The "Atmosphere" Edition

As Clemson and South Carolina enter this year's contest at 6-5 and 4-7, respectively, what will the environment be in Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday?

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Each time, or Climpson Sports Talk with Lawton Swan. Now finally,

(00:44):
Clemson Sports Talk has come back to drive time. Hell,
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(01:26):
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Mets Plumbing two two six seven one zero eight. All right,
this rivalry week not only in the state of South Carolina,
but across the country. This week it's a it's a

(01:47):
spectacular weekend for college sports. It's really what I think
pre college football playoff days and maybe even pre BCS era.
I mean, this was what the sport was built on.
And I don't think it's all been lost because of

(02:11):
those advances in the sport, but there is certainly, or
there are certainly cases around the country where this week
maybe doesn't carry the same weight as it once did
in some respects. And I'll give you an example, and
it is unique. Like if you go to Ohio State

(02:32):
and Columbus right now, I mean they've got the M
in the word Columbus marked out. They've got the M
in emergency room marked out. Anywhere on campus where there
is an M, it is marked out because this hate
Michigan Week. But if you think about like Bowl era

(02:53):
versus college football playoff era, especially expanded college fotball playoff era,
like this is a huge game, no doubt about it
for Ryan Day in Ohio State, and they need to
win this ball game. I mean, if they want to
be the number one overall seed in the college football Playoff,
they need to win this game. But Michigan has won

(03:16):
four consecutive games in the series in Ohio State last year,
should have won that game. And they get beat thirteen
to ten, and they go on to win the national championship.
But Ohio State has not beaten Michigan since two thousand

(03:38):
and nineteen, and yet the Buckeys have been one of
the best teams in the country during that span. I mean,
this is bizarre. Pre COVID was the last time that
Ohio State beat Michigan, and so where I think the
College Football Playoff and the expanded Playoffs specifically taken away

(04:00):
from these matchups nationally is that I don't want to
say the word you can afford to lose them. Okay,
that's not really the right terminology, but I don't know
another word for it. Because if Ohio State gets beat

(04:21):
by Michigan tomorrow, I mean, unless they get beat by
one hundred, I would assume they're gonna be in the
College Football Playoffs. And even if they got beat by
one hundred, I would assume that they would be close
to still being in. As crazy as that sounds now
you go back to pre BCS era days or even

(04:44):
in the BCS era. In the BCS era, this game
would have been immense for Ohio State because you had
to finish in the top two. But prior to that,
it could have decided who was going to be in
the Rose Bowl, and the Rose Bowl would have been
the peak in the pinnacle for a team out of
the Big Ten because that would have given you potentially

(05:07):
an opportunity to win a national championship by playing against
a member from the Pac twelve. Now all that has changed.
I think we all recognize the shift that has taken
place from that standpoint. But when you look at the
games across the country and the landscape, there are certainly

(05:29):
matchups that are heavily invested in the College Football Playoff.
I mean Texas A and M in Texas, for example,
some people believing if Texas wins that they have a
legitimate chance to get into the College Football Playoff. And
Texas A and M, certainly, if they win, maybe they
can move up to the number two seed. Maybe that's
the final little rung that they need. And they would

(05:52):
also secure a birth in the SEC championship game, which
gives you another data point. I mean, there's just there's
a lot to be sorted out here over the final
couple of weeks of the regular season. But in addition
with the way the College Football Playoff has affected things,

(06:12):
the fact that you now have these conference championship games,
and you have these conferences that have gone to a
I don't know, a singular a singular league format which
is going to present some incredibly high ranked matchups in

(06:36):
these conference championship games. It almost honestly feels like, what's
the point of those at this point for some of
the teams that are going to be in them. I mean,
you'd much prefer I would think, if you are Indiana
and Ohio State to not have to play each other

(06:59):
in the Big Ten Championship. Like it's almost forgotten that
that's even gonna take place in a couple of weeks,
and assuming both teams win their final regular season game,
and unless Texas A and M jumps Indiana, it's gonna
feature the top two teams in the country in a

(07:22):
conference championship game. The Southeastern Conference potentially could pit the
third and fourth best teams in the country in a
conference championship game, almost a preview of what's to come
in the college football playoff, which is still the Krem
de la Crem. But it has certainly affected the way

(07:46):
I think we look and view all of these these
games across the country, especially late in the season, and
look at the logjam in the Southeastern Conference, not for
the right to get to the conference championship game, just
in terms of the College of the rankings, the College
Fotball playoff rankings Texas A and M three, Georgia four,

(08:08):
Ole Miss six, Oklahoma eight, Alabama ten, Vanderbilt fourteen, Texas seventeen,
and Tennessee twenty. Tons of teams there in the Southeastern
Conference ranked in the top twenty, and then in the
ACC three teams ranked inside the top twenty. But the

(08:31):
problem for this league at this point is that Virginia,
who is likely going to be in the ACC championship
assuming they can beat a three to eight Virginia Tech
team this weekend, Tony Elliott and the Cavaliers would be there.
Virginia ranked nineteenth, not in the great spot. In Miami,

(08:52):
who's actually five and two in the league has an
equal nine to two record to Virginia is at what
are they fifth? I think right now in the conference?
And how about this, there's a coastal chaos scenario for
lack of a better word, in the Atlantic Coast Conference

(09:16):
that could come forth where there are six teams that
end up tying at six and two in conference play,
So currently there are six teams alive for the ACC
Championship Game with one week of football to play, Virginia, SMU, Pit, Duke, Miami,

(09:38):
and Georgia Tech. And you could get a six and
two across the board tiebreaker scenario Pittsburgh, SMU, and Virginia
into the final weekend at six and one. SMU is
at col and Virginia is at Virginia Tech or hosting

(10:01):
Virginia Tech, which I mentioned earlier. If either of those
two teams win, they would reach the championship game. But
here are some of the other scenarios. Pittsburgh would clinch
a spot in the championship game if they win this
week and Virginia loses or SMU loses, and the Panthers

(10:23):
are facing off against Miami. More on the Hurricanes in
a minute. Then there's Duke. So Duke this weekend is
playing against Wake Forest. Duke can get into the a
SEC Championship with a win and having pitt lose their

(10:44):
game against Miami and have SMU lose their matchup. They
can also get in with a win and a PIT
loss in a Virginia loss plus a North Carolina win,
or Duke can get in with a win, a Pit loss,
a Virginia loss, an NC State win, and then finish

(11:06):
higher than Miami in Sport Source Analytics ratings. Miami, I
mentioned them. They get into the a SEC Championship if
they win this week against Pitt, Virginia loses and Duke loses,
plus SMU wins, or if SMU loses and Duke loses
and Virginia loses in NC State wins, and these scenarios

(11:31):
continue to the point of where Miami has a scenario
where if they win versus Pitt, SMU loses, Duke loses,
Virginia wins, NC State wins, Boston College wins, and they
finish higher than Georgia Tech and SMU in Sports Source analytics.
They're in now, I don't know, you know, all the

(11:54):
odds that these things happen. Georgia Tech can get in
if Miami wins, SMU lose, as Duke loses, Virginia wins,
NC State wins, Boston College wins this weekend, and they
finish higher than Miami or SMU in the Sports Source
Analytic rankings. So yeah, convoluted weekend easiest way for this

(12:17):
thing to just shape it out. Virginia wins, and they're
in SMU wins and there in everything else still on
the table for six teams, but two can get the
job done. The job done with a couple of victories.

(12:40):
That's SMU and Virginia. Now remember this, I need to
I do need to remind you. Programming note. We are
off the air tomorrow and Thursday. I know it's rivalry week.
We're off the air tomorrow and Thursday. We get back
at it on Friday, talking about the Tigers and the

(13:04):
game Cocks, getting you geared up for the Palmetto Bowl.
It's a fantastic rivalry, depending on which side you're on.
I've always caught it the Clemson Carolina game. Do game
GOP fans call it the Carolina Clemson game because I

(13:28):
hate to say, you know how like certain order, like
the way cadence the Carolina Clemson game to me doesn't
flow as smooth as saying Clemson Carolina. Something about the
way we vocalize try it game cognation Carolina Clemson, Clemson, Carolina.

(13:51):
I don't know why. One feels slightly better to me.
And the Tigers again look to be on top of
this matchup after falling a year ago. To Shaneemer's credit,
and we talked about this on the program yesterday. You know,
in the midst of Clemson being just uber elite at home,

(14:11):
Shane Beemer can pat himself on the back and say, hey,
we've won at Death Valley two times in a row.
And for South Carolina, playing at home in Williams Brice
Stadium against Clemson has truly been a house of horrors

(14:32):
audition for them. The last time South Carolina won in
Columbia all the way back in twenty thirteen. It's been
twelve seasons since South Carolina fans have walked out of
Williams Brice Stadium winners against Clemson in this rivalry. And
that was the final game of a stretch of five

(14:53):
games one by the game Cocks in this rivalry. In
those five years, Clemson was escalating towards the ultimate success
in college football. As a matter of fact, two years
after that, Clemson would be in the National Championship Game.

