I get it, football isn’t the most obvious topic for a mom’s blog. Even my editors were a little skeptical that this post had any place among the kiddie crafts and breastfeeding pieces. But for me, football is a quintessential family activity. And today’s Carolina-Clemson game is the epitome of college football.
Some of my best childhood memories are of watching football. Growing up, we were diehard Green Bay Packers and South Carolina Gamecock fans. Our week and our year revolved around football season. We rarely made it to games in person, but watching the games on TV was family bonding time. Parties on Super Bowl Sunday and the Saturday after Thanksgiving for the Carolina-Clemson game were expected annually.
I remember volunteering at the concession stands at Gamecock games to raise money for scholarships for my little brother’s kindergarten class. In high school, I sold programs before the games to raise money for ROTC and then I got to sneak into the stands to watch the last three quarters.
Football is a tradition I have already carried on in my own family. While my own children, aged 3 and 1, are still a little too young to understand exactly what is going on during the game, they do understand the excitement of a touchdown or a victory and the fun of hanging out with Mommy and Daddy.
College football is a Southern tradition, and today’s Carolina-Clemson game is the ultimate matchup in the Palmetto State.
What you need to know about the game
Today, the University of South Carolina and Clemson University (ranked #23 in the AP poll) will go head to head in Clemson’s Death Valley. The annual Palmetto Bowl will be broadcast on ESPN at noon. Headed into the game Carolina has a season record of 6-5, while Clemson’s record is 8-3. Both teams are bowl-eligible.
But any South Carolinian knows though that no matter how well either team has played all season, it all goes out the window at kickoff, as raw passion and emotion take over the players during the game they have looked forward to all year long.
Here is everything you need to know going in to the big game:
The History
- This will mark the 112th meeting of the two teams.
- The clash has been going since 1896, a bitter rivalry almost as old as our state itself.
- The all time record for this matchup is 42 wins for Carolina, 65 for Clemson and 4 ties. Carolina has won the last 5 games.
The Coaches
- In his sixth season as head coach at Clemson, Dabo Swinney hopes to finally pull out a victory against South Carolina. While his time at Clemson has been filled with awards and victories, a Gamecock defeat is the elusive one he keeps chasing.
- Steve Spurrier has a 6-3 record against the Tigers as head coach at Carolina, including a 5-year streak that he hopes to continue today. Spurrier led the Gamecocks to their first SEC Championship appearance and numerous bowl victories, and he’s been named SEC Coach of the Year seven times.
The Offenses
- Clemson’s freshman starting QB Deshaun Watson had a serious knee injury during the Georgia Tech game two weeks weeks ago. It is still questionable if he is healed enough to perform against Carolina. Senior backup Cole Stoudt played in his place last week against Georgia State and may have finally won the trust of Clemson fans, who have doubted him his entire collegiate career.
- Carolina senior QB Dylan Thompson has had to come out from under the shadow of his predecessor, Connor Shaw, the most accomplished quarterback the program has ever seen. While pressure and expectations were high, Thompson showed himself up to the challenge. Thompson passed for 3031 yards and a total of 23 touchdowns (the most in the SEC). The real star of the Gamecock offense may be tailback Mike Davis, though. With 174 carries for 888 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns this season, Davis has been a key part of this team.
The Defenses
- Inconsistent is probably the best word to describe the Carolina defense, but they better bring their A game Saturday if they hope to control the Clemson offense. The Gamecocks will have to bring the pressure and force Tiger mistakes. If the Gamecocks can force a few key turnovers, it could make all the difference in the world in this game.
- The key for the Tiger defense is forcing Gamecock QB Dylan Thompson to get the ball in the air (where he has the conference’s most interceptions) and force third and long situations. The Tigers’ focus needs to be spending as little time on the field as possible and getting the ball back in Clemson possession. Mackensie Alexander will have the crucial task of covering Gamecock Pharaoh Cooper.
The Stage is Set
Clemson’s Memorial Stadium, better known to fans as Death Valley, is the location for this year’s game. Holding approximately 80,000 fans, Death Valley has ranked in the top 20 stadiums in the nation for average attendance for an impressive 22 consecutive seasons. Opening in 1942 with only 20,000 seats, the stadium has certainly grown over the years and has been the site of an impressive 71 percent home game wins. Will those roaring crowds and notable stats be enough to help the Tigers finally overcome the Gamecocks?
My Prediction
This game is a tough one to call and I believe it will be close. There are a few key factors that I think will decide the outcome.
- The Clemson QB situation. Whether Watson or Stoudt starts could completely change the dynamic of the Tiger offense.
- If Thompson can handle the pressure. Thompson has generally proven himself cool in the pocket but also has thrown a whopping 11 interceptions this season. How he performs under pressure may decide the outcome for the Gamecocks.
- If the Carolina defense can stop the Tigers. Carolina’s defense has only showed up to about half their games this season. If they come out in full force Saturday they have this game in the bag, if not, the winning streak is over.
My prediction for the final score: Carolina 35, Clemson 32.
Will you be watching today’s game? Which team does your family root for?
When I say GAME, you say COCKS!
GAME,,,,,,!!!!