama in Atlanta. After suffering a disappointing loss to South Carolina, Missouri has responded to the pressure. The Tigers went on to beat Tennessee, Kentucky and Ole Miss, and now will switch focus to a Aggies unit who recently suffered a loss to LSU, 34-10. The Aggies’ offense, led by Johnny Manziel, isn’t the problem for Texas A&M. It’s their defense, which has allowed 31.2 points per game and was unable to slow down an Arkansas team that was winless in the SEC so far in the season. Missouri’s defensive line is long, athletic and fast. The Tigers defense is led by defensive end Michael Sam who has proved his worth this season. Manziel will need to keep the offense rolling and hope Missouri makes some costly mistakes for Texas A&M to pull off an upset.

No. 2 Florida State @ Florida,

Saturday, noon, ESPN

This year’s battle for Florida will prove to be a bit one-sided. The Florida Gators (4-7, 3-5 SEC) suffered a loss to FCS opponent Georgia Southern, which did not complete a forward pass. The Gators’ season has been plagued by injuries all year, so take its disappointing season with a grain of salt. To make matters worse for the Gators, Florida State is primed for the BCS National Championship game. The Seminoles have a perfect 11-0 record and are ranked second for points scored per game (55.2) and points allowed per game (11.4). It’s no surprise the Seminoles are led by freshman quarterback Jameis Winston. He’s thrown for 3,163 yards and 32 touchdowns this year. He’s a smart player who doesn’t turn the ball over often (only seven interceptions).

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B3THE BLITZ

AROUND THE SEC

Missouri 1 win away from SEC title game appearance

Alabama, Auburn tangle in Iron Bowl

Salvatore CostaSPORTS@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM

SEC • B2

their state.Arkansas @ No. 17 LSU, Friday,

2:30 p.m., CBS

Unfortunately for Arkansas, it s season has not turned out the way they would have pictured. The Razorbacks are the worst team in the SEC-West, and only in front of Kentucky by one nonconference win overall. Arkansas has dropped eight straight, and are without an SEC victory all season. To make things worse, they travel to Baton Rouge on Friday to take on an LSU team who is fi ghting for bowl position at this point

in its season. The Tigers are coming off an impressive 34-10 win over Johnny Manziel and the Aggies. LSU’s defense held a strong, well-respected offense to only 10 points, and senior quarterback Zach Mettenberger should be able to lead some scoring drives to put this game away early.

T e n n e s s e e @ K e n t u c k y,

Saturday, 7 p.m., ESPNU

The Tennessee Volunteers (4-7, 1-6 SEC) have dropped four straight games and will travel to Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday to try and end the season on a high note. The Wildcats have

only won two games this year (Miami of Ohio and Alabama State). Unfortunately, the Wildcats haven’t shown signs of positive growth. Kentucky allows 31.5 points per game, and only scores 21.1 points on average. The Volunteers have not had that much of a better year, but senior running back Rajion Neal has performed well for Tennessee this season. Neal has compiled 990 yards and 11 touchdowns on 195 attempts this season.

Wake Forest @ Vanderbilt,

Saturday, 12:21 p.m., ESPN3/

GamePlan

ACC meets SEC this weekend as Vanderbilt welcomes struggling Wake Forest. Vanderbilt , l ike Ole Miss,

has made serious progress this year for its program. The Commodores proved tough this season and fought against teams they previously had struggled against. The offense for the Commodores complements a defense who has only allowed 25 points per game. The balance between sophomore Jerron Seymour and senior quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels provides the Commodores with a solid offensive rhythm, and gives their defense some time to rest on the sidelines. Wake Forest has dropped four in a row, and its luck doesn’t appear to have a high chance of changing come Saturday.

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B4 THE BLITZ

BEHIND ENEMY LINES

1. After the game against The Citadel, Dabo Swinney said no one wanted to beat South Carolina more than him. How ready are the coaching staff and the players to put an end to the four-game losing streak?