(15:15):
Three years after that twenty thirteen loss, Clemson would win
the national title, and they would win another one, and
they would become the elite of the elite, and that rise,
in fairness to Dabo Sweeney, that rise truly started during
those years when South Carolina was beating Clemson, and I

(15:39):
can remember I can remember vividly the BCS era and
thinking going into a couple of those South Carolina matchups,
like back in twenty twelve, Clemson was eleven and one
entering that game. In twenty thirteen, Clemson was eleven and one,

(16:00):
and I can recall thinking about those two games in
particular and believing that, hey, you know if especially maybe
twenty twelve, I think Clemson was ranked going into that
game number twelve in the country. I think, and honestly,

(16:25):
the Tigers, probably because they had not had historical significance
in the sport, didn't in the modern era. I might
want to preface that they didn't advance up the rankings
like they might today, or maybe they just didn't have
some luck in front of them. I mean, Clempson was

(16:48):
at number seventeen after losing forty nine thirty seven to
Florida State. Clemson had a lead in that game. You
might recall that was a loss in the fourth week
of the season that happened on September twenty second, and
from September twenty ninth they were ranked seventeenth. They didn't
move up but six spots until November seventeenth. Going into

(17:12):
that game against South Carolina. As a matter of fact,
in a sixty two to forty eight win over NC
State because of the way the defense played, CLEMPSTA actually
dropped back a spot to number twelve. They moved up
five spots. They were undefeated, they won seven consecutive games,
and they moved up five spots in the rankings. They

(17:35):
host South Carolina, Clemson's ranked twelfth. The game, Cocks win
it twenty seven to seventeen. Clemson goes on to face
LSU in the Chick fil A Bowl. We know that
come back twenty five twenty four walk off winner Chandler
Cantons are with a huge field goal to win it
for the Tigers. But that was one of those years
where like it is hard to believe. If Clemson beats

(17:57):
number thirteen South Carolina in that game at Memorial Stadium,
where do they go in the rankings? I think South
Carolina only went up a couple of spots in the BCS.
They went from twelve to ten with that win. I mean, look,
I don't know how you don't have eleven to one

(18:22):
Clemson higher than that and recall South Carolina that season
had lost two regular season games. They went on to
beat Michigan. That's the one where Clowney has that big
hit against the Michigan Wolverines when the ball was deemed
short of the marker. Then that twenty that twenty thirteen

(18:46):
Clemson team had lost just one game. It was a blowout.
Clemson was at home, the Tigers were ranked number three,
Florida State State was ranked number five. Fifty one to fourteen.
Clemson would win four consecutive games. They would enter that
matchup in Williams Brice Stadium at number six in the rankings,

(19:07):
and the Tigers would get beat thirty one seventeen. Who
knows what happens that year. If Clemson wins that game,
they go on to beat Ohio State in the Orange
Bowl forty to thirty five. Clemson would finish that year
number seven in the coaches, pulled number eight in the
AP but with a win over South Carolina, likely a

(19:31):
top five finish. I don't know if they would have
made the BCS, but there was a great chance both
of those seasons really for Clemson to press towards that
exclusivity that they would see shortly thereafter, even in the
midst of a five game losing streak to South Carolina.
All right, wait a quick break, we'll come back. We'll

(19:51):
hear someone. What Dabo Sweeney had to say is the
Tigers and the game Cocks face off this weekend over
at Williams Price Stadium. Keep it locked since the sports
along and swan with you on a Tuesday afternoon, talking Tuesday, Davos,
So we need meeting with the media earlier today, getting
you ready. It's a weird week, Dabos, when you talked
about that fact, because it's Thanksgiving and so there's a

(20:15):
lot of festivities and things going on, schedule changes, classes
for the student athletes at Clemson, et cetera. Here's Dabos
when he's opening comments though from today's press conference up
in Tigertown.

Speaker 2 (20:28):
Good more than everybody, and happy Thanksgiving everybody. Hope everybody's
ready for a great week. Hopefully everybody have some time
with your families, are significant others.

Speaker 3 (20:39):
We all got a lot to be thankful for, that's
for sure.

Speaker 2 (20:43):
And you don't have to look very far, probably around
all of our circle to just know how how blessed
we are and how thankful. We are all that we
have to be thankful for. So looking for a great
week with our team. Always enjoy this week. It's different
school technically. I guess they have classes today, but I

(21:03):
don't know how many actually have classes today. And they're
out Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, so it's a little different schedule.
And obviously Thanksgiving and we have a lot of families
that come into town and so forth.

Speaker 3 (21:12):
But it's just fun. It's fun being a part of
a rivalry game.

Speaker 2 (21:15):
See more fun you win, that's for sure, but it's
a blessing to be a part of a historic game.
And you know, this is kind of my norm in
life for a long time, you know, thirteen Alabama Auburn
games and then just growing up kind of being as
a fan, and then twenty three years here. It's just

(21:37):
fun to be in the fight, if you will, Fun
to be a part of it and look forward to
a great game on Saturday against a really good football team.
You got a lot of respect for Shane and how
he does things. And this is a this I know,
their records not what they wanted it to be, just
like ours in what we want.

Speaker 3 (21:56):
It to be.

Speaker 2 (21:56):
But they're a really good football team, very talented, a
lot of really really good players on both sides of
the ball. You know, offensively, it starts with their quarterback.
I mean, he's he is an elite player. He's a
great football player, can change the game on one play
and then you see that in him all the time.
So big task there, and obviously we did a poor
job with him last year. I think all their backs

(22:17):
are good players. They're all powerful runners. You know, eight
is a guy that's probably the most improved player on
their team. He is a take the top off of
the defense type of guy, and I mean he can
run away from anybody. So he's a handful And they've
done a good job, especially as of late, getting their
playmakers involved. They've gotten the seller's younger brother Rowland scored

(22:39):
on the first play last week and second series another
big plays. I mean, he's They've been very deliberate and
making sure that their playmakers are touching the ball a
lot of shots down the field four and eight and again,
but committed to running the football, and obviously sixteen is
huge factor there. So you know, I think that again
we've got to play really really well defense and find

(23:01):
a way to contain this quarterback and then on the
other side, probably you know, if not the best, certainly
as good as anybody we've played. These two ends especially,
I mean, these guys are really really good, very talented.

Speaker 3 (23:14):
I think I think they're strong inside.

Speaker 2 (23:16):
They played, they got good depth up front, they play
a lot of guys, got a pretty good rotation there.

Speaker 3 (23:22):
I think seventeen and zero or good players.

Speaker 2 (23:25):
Twenty four has been around, he's played a million snaps,
so he's a good football player as well. Fifteen at corner.
We saw him at NC State, so brought in a
good player there. One, thirty one, eight, All those guys,
I mean they play, They've got a bunch of guys.
They play in the secondary, so they've got a good rotation,
good depth, you know, four down team that really executes
their scheme well. And I think they've given them a

(23:46):
chance in about every game defensively. So it's a good
football team. And then special team is always a factor
in this game. They've taken a couple to the house
for is an excellent punk returner for them.

Speaker 3 (23:57):
And then their best player. Eight they got deep, so
he's a guy.

Speaker 2 (24:01):
We've got to do a great job of making sure
that we know, don't allow any big plays in the
return area, so it'll be a big challenge for us
this week. But rivalry game and no matter what records are,
all that stuff, we all know what this one's all
about this week and again look forward to the competition.

Speaker 1 (24:19):
That's davos winny Is opening statement. He was asked about
the fact that the senior class has lost two out
of three to the game Cocks and whether or not
that adds any extra motivation to the rivalry.

Speaker 2 (24:28):
I mean, we've also won two of four, you know,
so you can do the math however you want. We've
won eight out of ten. However you want to make
the math work to make the story, you can spend
it however you want. So I think nobody needs extra
motivation to win this game. Game means a lot. You win,
it's a great day. You lose, it's a really bad
day in your life. You know, you know, you got

(24:51):
to move on either way. But it's a robber game
means a lot to a lot of people. So if
we've won two out of the last four, they've won
two out of the last four, So again, you can
spend the math however you want. We've won eight out
of ten. However, you want to make it work. You
can look at the one hundred or something years of
this game. Whatever you want to whatever, whatever narrative you

(25:11):
want to write, you can write. Make the math work
for you. But none of that has anything to do
with extra motivation. Everybody wants to win because it's a
robber game, it's a huge game. It's a state championship.
That's why you want to win. I don't think anybody
needs any extra motivation in this game. They are We'll
walk in highly motivated.

