No Bye Week for Tigers, It Is All About South Carolina
CLEMSON — The No. 3 Clemson Tigers have a week off before they play their final game of the season. But that final game means a little more.
In fact, that final game not only means a little more, it means everything. In fact, that final game is a goal all by itself because that final game is against the South Carolina Gamecocks.
“It’s going to be great," Columbia native Denzel Johnson said. "I grew up in Columbia my whole life. I have a lot of family and friends there and everything so I can’t wait for that game.”
The Tigers will not wait long before turning the page to the Gamecocks.
"Sunday (is when Clemson we start thinking about South Carolina). Actually, Coach Swinney just talked about it, all the focus,” co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott said. “Obviously, it's one of our goals. We have five goals for our season and it's a goal of its own. They guys look at that list of goals all year long and they know how important this is. Our guys know what we have the potential to do after this — after the South Carolina game — but Coach Swinney makes it very clear to our guys that all of our focus is into this game.
“We want to go out and play our best game and not really think about anything else. I expect us to have two weeks to get a good plan together and get some of these guys who got banged up healthy and go down there and play our best game of the year.”
The Tigers are playing their best football of the season heading into this week's open date, the coming South Carolina game and subsequent ACC Championship game. But according to the players, they are focused on one thing and one thing only — beating the Gamecocks.
“We have a lot of momentum, but we can’t just be focused on the ACC Championship," Travis Etienne said. "We’ve got South Carolina ahead we have to focus on them. We got a good two weeks and a great week to get prepared and get ready for them to the best of our ability. So we just have to look ahead at a one-game season and have that mentality.”
"They really don't like us ..."
It took starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence only one game in the rivalry with South Carolina to find out how little the two teams care for each other.
Last season, as a true freshman, Lawrence torched the Gamecock secondary to the tune of 393 yards on 27 completions. But the one thing he took away from his first game against the Gamecocks was how little the team, and the fans, like the Tigers.
"I guess the competitiveness of the game is just different, with the rivalry. It was my first year in college and I did not experience anything like it (in high school). They really don't like us, especially the fans.
"So, it is a fun game. There is a lot of juice behind it. It is always fun to play in a game with some emotions. It is a lot of fun and it is cool to look forward to a game like that at the end of your schedule. We have a had a great year up to this point, but we have another game, an SEC (opponent). We can really put an explanation point on this season."
Don't be a litterbug
The last time the Clemson Tigers traveled to Columbia to take on the Gamecocks some of the fans decided to dispose of their trash, including batteries and water bottles, on members of the Tiger team.
"Not very welcoming is what I have heard," Lawrence said. "I'm sure it is a great environment. I have heard that it is great and that it fun to play there. We are looking forward to it and we will be ready."
But even with a history of being mistaken for human garbage, the Tigers are still looking forward to making the trip down I-26.
"I don't think they really like us. I think the biggest thing is their student section's throwing trash on us," offensive lineman Gage Cervenka said. "That's my most recent memory. I just love it, though. I really do. I just love going to that place because I just know they hate us, and the feeling is mutual. It really is. I'll straight up say it. But I look forward to it every year, playing South Carolina.
"I grew up an in-state guy, so I have to deal with this rivalry all year, every year when I was growing up. And I went through the hard times, those 'fear the thumb' and all that. We're going for our sixth one, so I'm really excited about this game, though. Looking forward to it."
While the Tigers remember having trash thrown on them, they are slow to lump the entire fan base into the basket of being unruly.
"I just thought it was not the best thing for the stadium and for the fans. I know that not all of their fans are like that," senior safety Tanner Muse said. "There is a lot of good people from that area. You can't let one bad egg ruin the whole batch, so you just move on. You accept that things happen, but at the end of the day there are a lot of good people there. So, we are looking forward to being in that atmosphere and hopefully nothing is on the field."