At the weekly conference for Chad Morris, he said that everyone on the team should take last year’s loss personally. I think those fi rst few losses didn’t mean as much seeing that South Carolina has had a really talented football team, but last year and this year especially, they feel like they are the better team on the fi eld. I’ve noticed that this year’s Clemson team has been focused all season on fi nishing strong at the end of the season.

2. What do you think the Tigers bring this year that is different from the last four years? What’s the most important thing they can do this year that they didn’t do the previous four losses?

This year’s Clemson team brings in a lot more experience than the past. Boyd has learned to play without his safety blanket, which for the past few years have been “Nuke” Hopkins and his tight ends. I think that he realizes that he can’t focus in on one receiver the whole game and needs to let the others make plays with him. To win, they need to have their offensive line play well. They don’t need to be perfect by any means, but they do need to allow Boyd some time to throw and make smarter decisions.

3. With both teams in the top 10 going into the game, how does this matchup measure up to ones from the past? What is the atmosphere

around campus like so far?This is the fi rst time in rivalry history that they’ve

both been in the top 10, which obviously says a lot about how far both of these teams have come. I think Clemson fans have gotten a little tired of hearing about the streak, but it means the players are, too. I can tell you most conversations on campus eventually result in a chat about how much the Tigers need a win this year to regain some of the bragging rights.

4. The Gamecock defense hasn’t been as dominant as it has been the last couple of years and there is a lot of youth, particularly with the linebacker core. Despite that, is there still a lot of focus on doing something against a defense that has stymied Clemson’s offense over the past few years? With that said, how can the Tigers take advantage of the youth on defense?

Morris and his offense are a run-first spread formation, meaning they are going to try to establish the ground game early. If Clemson can’t get the run game going in the fi rst quarter, I think you might see a lot more pressure on Boyd to make plays, but it probably won’t alter their game plan that much. If Clemson wants to take advantage of the youth at linebacker, they need to run as many misdirection plays as possible in order to keep the defense honest. Running the ball early will open up the pass, which is where you’ll start to see Watkins or Bryant start to make some plays.

5. Finally, Jadeveon Clowney terrorized the Clemson defense with 4.5 sacks last year. Is

that something that has been mentioned, and how much focus will be on the junior and the rest of the defensive line?

Every press conference that Clemson will hold this week will include a Clowney question from the Clemson beat. That being said, every player and coach is going to deny any inkling of focusing on a single player. I’d like to see Clemson attack Clowney with the read option to take him out of the game, similar to what Missouri was able to do to the Gamecock defense.

Prediction:Clemson wins by 10, 38-28. If you remember

Spurrier’s comments after last year’s game against Clemson, he admitted to being lucky that when the Gamecocks face the Tigers, they usually play one of their worst games. Clemson should finally put together a competitive game against South Carolina, and with the huge improvement the Tigers have seen on defense, they have a good shot at it.

FIVE QUESTIONS WITH AARON RANDSDELL, SPORTS EDITOR, THE TIGER NEWS

RANDSDELL

SEC • Continued from B2

B5THE BLITZ

Texas Tech @ Texas

Kyle (69-39)HeckSports Editor

Danny (79-29)GarrisonAsst. Sports Editor

Texas

TannerAbel (75-33)Staff Writer

Isabelle (67-41)KhurshudyanSenior Writer

SalvatoreCostaStaff Writer

Texas Tech Texas TexasTexas

Ohio State @ Michigan Ohio State Ohio State Ohio State Ohio StateOhio State

Duke @ North Carolina Duke Duke Duke DukeNorth Carolina

Alabama @ Auburn Alabama Alabama Alabama AlabamaAlabama

Georgia @ Georgia Tech Georgia Georgia Tech Georgia Tech Georgia TechGeorgia Tech

Notre Dame @ Stanford Stanford Stanford Stanford StanfordStanford

Texas A&M @ Missouri Texas A&M Texas A&M Missouri MissouriMissouri

UCLA @ Southern Cal UCLA Southern Cal Southern Cal UCLASouthern Cal

Ole Miss @ Mississippi State Ole Miss Ole Miss Ole Miss Ole MissOle Miss

Clemson @ South Carolina USC 27 | CU 21 USC 31 | CU 28 USC 24 | CU 28 USC 24 | CU 17USC 38 | CU 35

PREDICTIONS

as a defensive back, Cooper has played a more prominent role in the South Carolina offense as of late, lining up at quarterback in the “wildcat” formation from time to time.