Speaker 1 (25:31):
Again, that's Dabo Sweeney getting your geared up for this
matchup between the Tigers and the game Cox is Clemson. Obviously,
their drum beat continues into postseason where they'll play. We
have no idea the South Carolina game, cos it looks
like they will be spending their holidays at home and
this is the bowl game for them, and it's a
bowl game for Clemson as well, the Palmetto Bowl as

(25:53):
people like to call it. And there's a trophy that's
given out at the end of the game. But yeah,
what Shane Beemer the game and I talked about this
in the opening segment. Have done in Death Valley, the
past two seasons is flat out remarkable kind of giving
Clemson's profile. And yeah, you can say, well, what about
what happened to Clemson this year and how they played right,

(26:14):
But I'm talking about last season, Like, do I believe
that Louisville in some respects a year ago came into
Death Allley sort of ripped off the mask of Clemson's
you know, being indensible and at home. Yeah, it felt
like that. But what South Carolina did you know three
years ago in Death Valley to win that game? Man,

(26:36):
I mean thirty one to thirty, that come from behind victory.
That was a shocking result and part of the reason
that this rivalry sort of shifted in the way Gamecock
fans feel about it heading into this weekend, even though
they've had what I think they would label as an
abysmal season. I mean, they had preseason expectations of a
college football playoff. Just like Clemson. The Tiger will make

(27:00):
a bowl game, South Carolina won't. I think abysmal was
the right word. But they can put a big old
bow on the campaign and feel really good about themselves
going into the offseason, for sure, with a victory over
Clemson and they're favored at home. What does that tell you?
I mean, they're favored at home against the Tigers, and

(27:22):
it's the first time they've been favored in this rivalry
in twelve years, first time in twelve seasons that South
Carolina's favored. All right, quick breat We'll hear more from
Sweney right after this. Clemson's Sports Salt Long Swamp Back
with your rivalry week. Dabo Sweeney at the podium up
in Tigertown earlier today, was asked about the frustrations of

(27:42):
trying to stop Leonora Sellers a year ago.

Speaker 2 (27:45):
Yeah, all yeah, I do is watch the tape. I
mean we had him tackled about fifty times. I don't
know how many mistackles we had, but it was like unbelievable.
I mean it was crazy. So, I mean, they all
know what they're dealing with. That's the thing is, at
least they've got that in their head. I mean, he's
hard to get down. He's strong. You have to do
a great job of staying in front of him and

(28:06):
trying to keep him in the pocket. And you got
to get you got to get eleven guys to the ball,
and you when somebody gets gets to him. You got
to find a way to wrap up and hold on
because he's strong and he can break tackles. And again
that's that's that was the difference in the game last year.
They've got some experience with that because everybody's back except
for Barrett and Steph Aland.

Speaker 1 (28:25):
And Mickens da Boswheny was also asked about his comments
on I believe it was the Sunday teleconference. Maybe maybe
it was after the Firming game. Either way, about just
having more civility in this rivalry after the game especially, well.

Speaker 3 (28:40):
I mean, we just should we should be better, both
sides should be better. I mean, it's just the right
thing to do.

Speaker 2 (28:45):
I mean, that's not again, been a part of these
games for a long time, and I just don't think
it's that's I don't think it leads to anything good.
Win the game, celebrate, you know, all that stuff, but
the extracurricular stuff on people's fields, like we need to
be better on both sides. Find you so great with
you fans and all that stuff, but disrespecting the logo,

(29:06):
you know, things like that, like we all should be
better in that regard. And I just don't think it's
bad things come from that we almost had a fight
last year that was nasty, and you know, we don't
we don't need that. And I've been a part of that.
I mean was four, I mean that was that was
that was a bad, bad scene. Compete your butt off,
dislike each other, whatever, but you know, we need to

(29:30):
win a class and lose a class. You know, the
people in the arena. Now I can't control you know,
all the stuff outside of the arena and all that,
but I think the people in the arena we have
to compete and I think respect the game and the
history of this game better. And that's both sides. That's
not that's not just now or us. It's it's both sides.
And you know, again, it was a nasty scene last year.

(29:51):
Shane and I talked about that and both agreed on it.
And do everything I can if we're fortunate to win
the game to make sure that you know, we don't
have any anything like that.

Speaker 1 (30:01):
Again, that's Dabo Sweeney talking about the civility, so to speak,
in this rivalry. I guess you'd say, and just do it,
you know, winning with class and losing with class, it's
simple for both sides. Sweeney was also asked about the
environment that Clempson will be venturing into noon kickoff against
South Carolina. Nonetheless, though that place is always electric for Clemson,

(30:22):
and really if you watch the games, for about anybody
that arrives here at Williams Price.

Speaker 2 (30:26):
I mean, their fans do a great job. I mean
it's a they're loud, they show up, and it's not
just our game they do. I think they do a
great job in supporting their team. I mean I've been
here a long time and they always have regardless of
what season they're having. I think they've always been incredibly
supportive of their team from my view, and certainly when
we've gone down there, whether they've had a great year

(30:48):
or not. I mean, it's a great I mean it's
a loud, loud environment. And then when you throw in
the fact that it's a rivalry game, I mean it's
even more intensity added to it. So it's fun. It's
fun being a part of games like this. I love
going on the road and having a hostile crowd. I
mean that's just part of it. That's you know, the
fun of being in rivalry games. I Mean the first

(31:09):
time I went there, I think was ninety three, I
was a GA at Alabama and they had just made
that movie. I think it was called like the Program
or something like it was a football I think it
is what it was called.

Speaker 3 (31:19):
And I just remember pulling in.

Speaker 2 (31:20):
I was like, this was the stadium in the movie.
I think I think that was the stadium, and I
was like, that was my first memory of it. But
when we won the game, I just remember even then,
I was like, Wow, this is I had never been
there because South Carolina hadn't been in the league that
long that okay, because I know it came like maybe
my senior year.

Speaker 3 (31:39):
Ninety two was my senior year because we played them.

Speaker 2 (31:41):
I was my last home game and Bryan Denny was
against South Carolina my last ever home game in Tuscaloosa.

Speaker 3 (31:47):
When I was there.

Speaker 2 (31:48):
We played in Birmingham too, We played back and forth,
but ninety three was my first time there.

Speaker 3 (31:53):
And then I went and visited Woody.

Speaker 2 (31:56):
Woody was a coach there for a year ninety eight,
and I came up and spend a day with him
and a weekend with he and Ann when Brad Scott
was the head coach there. Didn't go to a game,
but I mean I got a lot of great memories
I mean got some bad ones too. The crowd's always
been there, obviously. My first game down there was the
sixty three seventeen game. That was my very first game

(32:18):
as a coach at Clemson, and that was just a
crazy game. I mean, we just hit some big explosive
plays right out of the gate and kind of they
got in a hole.

Speaker 3 (32:27):
And I've had some toughnes down there.

Speaker 2 (32:29):
Two was the two thousand and thirteen and we had
I think we had six turnovers, five or six turnovers
that was and we had a really good team, but
we could not hang on the ball to save our life.
Had some good moments and some tough moments, but regardless
of what's happening on the score scoreboard, it's always been
a great environment to go compete.

Speaker 1 (32:50):
Swingy was also asked about that five game losing streak
and maybe how much some of the adversity they faced
back then during that streaking in South Carolina have helped
him during this season where Clemson has had some adversity
as well.

Speaker 2 (33:03):
Just as a person, when you can look back on
things in your life that you went through, it gives
you more confidence for in where you are in your future.
I think that's just in life in general, certainly in competition.
Like I said, tough times don't last, tough people do.
That was a really tough time, I mean because it
didn't matter what we did, it was you know, I mean,

(33:23):
we just were struggling in that game. And most of
it I think we I think in the five game stretch,
I want to say we had fifteen turnovers to their three.

Speaker 3 (33:33):
I believe that's accurate.

Speaker 2 (33:34):
You know, take a rocket scientist to figure out that's
the problem, and especially in a rivalry game.

Speaker 3 (33:39):
So and then we started, we turned that around and
if you look at you know, we.

Speaker 2 (33:43):
Again, we've won eight out of the last ten, Chapel,
I know, you want to create a different narrative, and
we've won two out of the last four.

Speaker 3 (33:51):
We won a lot of games in this.

Speaker 2 (33:52):
Rivalry a lot. I mean a lot, a lot. But
when we turned it around. You look at the turnover margin,
it's different, and we either won it. Even there might
have been one year we lost it, but we still won.
It been some but it was a close game. And
then last year I think we were plus one. I
think it's the only time that we've won the margin
and lost. And so you say, well, how did that happen? Well,

(34:14):
quarterback rush for one hundred and seventy eight yards, couldn't
tackle him. Two touchdowns were scramble, unbelievable individual plays, and
we had three times in the scoring zone, got no points.

Speaker 3 (34:25):
That's how you lose those games.

Speaker 2 (34:26):
The turnovers margin is critical. But yeah, I mean those
that was a tough, tough time because we were a
good team. I mean, in two thousand and nine we
won the division, played for the championship, lost the game
twenty ten.

Speaker 3 (34:39):
We weren't very good.

Speaker 2 (34:40):
We were tough, and we were tough out and we
had five games by six points or less. We were
in it and we were competing. We were tough, but
we just kind of learning how to win. And then
in eleven we won the league, won ten games, got
to the Orange Bowl, all that stuff. But it's like
win ten, won the ACC is like, yeah, but.

