10 Unusual Facts About the Clemson-South Carolina Rivalry

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The Clemson vs. South Carolina series dates to 1896, the first year of football at Clemson and the fourth season for South Carolina. 

Here are 10 unusual facts about the historic rivalry game: 

10. Though 29 is an unusual point total in football, the winner of the Clemson-South Carolina game has scored exactly 29 points four times since 1981. That includes 2010 when South Carolina defeated Clemson, 29-7. Clemson beat South Carolina by the same score in 2004. Clemson won 29-10 in 1988 and 29-13 in 1981. 

9. Charlie Whitehurst is the only starting quarterback to lead a team to four wins in the history of the series. He did that for the Tigers between 2002-05. Deshaun Watson could have potentially matched Whitehurst’s accomplishment if he returned for his senior year, but he instead opted to enter the NFL Draft. Trevor Lawrence was 2-0 against South Carolina, with his opportunity at a third win against the Gamecocks nullified by schedule changes during the pandemic in 2020. 

8. Josh Cody had a 4-0 record for Clemson against South Carolina between 1927-30. He is the only coach in the series to have a perfect record with a minimum of three games coached. 

7. A Clemson captain actually played for South Carolina. Cary Cox, who passed away in 2008, lettered for the Gamecocks in 1943. After the war, he enrolled at Clemson and served as captain for the Tigers in 1947. 

6. Other players to play for both squads include Paul Williams, who lettered for Clemson in 1978 and for South Carolina in 1980, and Tavien Feaster, who spent 2016- 18 with Clemson prior to joining South Carolina as a graduate transfer for 2019. 

5. Clemson had three touchdown plays of at least 76 yards against South Carolina in 2006 in a loss. Jacoby Ford scored on 76-yard touchdown pass, C.J. Spiller on an 80-yard run and Jock McKissic on an 82-yard interception return. It is the only game in Clemson history in which Clemson had three scoring plays of at least 75 yards and still lost. 

4. In both 1948 and 1981, a blocked punt returned for a touchdown proved to be the pivotal play in a Clemson victory — victories that allowed Clemson to go on to an undefeated season. In both instances, the original line of scrimmage was the South Carolina 28-yard-line. 

3. Willie Underwood had two interceptions to lead Clemson to victory over South Carolina in 1980. A starter for four years, the strong safety never had recorded an interception in any of his first 46 games as a Tiger, then had two against the Gamecocks in his 47th and final game. One of the picks was a 37-yard return for a touchdown, the only touchdown of his career. 

2. In a placekicking career that spanned five years, Bob Paulling made 107-of-109 extra points. Both of his misses were at South Carolina, one in 1981 and one in 1983. He had a streak of 70 consecutive made extra points between the two miscues. 

1. In the 30 games that Frank Howard coached for Clemson against South Carolina, Clemson scored 411 points and South Carolina scored 411 points.