Another skill position player that could be featured more extensively in the offense against Clemson is running back Brandon Wilds. The sophomore scored two touchdowns against Coastal Carolina in his first game back from injury and Spurrier went as far as to say Wilds could be “instrumental” in South Carolina’s remaining games.

W h i le t he G a mecock of fense

continues to scheme and prepare for the Clemson Tigers as if it were just another week, the fact remains that each and every player in the South Carolina locker room knows the signifi cance of a win in the “state championship.”

And for South Carolina natives like Thompson, there’s no more meaningful game than when the Tigers come to town.

“Obviously we know how big the game is. Being from in-state, I’ve been around it my whole life,” Thompson said. “So it’ll be a big game.”

OFFENSE • Continued from B6

GAMEDAY 411WHERE: Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, S.C. (capacity of 80,250)

WHEN: Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Saturday.

TELEVISION: The game will be nationally televised on ESPN2.

RADIO: Locally, the game will be broadcast on 107.5 FM. Todd Ellis will handle the play-by-play duties, while Tommy Suggs will be the color analyst. Langston Moore will be the sideline correspondent.

THE L INE : South Caro l ina is favored by 5.5 points over the Tigers.

SERIES: Clemson leads 65-41-4, but the Gamecocks have won the last four meetings.

WEATHER: The forecast for Columbia on Saturday is calling for sunny skies and a high of 57 degrees and a low of 31. There is no chance for rain and winds will be out of the east at 4 mph.

LAST MEETING: South Carolina traveled to Clemson and beat the Tigers 27-17. The last meeting in Columbia came in 2011 when the Gamecocks trounced the Tigers 34-13.

Check out our sports blog:

on dailygamecock.com

Even with all the hype around the Palmetto State surrounding this Saturday’s matchup between South Carolina and Clemson, Gamecock defensive coord inator Lorenzo Ward has somehow kept his defense focused on one game at a time.

“It’s not about who we’re playing next, it’s about us getting better each week,” Ward said after his defense helped demolish Coastal Carolina. “W hen we get 11 guys doing what they’re supposed to do each play, we got a chance.”

The Gamecock defense will have their hands full with possibly the most explosive offense they have faced all season in the Tigers.

It is Clemson senior quarterback Tajh Boyd’s last chance against the Gamecocks and he has been consistent throughout the season except for in a blowout loss against No. 2 Florida State. Boyd has thrown for 3,248 yards with 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions thus far. His dual-threat ability will be something South Carolina must plan for also, as he has 257 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the ground.

Gamecock quarterback Connor Shaw expressed

admiration for Boyd’s talent. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for

him,” Shaw said. “I love the way he plays. He can move — very versatile athlete.”

Head coach Steve Spurrier also noted Boyd’s ability to make plays, but mentioned something that could slow the quarterback down.

“Well, all quarterbacks don’t like pressure,” Spurrier said. “(But) if you give him time, the good ones will pick you apart, which he can do. He’s such a good runner, too.”

Spurrier added that Boyd reminded him of a certain quarterback who was a former Heisman Trophy winner and now starts for the Carolina Panthers.

“To me he’s a lot like Cam Newton,” Spurrier said. “He and Cam Newton, to me, are very similar-type players. So you do the best you can, you try to get pressure on him, you try to cover the guys, mix up your coverages a bit and do those kind of things to offset really good quarterbacks.”

Getting pressure on Boyd turned out to be a major factor in the Gamecocks’ 27-17 victory over Clemson last season. In that contest, junior defensive end Jadeveon Clowney had 4.5 sacks to help stifl e the Tigers’ passing attack.

Fans are wondering if his last game in Williams-Brice Stadium will be the game where Clowney has his best performance of the season. The defensive end has not put up the statistics from

last season when he set a school record with 13 sacks. He has two sacks on the year thus far in a season where he has faced mostly double-teams from the opposing offensive line.