Speaker 1 (34:57):
She lost to the game Cocks and we were up
against breaks. So I have to cut Sweny off there,
But he's right. I mean, that game means so much
to so many people that you lose it, and it's
one of the more memorable things on the schedule for sure.
Stay with us back at it. On a Tuesday, Jack
Veltregamecoccentral dot Com, joining us here. On Clempson's Sports Talk
In just a little Bit, Dabosweeney was talking about the
fact that Clemson was having those really good seasons, as

(35:20):
I mentioned earlier, where they were like eleven and one
going into the South Carolina game and losing, and he said, hey, man,
I would get letters from people saying I'd rather you
go seven to five and beat South Carolina. Here's what
he had to say on that front.

Speaker 3 (35:34):
That was a tough time. I got a lot of letters.
I got a lot of emails. I got a lot
of letters from people you know.

Speaker 2 (35:40):
And I got a lot of people that came up
to me in off Stine and say, coach, listen, I'd
rather go seven and five and beat the game Cocks
than go eleven and two and whatever. So all those
people get their chance this year. So we're just trying
to be an equal opportunity pleaser here. A lot of
them people come up to me, so hopefully, hopefully they'll
still fill that way if we can find a way

(36:00):
to win the game.

Speaker 3 (36:02):
My bet is they won't, but such is our life
in sports.

Speaker 1 (36:08):
Swington was also asked if it feels any different this
season because he don't have a big carrot out in
front of him like an ACC championship game or a
college football playoff Berth.

Speaker 3 (36:17):
No, I mean, that's just your season.

Speaker 2 (36:19):
I mean, we've been to seven playoffs in ten years,
but we've been in the league championship eight out of
the last ten years. But we haven't always been there,
and we're not in I mean just last time we
were down there, we weren't going to the championship, but
we we were looking forward to a bowl game and
we had a.

Speaker 3 (36:34):
Great bowl game against Kentucky that was a lot of fun.
You know.

Speaker 2 (36:38):
Twenty one, we didn't go to the championship, played Iowa
State and the Cheesey Bowl. That was one of the
funnest bowls I've been a part of. We had a ball,
had a great time, it was a fun win. So, no,
it doesn't matter if you're in the playoff, if you're
in the ACC championship game, whatever.

Speaker 3 (36:53):
It's all about this game. I mean, it really is.
And I hope that ever that doesn't get.

Speaker 2 (36:58):
Lost as football changes an evolves, and that's actually something
that you worry about a little bit. Games like this
being affected the more things expand, and all of a sudden,
you've got a big game next week, or you know
that's instead of a championship game, it's the first round
of the playoffs, which is what you see in the NFL, right,
and you got all of a sudden, you don't play
your starters or whatever.

Speaker 3 (37:19):
You know. I hope that doesn't get lost down the road,
but who knows.

Speaker 2 (37:23):
But for me, it's never been about well, we in
the championship next week, or we're going to playoff. It's
about this game. I've been here seventeen years and we've
had nine. We've been to the championship ten times in
my seventeen full seasons, so seven of those years just
like this one. It's just whatever the season presents, But

(37:48):
it doesn't change anything for me for the importance of
this game and the value of this moment. I mean,
I think sometimes we don't realize the value and the
importance of the moment you're in until it becomes a memory.

Speaker 4 (37:59):
Right.

Speaker 3 (38:00):
He want just to be a good memory, not a
bad one, So you better be locked in in the
moment that you're in.

Speaker 1 (38:05):
Davoswoot was also asked what it means to win this
game to potentially get from you know, six to seven wins,
and of course with six seven being the thing for
all the teenagers, here's where he went.

Speaker 3 (38:15):
It just means six seven? Is that when we got all?
That is? That?

Speaker 1 (38:19):
Is that?

Speaker 3 (38:19):
Is that a setup? Am I supposed to just jump
in on that? Yeah, I'm in the know.

Speaker 2 (38:24):
I got a I got one hundred and twenty six
you know, seventeen to twenty three year olds.

Speaker 3 (38:28):
So is that a set up? Question? I don't even
know what that means. By the way, I have no idea.
I have no idea what that means.

Speaker 1 (38:37):
You can do it on Wednesday?

Speaker 3 (38:38):
Ila, was that intentional? When you do it? It was not?

Speaker 2 (38:41):
That was not That was absolutely not. And only reason
I knew that was my players or brought that to
my attention. I don't even remember what we were talking about.

Speaker 3 (38:49):
But have no idea. I have no idea.

Speaker 2 (38:52):
You can ask all the people you know, that's a
that's a I just win the game. We're just thankful.
We're thankful that we're that we punched the ticket to
the Bowl. I mean, like you say, oh, well that
ain't no big deal. Well, it's twenty seven years in
a row. The only other team, and it's six wins
twenty seven years in a row. And I think only
other teams are Oklahoma, Georgia and Ohio State. There's one

(39:14):
hundred and thirty five schools. So if that was so
easy to do, I mean, that's pretty crazy to have.
That's not what we set out to do. But from
where we were to rally back is a lot. And again,
thirty thirty times in Clemson history, out of one hundred
and thirty teams they started one and three are worse,
and we're only the fourth team to rally back and
get six wins. Again, not are what we set out

(39:36):
to do, but all you can do is respond to
where you are, and these guys have responded and battled.

Speaker 3 (39:41):
So I have no idea where we would go. I
really don't care.

Speaker 2 (39:45):
I'm just glad that we have an opportunity to go
play in the postseason and have one more game, find
a way to win a game. I mean, but I'm
proud of these guys. I mean, you look at the NFL.
The Ravens started one and five and I think they're
six and five now, and because they've k playing, you know, now,
they got more games like you know, we're running out
of games here, but I'm proud of how they have battled,

(40:06):
and you know, they can only play the games they got,
so you know, we just want to try to finish
the very best that we can. So wherever that takes us,
it takes us, and we'll show up and get ready
to play and go play worthy opponent.

Speaker 1 (40:21):
So there you go. That's all we'll give you from
Dabo Swingey today again taking the six seven comment and
basically breaking it down like most parents, like, we know
it means something. We don't really know what it means
based off of my assessments and understanding of it being
in a school and having kids say it. It's kind

(40:41):
of like six one half dozen the other. That's kind
of the which is why they do the little hand motion,
you know what I mean, six one half dozen the other.
But yeah, look, this is a rivalry game, and all
the pomp and circumstances of bowl you go to and this,

(41:01):
that and the other is certainly not at the forefront
of winning and losing. It's all about this game and
that's what I think fans love about it in this state.
That's what fans of the Iron Bowl in Alabama like
about their game, the Egg Bowl coming up on Friday,
which that Egg Bowl has some weird ramifications surrounding it

(41:24):
with the situation with Lane Kiffen, who has sadly made
that whole thing about him. We'll talk a little bit
more about that. I'll let you hear what Lane Kiffin
had to say about how players in this era maybe
see a coach that's playing the game as well much
like those same players are in terms of trying to

(41:45):
parlay themselves to the most money, and I guess not
even the most success. I mean, could you say that
that there are plenty of players out there and maybe
even coaches who just would prefer to take the money
and forget the possibility of the success that they could
have where they are, Like, just be happy where you are.

(42:08):
And I have noted over and over and over. I
get it. L s U's a better job than old miss,
but it's not right now. And if you're laying Kiffin,
you can build something. You have a little stick to
itiveness if you will. All right, now, remember two Jack
Veltrie gamecock Central dot Com joins. Just keep it locked.
It's time for Clipson Sports Talk with Lawton Schwan. Now

(43:07):
it is our number two. That's drivetime right here on
the show that Shakes of South Lanta. Clemson Sports Talon
Swine hanging out with you on a Tuesday. Remember no
show Wednesday or Thursday. We're back on Friday, loaded show,
Getting you ready for Clemson in South Carolina. We've played
audio from Dabo swinging. We've got that full audio on
our website. We've got some audio from Shane Biemer coming up.

(43:29):
We'll be joined by Jack Veltree in a minute from
Gamecockcentral dot Com. As these two Titans in the state
of South Carolina face off in a game that is
certainly underwhelming in terms of the preseason expectations for both teams.
For South Carolina, the opportunity to say, hey, you didn't
beat us this year, we beat you back to back,
and remember the rarity of South Carolina beating back to back.

(43:52):
Beating Clemson back to back in my lifetime is incredible,
but it could happen. And for Clemson, regardless of the outcome,
South Carolina not going bowling, So Tiger fans already carry
a little bit of a feather into their cabin. This
suar would be nice to deliver a four and eight

(44:14):
finish to the game Cocks this season. Here's some of
Shane Beemer's audio. Oh and by the way, the show
the Chase of SOUTHWAYE brought to you in part by
our good friends over at Mets Plumbing metz Plumbing dot com.
Six seven one o eight. That's Mets Plumbing to six
seven ones here eight. All right, here's Shane Biemer in

(44:34):
this opening statement ahead of Clemson to South Carolina this week,
plus Jack Veltrie coming up in just a few minutes.

