A history of the Palmetto Bowl. 🐔 🐯

Article originally published Nov. 21, 2017

This week is college football Rivalry Week in S.C., a.k.a. the week of the annual Carolina-Clemson football game… a.k.a. “Never Again” week, when the ‘Cocks say “never again” to the rough 56-7 loss to Clemson last year. Let’s talk about the roots of the rivalry.

Much like the rivalries between Alabama + Auburn, Kentucky + Louisville and North Carolina + Duke, South Carolina + Clemson have been competitive, in-state rivals since the 1880s. I mean, this stuff goes back to the founding + naming of both schools, and heated power struggles between politicians and farmers. Wild.

The teams first played in 1896, then started going head-to-head each year in 1909 – traditionally in late November; usually Thanksgiving weekend. It’s the third-longest running rivalry in college football and the longest running rivalry in the South. 🏈 In 2014, the game was officially named the Palmetto Bowl.

There have been 107 consecutive games, and Clemson holds a 68–42–4 lead in the series – meaning Clemson’s won 68 games, Carolina has won 42 games, and there have been 4 ties (in 1915, 1945, 1950 + 1986). Store those numbers in your trivia bank.

Now (since 1960), the game alternates locations between Death Valley in Clemson and Williams-Brice in Cola. But from 1896-1959, the game was played here in Columbia + referred to as "Big Thursday,” held during the S.C. State Fair.

And DYK the athletic rivalry isn’t just about football? They play each other in several sports games throughout the year, called the Palmetto Series.

Here in Cola, students celebrated the annual Tiger Burn last night, where students + faculty, football coaches, cheerleaders + dancers get together to torch a fake tiger to get pumped up about Saturday’s game. 🔥 Fun fact: Since 2003, mechanical engineering students have built the tigers, giving them lifelike robotic features like working tails + jaws. Tiger Burn goes all the way back to 1902, when an on-campus brawl (featuring fire) cemented the Gamecock as our mascot + originated the flaming event.

With all this talk of rivalry, I have to say – I was happy for Clemson when they won the 2016 football National Championship, and I know Clemson fans who rooted for the Gamecocks during the Women’s Basketball Natty Champ + Men’s Final Four run last season. We are a state divided, but we’re all good-natured South Carolinians… right?

Until about 10 a.m. today, you can still enter to win tickets to the Carolina-Clemson game this Saturday on our Facebook + Instagram. Good luck, and we’ll see you at Willy-B Saturday. ✌

– Chloe + Sam

Want to see your event in our newsletter? Head over to the Events Page and let us help you spread the word.