Clowney has also seen a lot of plays run away from his side of the fi eld this season, but still has managed 8.5 tackles for loss. If he has even close to a repeat performance of last year’s matchup, the Tigers could be in trouble. It will help that junior defensive tackle Kelcy Quarles should be in line to return after missing the Coastal game with bad headaches.

Clemson may employ junior receiver Sammy Watkins to help counteract Clowney’s pass rush by using quick hitches and screen plays for him. Watkins has been dynamic this season, catching 78 passes for 1,144 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Some people have wondered if redshirt junior cornerback Victor Hampton will line up every play on Watkins after Hampton has proven himself as the best cover player in the secondary. Hampton said after the Coastal game that he usually plays as the boundary corner only and has not watched too much fi lm on where Watkins lines up. So, it will likely be a combined effort from the secondary to slow down Watkins.

Many South Carolina fans remember last year’s win over Clemson for the performance turned in by a backup quarterback named Dylan Thompson as he fi lled in for an injured Connor Shaw.

And while coach Steve Spurrier said Shaw will be the starter and take the vast majority of the snaps on his senior night Saturday, the Head Ball Coach also said Thompson could get a chance to rekindle some of the magic he made against the Tigers a year ago.

“I’d probably say Dylan’s going to play somewhere in there,” Spurrier said.

Both quarterbacks passed for more than 100 yards, threw at least one touchdown and ran for another in last weekend’s 70-10 dismantling of Coastal Carolina. And while Thompson has seen limited game action in 2013 as Shaw has put together a record-setting year, Spurrier maintains that two is better than one for the Gamecocks.

The coach has a theory that Shaw plays better when he knows Thompson is slated to see the fi eld as well, an assessment that the senior says speaks for itself.

“I guess it’s hard to argue with that,” Shaw said. “I guess the times he did play, I played pretty good, so I guess it’s hard to argue.”

Thompson has played in nine games this season, amassing 783 yards and four touchdowns through the air in the snaps he has been able to take this season. In last year’s clash with Clemson, the then-sophomore collected 310 passing yards and threw for three scores against the Tigers.

As the Gamecock quarterbacks look for another big performance against the Tigers this time around, Shaw believes last Saturday’s 70-point outing could give the offense the confi dence it needs, regardless of the competition it came against.

“It’s always good for both sides to play so well, and I think our offense was needing this big-time, explosive game like this,” Shaw said. “And I think yeah, we

may have a little bit of momentum, so we just need to prepare well this week.”

One obstacle standing in the way of a big game for Thompson or Shaw will be the Tiger defensive end Vic Beasley, whose 10 sacks on the year are good for second in the ACC despite the fact that he’s only recorded one sack in Clemson’s last fi ve contests.

While the quarterbacks will be a major factor against a Clemson defense that is sixteenth-best nationally in passing yards allowed, Spurrier noticed a fl aw in his other offensive skill players that must be remedied

before Saturday.“I told (running backs coach) Everette Sands ‘You

need to tell all those running backs — and some of the receivers too — to learn to jump out of those guys diving at your ankles,’” Spurrier said. “We’ve had a lot of guys that, that last guy gets us by the swipe of the legs and so forth.”

A player that the coach commended for having the ability to slip shoe-string tackles was wide receiver Pharoh Cooper. A true freshman that started fall camp

B6 THE BLITZ

OFFENSE

DEFENSE

Jeff rey Davis / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Junior defensive end Jadeveon Clowney is looking to repeat his performance against the Tigers last year when he racked up 4.5 sacks against Clemson in the 27-17 Gamecock win.

Olivia Barthel / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Senior quarterback Connor Shaw will try and stay perfect against Clemson in his career after missing last year’s game.

Shaw, Thompson will both play again this weekend

Hampton says he’s ready for opportunity against Watkins

Tanner AbelSPORTS@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM

Danny GarrisonSPORTS@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM

Gamecocks looking to pressure Boyd

Big showing last week builds momentum

OFFENSE • B5