Speaker 5 (44:40):
Another year in this rivalry. Feels extremely grateful to be
a part of this rivalry. I've been a part of
some good wins in my coaching career, playing career both Georgia, Georgia, Georgia, Tech,
U Mississippi State, Ole, miss Tennessee, or to Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia, Tech,

(45:04):
Virginia and just a different places that I've coached. And
this is right there at the top, just what it
means to this state, what it means to both fan bases.
It's an awesome rivalry, not just in football, as you
guys know, but I think what makes this so unique
is the rivalry and all the sports that no matter
what sport we're playing.

Speaker 6 (45:22):
Clemson in.

Speaker 5 (45:23):
It's a big deal to South Carolina fans and Clemson
fans both, and our fan base is so extremely grateful
to be a part of the rivalry going on. You're
five as a head coach, and this is my ninth
one counting my years as an assistant here also, but
a ton of respect for their program. You guys know
how I feel about Dabbo and the respect I have

(45:45):
for him as a coach. As a person, He's a
friend and I think a lot of them.

Speaker 6 (45:50):
They're a team. I think seasons are very similar in
a lot of ways.

Speaker 5 (45:54):
As you look at their schedule, there's three or four
games on that schedule that you look at that easily
could have gone the other way.

Speaker 6 (46:02):
It's a play here, a play there, in three or.

Speaker 5 (46:04):
Four different games, and they're a nine ten win team
in the mix for the ACC Championship. Again, they've had injuries,
certainly in some key spots.

Speaker 6 (46:15):
Throughout the year.

Speaker 1 (46:16):
That's a portion to Shane Beemers opening statement this week.
He was also asked about the fact that South Carolina
is not going to a bowl game and how much
momentum a win in this game could mean for South
Carolina going into the offseason.

Speaker 6 (46:32):
Yeah, it'd be huge.

Speaker 5 (46:32):
You always want to win the last one and you know,
want to send these seniors out the right way. It
would be pretty special for you know, DQ Smith to
say that in his and Brian Thomas and the guys
that got here in twenty twenty two, that they and
the other seniors that they went what three and one
against Clemson potentially, I mean, that'd be awesome for them
to say. But you know, more than anything, it's just

(46:54):
we want to go play well on Saturday. This is
a special group of young men that we have on
this team, Jack, that we want to send out the
right way.

Speaker 6 (47:01):
It's our last ride together.

Speaker 5 (47:03):
On Saturday, and we want to make it meaningful and special.
And certainly you want to win your last one, but
when your last game is against your rival, that makes
it makes it extra special.

Speaker 1 (47:12):
And I was trying to think, like, I've rarely been
to noon kickoffs there at Williams Brice Stadium for this
Clemson game. I mean, they've been a handful over the years,
but not a ton And I wonder given South Carolina's profile,
even though Dabosweeny obviously talked about how much their fans
show up and I don't disagree with that. I do

(47:33):
wonder in a game like this, what the turnout will be.
Clemson is not coming in, you know, eleven and one
or twelve and O. And I've been to games when
that's been the case and South Carolina fans hadn't really
shown up then filled up the upper deck. But with
this game, where Carolina's favored in a bad season, I

(47:56):
mean I would assume fans are going to show up.
We'll talk with Jack Veltrie about his thoughts on what
the stadium will look like on Saturday. Final thing from
Shane Biemer will get to Jack Veltrie. He was asked
about if there are players on the team who are
from in state who he feels like maybe they are

(48:18):
the guys that kind of relay the message to out
of state players about the importance of this rivalry, if
that kind of exists for South Carolina.

Speaker 5 (48:27):
Yeah, we talked about it a little bit in our
team meeting this morning, because we've got a lot of
guys that aren't from the state one or two. This
is they transferred in here, so this is their first
exposure in this rivalry. And I told them what I
told you at the beginning that no matter where they
came from, whether you're you know, Davante Miles and you
were Bowling Green and you had your rival against.

Speaker 6 (48:47):
Toledo last year, you were.

Speaker 5 (48:51):
Sean Murphy coming from Florida State and you had your
rival game against Florida last season. That this is as
good as and better than anywhere that if you Ben
and I truly believe that, and certainly you know, I
don't think it takes those guys long to figure out
what this rivalry means when they transfer in here. You
can't go anywhere in this state without you know, either

(49:12):
there's a Carolina fan or a Clemson fan and figuring
out how important it is to the people of South Carolina.

Speaker 6 (49:18):
I think our guys understand that long before this week.

Speaker 5 (49:22):
We don't, you know, sit around as a staff and
a team talking about Clemson three hundred fifty eight days
a year.

Speaker 6 (49:30):
We try and treat every game the same.

Speaker 5 (49:32):
But I'd be lying if there wasn't a different feeling
in the building this week. But in regards to the
older guys, I'll lean lean on them more, David, just
to try and help those young guys, because sometimes I
think when you get in these rivalry games, you can.
If you're not careful, you make it too big and
you get out there and you don't play great.

Speaker 6 (49:50):
So the biggest thing I've been trying to hone them with.

Speaker 5 (49:52):
Those everybody, but need the older guys to help convey
is the best thing we can do is go prepare
really well and stick to our process of it's different
this week because we're not in class, but stick to
our process of what we do Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday,
and then go play really good on Saturday, which is
that's what it's going to take, is to go play
really really well Saturday afternoon.

Speaker 1 (50:13):
So there you go that Shane Bieber, and we go
right out to the guest lone. Jack Veltree joins us. Jack.
What was your big takeaway from Shane Bieber's press conference today?

Speaker 7 (50:22):
I think it's just how important this game is right
between South Carolina and Clemson, that even though the hype
around this game is much different this year compared to
last year, where last year you had these two teams
pinned against each other's top fifteen programs in the country,
and then this year they come into the season as

(50:42):
top fifteen preseason teams and now Clemson's six and five
and South Carolina's four and seven.

Speaker 8 (50:47):
Like the hype is not there on the same level.
But Beemer does expect.

Speaker 7 (50:51):
This rivalry to continue to be great for years to come,
and he expects playoff implications on the line every season
moving forward, starting next year. So that'd probably be my
biggest takeaway the baits. The main meat of today's press
conference was about this game and what it does mean,
so that would probably be my biggest takeaway is how
he feels next year will have a playoff.

Speaker 8 (51:13):
In petitions of the line.

Speaker 1 (51:14):
For South Carolina fans, I know they love a night game,
and this will be in a new matchup certainly adds
just sort of the storylines going into it. Beemer talked
about that feeling like, hey, look, this has the potential
to be right the largest crowd excuse me that Clempson's
played in front of this season, What do you think
about the crowd that'll show up for this game. There
have been years where Clemson has sort of almost dominated

(51:37):
the attendance where maybe the Tigers were undefeated or just
have one loss going in and South Carolina was having
maybe some an underwhelming season, but with both two teams
kind of where they are. Do you think the place
will be packed?

Speaker 8 (51:49):
Yeah, on hundred percent think so. Now I was not
there in person on Saturday.

Speaker 7 (51:54):
I was at men's basketball this weekend out watch Virginia,
but from what I saw online and what I watched
on TV, it seemed like William Trice was packed no
problem against a team like Coastal Carolina. So I thought, he, look,
this fan bates if they can show up for that
type of game, a game right before Thanksgiving.

Speaker 8 (52:12):
Where everyone's usually going out of town.

Speaker 7 (52:14):
Getting set up for the holidays, If that plays can
still be pretty much full for a three and seventeen
going against a group of five program in Coastal no disrespect,
then I think this place.

Speaker 8 (52:25):
Will be packed no problem on Saturday.

Speaker 7 (52:28):
And to kind of mention your point about how Clemson
is typically packed, it out a bit brought a good
number of fans to will he be over the years.

Speaker 8 (52:36):
Yeah, I think you're right. I think it will be.

Speaker 7 (52:38):
There will be definitely some orange there, but it's no
different than when South Carolina goes to Clemson and you
have a decent amount of.

Speaker 8 (52:45):
Garnet and black in the crowd. So I expect it
to be pretty full on Saturday.

Speaker 1 (52:49):
Well again, he's on Twitter at Jack t Veltregamecockcentral dot com,
part of the All three network, joining us in for
the South Carolina faithful. I mean, what a huge opportunity
it crops up every once in a while where they
have a chance to win back to back games. Outside
of the five game winning street that came under Steve
Spurrier in my life, but a big chance for Shane

(53:09):
Biemer in this squad to win three out of four
now against Clemson and back to back games. What would
a win mean for not just Beamer, but for his
players as well.

Speaker 8 (53:19):
Yeah, it'd be huge.

Speaker 7 (53:20):
I mean, he brought it up today when I kind
of asked him that very question of what this game
means with no bowl game and how the season just
hasn't gone to court to play for these seniors on
the team he's talked about for the last two weeks
now that he wants to send those guys out the
right way. You're halfway there to doing that. Beat Clemson
this weekend, you win your final two games, and you

(53:41):
got someone met him going into next year after beating
your en cate rival for the third out of the
last four years.

Speaker 8 (53:47):
And yeah, for those seniors, they would have gone three
and one against thumpson then.

Speaker 7 (53:51):
So the interesting thing about this rivalry though, is that
the home team hasn't won in this game since twenty
eight team. I mean, it's it's been a series dominated
by the road team as of late.

Speaker 8 (54:02):
And Shane put it kind of funny.

Speaker 7 (54:04):
Today that he's two to zero away from South Carolina
or away at Clemson at noon, and when the games
at night, he's zero and two and both games have
been on that night. So this is gonna be interesting
to see how South Carolina fairs early kick noon at
Willie B. I think they're gonna be up for it,
and I think they're gonna have a good game plan

(54:25):
headed into this week.

Speaker 1 (54:26):
Apt Yeah, one year ago, that game in Death Valley
was really dominated by the performance that we saw from
Leonora Sellers, both on the ground and through the air,
but more specifically that final game winning drive for South
Carolina where his legs really came into play, and Dabo
Sweeney was asked about the Yeah, kind of the recency
of that, I mean, that game doesn't seem all that
long ago. Both teams with the same quarterback. As a

(54:48):
matter of at the third time that South Carolina has
seen Cad Klubnick from Clemson's standpoint, though, because those wounds
are still so fresh from what was done a year
going to Lenoria sellers lead ship for South Carolina. I mean,
you gotta imagine the clips is gonna be better prepared
for this guy than they were this time one year ago.

Speaker 8 (55:08):
I kind of heard TJ.

Speaker 7 (55:09):
Parker talking about how when they watched Leonoris on film
last year, it was much different than the guy that
they saw in game last year.

Speaker 8 (55:18):
And that's Look, the things that he did in.

Speaker 7 (55:20):
That game last year are simply just the stuff of legend.
I mean, the amount of tackles he broke out of
in that game is still talked about to this day.
I mean, it's insane what he did as a runner
in this game. In that game, South Carolina doesn't win
if it's not for him winning the.

Speaker 8 (55:36):
Game with his legs. I mean, it's just insane what
he did.

Speaker 7 (55:40):
You're probably expecting a similar thing this weekend. And I
think the thing for Leonoris is I think he's regressed
a little bit this year to where, yes, he could
still run the football really effectively, but I don't think
we've ever really.

Speaker 8 (55:53):
Seen him be as effective as he was in that
game last year.

Speaker 7 (55:57):
Maybe it's just a a thing where it's like, hey, Clemson,
like you're kind of letting all your chips out and
do whatever you gotta do to win this game. That
might require Leonori's running a ton, But I think Clemson's
probably going to have probably a similar or hopefully better
game plan heading into this game, just because it's a
new defensive coordinator with Tom Allen, but a lot of

(56:19):
the same players on that team from last year that
remember how much Sellers impact that went for South Carolina.

Speaker 3 (56:26):
You know.

Speaker 1 (56:27):
One of the other things that stood out to me
today listening to Shane Beemer talk is how many big
time rivalry games he's been involved in, not just specifically
this matchup between Clemson in South Carolina, but Texas and Oklahoma,
Virginia Tech, you know, Virginia, all of these rivalries across

(56:47):
the Southeast he's really been a part of with all
the places he's been, Yeah.

Speaker 7 (56:51):
He's been a part of some of the bigger ones
into the sport. And the interesting thing that he said
today he was kind of every year i've listened to
him talk during this week of this game is that
he's been a part of all these great rivalries. But
then interesting thing he brought up today was how he
feels like this rivalry can hold its own against any
of the others in the country. Like we're talking like

(57:12):
Ohiers State and Michigan.

Speaker 8 (57:13):
Alabama, Auburn.

Speaker 7 (57:14):
Like he feels confidently that South Carolina Clemson is a
great rivalry compared to the other ones out there, especially
when those two teams have something to play for at
the end of the season. And you know, that's where
he kind of feels like, if they can if both
teams can get back to that level of football that
they were playing at last year, this time in twenty
twenty six, the stakes are gonna be at an all

(57:35):
time high, and you're gonna be talking about these national implications,
not just the ones that are in.

Speaker 8 (57:40):
This state right now.

Speaker 1 (57:42):
Again, Jack Veltrie with us year for a few more
minutes from Gamecockcentral dot Com on Twitter at Jack T. Veltrie. So, Jack,
on a scale of one to ten, how similar do
you think or feel Shane Beemer and Dabosweeney are. If
ten is they are very similar, and one is these
guys are complete opposites. Where do you kind of find

(58:04):
him in terms of Uh. Comparing the two coaches in
terms of similarity.

Speaker 7 (58:10):
I would say like a like a six, Like, I
know they're good friends. I know they don't have a
disdain for each other. Like you know, I think there's
It's not like Shane Beemer and Mark Stoops where you
have a little bit of that self made rivalry there.
Like like this is different like South Carolina Clemson arrival.

Speaker 8 (58:32):
Don't get me wrong, but.

Speaker 7 (58:33):
Shane and Dabbo like they seem to tolerate each other
and seem to be, you know, good friends and whatnot.
So I think in terms of like I kind of
get where you're coming from with the question and whatnot.

Speaker 8 (58:46):
Of like are they similar all like.

Speaker 7 (58:48):
Coaches and in terms of games, decisions and what they
are they're both very outspoken.

Speaker 3 (58:53):
I know that.

Speaker 8 (58:54):
But in terms of I haven't watched a Clemson a
ton this year.

Speaker 7 (58:58):
Yeah, but I feel like in terms of decision make
and coaching and all that, I think it's different because
Dabo has the track record of success and Shane's kind
of still trying to find his way in terms of
building a consistent winner, Dabo's already.

Speaker 8 (59:11):
Done it, and yeah, clench is not great right now.

Speaker 7 (59:13):
But more times than not he's proven a lot of
people wrong, and this is just one of those years
where coming into next year he'll have a lot of people.

Speaker 8 (59:20):
He's trying to prove wrong.

Speaker 1 (59:22):
Yeah, I think I would go a little bit higher
on it, just from the standpoint of how they want
to run their programs and the things they stand for.
I think they're eerily similar in that respects and I'd
probably put them in about eight. I would put them
in about eight, I think in terms of similarity, and
I think that's part of the reason that South Carolina
fans don't like coach Swedey and part of the reason
the clips of fans don't like Shane Beemer. They see

(59:43):
a little bit of the other guy in them, and
I think that probably makes both sides of this rivalry
a little bit nervous.

Speaker 8 (59:48):
Yeah maybe, Yeah, I would actually probably go like a
seven or eight.

Speaker 7 (59:51):
The more I kind of think about it where you're
coming from with your take on it, of how they
run their programs and what they're all about.

Speaker 8 (59:58):
Yeah, it's very.

Speaker 7 (59:59):
Similar with that that family oriented approach of like for
Clemson it's all in, and I know South Leline doesn't
use that, saying but it kind of it kind of
has the same feeling Moniker here at the Game Cocks.
But yeah, look there is a you know, South con
events clearly don't like Dabo, and it's definitely the same
at Clemson. Like I saw that that that picture online

(01:00:22):
of on the video board of somebody holding him a
poster with.

Speaker 8 (01:00:27):
Shane saying I'll be home for Christmas.

Speaker 7 (01:00:29):
Like yeah, Like I think, like there's definitely a bit
of a rivalry there with the coaches, but it's like
at the end of the day, like remember what I've seen,
they seem to be fine with each other.

Speaker 1 (01:00:40):
Well, look, we're off the air for the next few days.
I won't ask you to give a prediction on this game,
but I did say this earlier in the week, Jack,
I said, if you handed me the script and you
said Team A punches Team B in the face for
three and a half hours, I'm gonna tell you I
think South Carolina wins this game.

Speaker 8 (01:00:55):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (01:00:55):
What kind of matchup though, do you expect to see
in Williams Brice Stadium.

Speaker 7 (01:00:59):
Well, I will give you somewhat of a prediction. I'm
not gonna I don't have a score prediction yet, but
I will say, I think South Carolina is going to
win this game. The thing that I've kind of said
this week so far is it's not so much about Okay,
what's Clemson gonna do? I really think this game comes
down to what South Carolina does.

Speaker 8 (01:01:16):
Like If South.

Speaker 7 (01:01:16):
Carolina plays like the team that we know they're capable
of playing, like the one that take out the last
second half of the A and M game. Six of
the last eight quarters from South Carolina against Coastal and
A and M, meaning the first half against A and
M and then the full fourth quarters against Coastal, have
been really good.

Speaker 8 (01:01:35):
So if South Carolina plays like that team.

Speaker 7 (01:01:37):
They're gonna win this game, no problem. I think I
think they could probably cover and win by a score
or two. But if they play like the team in
the second half against A and M and kind of
the team that they have been playing like for the
better part of this season, where they're losing a lot
of these games in the fourth quarter, they're not finishing
down the stretch, the offense is inconsistent, then I think
Clemson has a very good chance to win. But it's

(01:01:58):
gonna really be about for Clemson stalking with somebody about
it on the Clemson side is that Clemson needs.

Speaker 8 (01:02:03):
To come out establishing the run with Adam Randall in
this game.

Speaker 7 (01:02:06):
And if Clemson is able to set the tone offensively
running the football, that's gonna make things a lot easier
on Kate Klubnick to make the throw that he's gonna
need to make.

Speaker 1 (01:02:15):
Thanks a lot, Jack, have a happy Thanksgiving.

Speaker 7 (01:02:17):
I appreciate it, man, Thank you, happy thanksgiven.

Speaker 1 (01:02:20):
Quick breat We'll come back with more right here on
a Tuesday afternoon. Keep it locked Clemson's sports so long
and swan with you on a Tuesday a game. We're
off Wednesday, Thursday. We'll be back on Friday. I mentioned
though now number one about Lane Kiffin. Obviously the Egg
Bowl coming up between Old Miss and Mississippi State, the
Rebels with a great chance to make the college football playoff.

(01:02:43):
Lane Kiffin's never made the college football playoff. Yet here
we are with debate about where he's gonna coach next season,
and Kiffin said that, you know what, I know everybody's
worried about my players and how they're going to handle it,
et cetera, but that these guys in this nil transfer
portal era are just you know, they think about things differently.

(01:03:06):
Here's what he had to say.

Speaker 9 (01:03:08):
Yeah, I think they did an amazing job. They had
a great They were here at eight thirty last night
and back this morning for practice. And I've said it before,
it's a different generation, guys.

Speaker 3 (01:03:20):
I know.

Speaker 9 (01:03:20):
It's different than what we were in when players couldn't
leave and players chose to go play for their home
state a lot and all that. This is a different generation.
They all can leave every year. A lot of that
is financially based, and so they don't think the traditional
way that years ago about their coach and what's going
to go on with him next year. That that's it's

(01:03:41):
not how they think anymore.

Speaker 10 (01:03:43):
And so.

Speaker 9 (01:03:46):
That makes a lot easier not to listen a noise
because as a fan, that noise is really loud because
it's your team and it's your team for a long time.
These kids don't think that way.

Speaker 3 (01:03:58):
Just it's a product of this.

Speaker 1 (01:04:01):
So there you go some of what Lane Kiffin had
to say about how he feels the players that old
miss you know, kind of feel about this situation and
I think of it a little bit differently. Obviously, big
matchup coming up at noon for them in the Egg
Bowl on Friday, that's a noon kickoff on ABC. They're

(01:04:26):
ten and one, the number six in the latest Cotege
Football playoff rankings. Mississippi State is five and six and
and like there's first off. In my opinion, there's no
reason to leave Ole Miss given where you've got that program.

(01:04:49):
Great quarterbacks are going to want to come play for you,
Great players are going to want to come play for you.
And that doesn't change per se when you leave and
go to LSU. And yeah, he could take everybody on
this roster technically, And this is the big the big
problem that you have with this era that we're in,
or at least that I have with is you have

(01:05:10):
to fear that being the case at some point that
a coach like this does say, Okay, we're going and
I'm taking every player that's available and wants to go
with me, and then you don't really have to rebuild
an LSU. But you think of it from the standpoint
of the old Miss fan, and you go, wait a second,
how is that right? How is that what's best for
this sport? And I thought it was disingenuous that Lane Kiffen,

(01:05:38):
who has made this into a circus, had the nerve
to every time he was asked a question outside of
that one question there about the players and their response
to everything going on around him, to essentially say, yeah,
you know what, we're not We're not talking about that.

(01:06:00):
I'm not answering any questions about that. People were asking
things like who created the deadline that you're going to
make a decision on on Saturday. And let's say that
he decides that he's going to LSU. If you were
an Old Miss fan, would you want him coaching you
the rest of the way or would that be the

(01:06:22):
would that be the you know, the end? And like
if we're talking about like a wrestling gimmick, like if
this is WWE and or even w CW when we
were growing up, you know, locally the NWA with Tony
Shavani and the Nature Boy, Rick Flair and everybody that
was evolved in that operation. And I'm saying, whoa right here?

(01:06:46):
Then here's the thing you do. You stay at Old Miss.
It's the ultimate. You set everybody up. It looks like
you're making the heel turn. It looks like you're gonna
go to the dark side of the force. It looks
like you're going to join you know, the rival, a
hated rival formerly from the SEC West, and then what

(01:07:09):
do you do in the last second? You stay with
your team Like that could be the turn in this
whole thing that really gains a lot of favor for
Lane Kiffin, although there will still be a segment of
the fan base that will say, well, why did you
put us through that rigamarole? If you were just gonna

(01:07:30):
turn and say I'm all in with the rebels and
the other thing too that has come out of all
of this. And I'm not saying he's not going to Florida, okay,
but it certainly feels like he's not going to Florida.
And for Florida fans, how does that feel for you today,

(01:07:53):
given the fact that you would like to see yourself
on the same pedestal as LSU or as old Miss
and I don't think you're going to be the stop
and to me, for Florida fans, that would make you
feel like you're a wrung down from LSU. And look,

(01:08:18):
the whole concept of owning your state and being the
only power for a team in your state that is
significant for the BYU Bengals. I mean that's a big deal.
I mean Florida shares the state with Florida State and
Miami already, not to mention now what Central Florida is

(01:08:39):
in a power for a league. But man, if you're
an LSU, you're the only big show in town, and
that's a little bit different than being an Old Miss.
But again, you've built Old Miss. As a matter of fact,
I might argue at this point, Old Miss has become
synonymous with Lane kiffinin as a coach. I think that's

(01:09:00):
all you can desire. Like Alabama is now synonymous with
Nick Saban, much like it was synonymous with Bear Bryant,
much like Clemson is now synonymous with Dabo Sweeney, like
it was Danny Ford, like it was Frank Howard. I mean,
you've become You've become the lead spectacle at your program.
You are the program, and you're willing to give that

(01:09:23):
up for money to go coach at LSU or Florida.
I don't There's there's certain things that money can't buy.
And Lane Kiffin, unfortunately, I'm afraid, doesn't realize that what
money can't buy is what would make a run like

(01:09:46):
the one he's currently on and could continue at Old Miss,
something that lasts longer than the dollars will last. And
that's what he's really missing out on from my standpoint.
All right, quick breat We'll come back with more here
on a Tuesday. Lo back with you on a Tuesday again.
Don't forget about our friends at Alumni Hall right there
on the corner at campus on College Avenue in downtown Clemson.

(01:10:07):
It's Alumni Hall where all your for all your officially
licensed Clemson merchandise, hats, T shirts, tel Gay gear, and more.
Those sweet Nike drive hit polos that you know I love.
Go check them out next time you're in Clemson or
online at Alumni Hall dot com. Remember you can get
your holiday shop and done at Alumni Haul dot com
even if the person you're shopping for is not a

(01:10:29):
Clemson Tiger fan, because Alumni Hall has stores for Alabama, Georgia, Auburn, LSU.
I could go on and on, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Tennessee,
Florida State, Florida. Go check them out today. But if
you go through our website to get there, when you
make your purchase online, we'll get some support from our
friends at Alumni Hall. It's Alumni Hall where Tiger fans

(01:10:51):
shop all right, one of the things that I think
a lot of people miss this season is Lee Corso
and I I will be the first to say, I
don't watch as much College Game Dan as I did
when I was younger, when Corso was a part of it.
I don't really think that Desmond Howard does a very

(01:11:12):
good job or even adds much to the show. Quite frankly,
I think Kirk Herbstreet is basically what he's always been,
really good. I don't care if you've got Reys Davis
or Chris Fowler sitting in the host chair. And I'm
gonna just say, and some of you might not agree

(01:11:33):
with this, but I think Pat McAfee has added to
the show. As a matter of fact, I would argue
that if Corso was young enough to stick around and
you could boot, you could give Desmond Howard the boot
and put Pat McAfee over there. I think that'd have
been a great combo. I think part of the reason

(01:11:53):
David Pollack got cut is he just is, you know,
he's basically Kirk herb Street, you know, I mean, it's
basically he's the exact same as Kirk Karb Street. But
a lot of people do miss Coach Corso. He was
on for the first week for that Texas Ohio State
game to open the season. It was a memorable way
to watch him go out and really cool that we

(01:12:16):
got to live through, you know, watching him be honored
while he's alive. That was really awesome. But he was
at an event yesterday and got asked about what it's
been like for him not being on college game Day.
Here's what Corso had to say, What.

Speaker 8 (01:12:33):
Has this season been like, because it's the first one
out of college football for you and what's probably felt
like forever, what has it been like for you?

Speaker 3 (01:12:39):
Blowsy.

Speaker 1 (01:12:42):
I hate it.

Speaker 11 (01:12:44):
I can't watch college game Day. I mean, I just
I just gotta can't get used to it. I'm not
working anymore. I used to fly all over see.

Speaker 3 (01:12:55):
But it sucks.

Speaker 1 (01:13:00):
I think there's a lot of people that probably feel
the same way. I know, as he got older and
as it got more difficult for him, you know, more
and more people would have moments where they'd say, he's
got to get him off the television. But now that
he's off the television. I don't know about you, but
I feel similarly to what he had to say, I

(01:13:21):
can't even watch college game day without him. Now, one
of the things that college football and the college Football
Playoffs are looking to do as we shift gears here
was to expand the playoff to fourteen. Now we've got
a situation where again, we went from four to twelve

(01:13:41):
pretty quickly, and we were gonna balloon this thing up again.
But ESPN and the College Football Playoff are finalizing an
extension that will allow them to have more time to
decide what the format is going to look like in
twenty twenty six. And here's my biggest problem with it.
The fourteen Playoff, as I said a few weeks ago,
I enjoyed it. I think a lot of people enjoyed it.

(01:14:03):
I think people enjoyed the fact that you knew those
four teams, you knew maybe the other three that were
competing to get in, and it sort of narrowed down
your focus at this time of the year. Now, don't
get me wrong, I think it's great that more games
mean something, right now, I've always been about that, But
how do you have this format for one season and
now a second year and already look at oh, we're

(01:14:26):
going to change this thing to fourteen and we or
more whatever, and we knew this was coming, right. We
knew that they were going to be looking to expand it.
We knew that. But here's the thing. The beauty paget
aspect has to go away. And I will die on
this hill that the college football playoff model needs to
look more like the pro model. And what I mean

(01:14:46):
by that is there needs to be two distinct sides.
And I'm not saying that you got to get rid
of the ACC and the Big Twelve. As a matter
of fact, as my argument has been made here on
the air, I think the Big Ten in the ACC
should be on one side. I think the Southeastern Conference
in the Big Twelve should be on the other. I
think the top four teams of each league should get
into the playoffs, and then I think that they should

(01:15:08):
be paired in reverse order, where the top team from
the Big Ten would face the number four team from
the ACC and the number one team from the ACC
would face the four team from the Big Ten on
one side. You do the same thing with the SEC
and the Big Twelve on the other. And then you
look at the SEC and the Big Ten and you say, look,
big boys, if you think you're better than the ACC

(01:15:29):
and the Big twelve. Then your number four team should
be able to beat the number one team, which would
give you potentially four Big Ten teams on one side,
four SEC teams on the other grinding down towards a championship,
and occasionally in a year where the ACC or the
Big twelve has one of the better teams, or they
win in an upset or whatever, guess what. That's the
way it plays out. But in my opinion, that protects

(01:15:53):
the interest of the SEC and the Big Ten while
also including the ACC and the Big twelve, and it
makes it fair and balanced across the board, where it's
the top four teams from each league that gets in
and not some beauty paget where some dudes or dudets
in grape Vine, Texas sitting behind computers tell us who

(01:16:13):
the top teams are. We just look at the raw data.
We look at the numbers. Here's how the conference playoffs
or here's how the conference standings work their way out,
and this is who's in the playoff, and this is
how it lines up the Southeastern Conference number one versus
the number four team from the Big twelve, and we
whittle it down and whoever's remaining at the eight four

(01:16:36):
and two level. Those are the teams playing for the championship.
It makes it so easy. I don't know why we
try to sit there and look behind a curtain and
figure out, Oh, these wins and who they've played, YadA, YadA, YadA,
and why we think team A or B is better
than the other when one beat the other head to head.
It's just flat off, flat out, off of the numbers

(01:17:00):
from the standpoint of how they performed in conference play.
You can still play across conference Clemson in South Carolina,
you can still play one another, but your conference standings,
the top four teams in each league get into this
playoff and call it a day. If you don't think
that every ten years your team could be one of
the top four teams in your league, I'm sorry, you're

(01:17:22):
just never going to be good enough to be in.
You don't deserve to be in if you're not one
of the top four teams in your league, in any league,
in my opinion, all right with a quick break and
come back with more. Right after this, What have you
done for me lately?

Speaker 10 (01:17:40):
It's a fair question. Just don't lose sight of the
bigger picture. Don't forget history. Lucky for US at Clemson.
The answer to the questions what have you done for
me lately?

Speaker 3 (01:17:55):
What have you done?

Speaker 4 (01:17:55):
Always are the same. We winime.

Speaker 1 (01:18:49):
Final segment on a Tuesday. Again, we're off Wednesday, Thursday.
Happy Thanksgiving up, you have a great day. Obviously, the
college football slate of games around this time of year
always unique. Rivalry games abound, for sure. I can remember
when I think the Egg Bowl was actually played on

(01:19:10):
Thanksgiving night. I thought that was a really cool, cool deal.
There are two games tonight Bowling Green in Massachusetts already underway.
That's on ESPNU, and then Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan
at seven thirty on ESPN two tonight. Then on Thursday
on Thanksgiving, you've got Navy at Memphis. That's a seven

(01:19:30):
thirty start on ESPN. Obviously, you've got NFL games on
Thursday as well. Then Friday. I can remember doing some
Black Friday radio back in the day, a little radiothon.
Let's see Old Miss again at Mississippi State. That's a
noon kickoff on ABC. That's sixth rank Old Miss, by

(01:19:55):
the way, twelfth ranked Utah at Kansas at noon on ESPN.
On Friday, Iowa at Nebraska at noon on CBS, Ohio
at Buffalo at noon on ESPNU, and Kent State at
Northern Illinois at noon on CBS Sports Network. That's the
opening window on Friday. Again, we'll be here on the air.

(01:20:16):
Much of that show will be pre recorded, though, so
don't expect updates on Friday, as I'm going to knock
out the interviews over the next couple of days and
be able to enjoy a long break up until kickoff
of Clemson and South Carolina, which of course takes place
at noon on Saturday over at Williams. Brice Stadium. The
game Cocks favored by two and a half. But on

(01:20:38):
Friday at three o'clock, Air Forces at Colorado State on
FS one, Georgia's at Georgia Tech at three thirty on ABC.
On Friday, You've also got New Mexico hosting San Diego
State at three thirty on the CBS Sports Network and
then on ESPN at three thirty. North Texas will host
Temple Boise States at un Utah State at four on

(01:21:01):
CBS and Number two Indiana's at Purdue at seven point
thirty on NBC and Peacock then at seven thirty on ABC.
A big matchup between number three Texas A and M
and number seventeen Texas and then at nine o'clock, number
twenty five ranked Arizona State hosting Arizona. So some big games,

(01:21:23):
some college football playoff ramification implication type matchups coming up
on Friday, especially when you consider Georgia, Georgia Tech, Texas
A and M, and Texas all facing off on Friday,
which the possibility of Clemson in South Carolina at some
point playing on Friday is out there. Daboswenya. They're never

(01:21:43):
going to buy into it being at Clemson. If Shane
Beemer and the game Cocks want to do a Black
Friday game, maybe, but it will not happen in Death Valley.
Then on Saturday, you've got number one Ohio State at
number eighteen Michigan. That's a noon kickoff on Fox. Number
five Texas Tech at West Virginia at noon on ESPN,

(01:22:03):
Number thirteen Miami and Pittsburgh at noon on ABC. Twenty
third rank Houston at Baylor at noon on TNT. Kentucky
and Louisville in a Bluegrass state rivalry there at noon
on the ACC network, and Clemson in South Carolina on
the SEC network at noon on Saturday. Now, what are

(01:22:25):
the big marquee games on Saturday, Well, three point thirty
on ESPN. You've got number twenty Tennessee hosting number fourteen Vandy.
Little end state rivalry there in the volunteer state and
for Brent Vinables at three point thirty on ABC. Oklahoma
will host LSU. Also Virginia hosting Virginia Tech at seven

(01:22:47):
o'clock on ESPN. Huge game for Tony Elliott and the
Cavaliers with a chance to secure a birth in the
ACC Championship Game. You've also got the Iron Bowl Auburn
and Alabama. The Crimson Tide rank number ten in the country.
They are on the road at Jurdenhair Stadium. That's a
seven thirty start on ABC. So you can make the
argument that the better games this weekend in terms of

(01:23:12):
college football playoff placement are on Friday. I mean, that's
that's just a simple fact of it all. Clemson again
enters that game at Williams Brice Stadium noon Saturday, SEC
Network two and a half point underdogs forty six and
a half points the over under, so pretty low scoring

(01:23:34):
affair expected. According to Vegas, Don't expect a track meet
in Williams. Brice Stadium, and again we'll have our prediction,
multiple guests. We'll hear from Tommy Bowden, We'll hear from
Chad Morris, We'll hear from will Van Dervore and or

(01:23:55):
and or Jason Priester. It will be a loaded show, Timberret.
I mean, all of these guys gonna be a part
of the show on Friday. So many guests, I don't
even know how we squeeze it all in. Plus our
prediction on Clemson in South Carolina. And as I said

(01:24:15):
earlier in the week, if the script is team A
punches team be in the face for three and a
half hours, I can identify who the culprits are, and
I can tell you the punch or will be South
Carolina and the punchy will be Clemson. I have not seen,
not one time this year, anything from Clemson to make

(01:24:36):
me think they go in and just beat the breaks
off of South Carolina. I haven't seen it. Have you
let me know. We'll talk about that more on Friday.
Until then, as always, I'll take care now and go Tigers.