One final ride for Xavier Thomas and the Tigers after win over Gamecocks

Xavier Thomas smiles after the win over the Gamecocks (Photo by Merrell Mann).

by Ariana Pensy - Correspondent - Sun Dec 03 08:23:30 GMT-04:00 2023

Xavier Thomas beat the Gamecocks a final time, and now he's ready to suit up for the Tigers a final time in a bowl game.

Thomas and the Tigers will find out today which bowl game they will play in later this month. Thomas, a rare sixth-year graduate player, decided last week that there was no way he was going to miss the bowl game and possibly prepare for the NFL Draft.

In response to a fan on the platform X (formerly Twitter), Thomas, a Florence native and former five-star recruit, said he was committed to suiting up for Clemson “one last time” as opposed to sitting out the game to avoid injury before the draft.

“This program has given me everything & more when they could have moved on when I was down & out,” Thomas wrote Tuesday. “I have to give my all in return. Grateful to even be able to play the game of football again. Finishing it out before we head to the league.”

Thomas is also still basking in the glow of a victory over the Gamecocks - the teams didn't play during the COVID year, but Thomas went 4-1 against South Carolina during his career. That includes last week's 16-7 victory.

“It’s just what we expect. The expectations are here that we’re going to be the best defense in the country,” Thomas said. “So, just coming here, holding ourselves to a standard. It doesn’t change with our opponent no matter if it’s a rivalry game or anything like that.”

This is always a rivalry, but the hatred was perhaps a little stronger this time as a spot in the bowl game was on the line for the Gamecocks when Clemson was looking to avenge last year’s defeat that ended their home winning streak and potentially kept them from the playoffs. Preparation has been key for Clemson in their football success and that was not any different for this game.

“Knowing how we prepare and how serious we take our preparation and our game plan to go out there and execute it, coach set us up with the perfect game plan for them and just go out there and execute,” Thomas said.

South Carolina was only able to score seven points the entire game, their lowest against Clemson since getting shut out 30-0 back in 2021. That was also their lowest point total overall since last November when they lost 38-6 versus Florida. Coming into this game, the defense had the mentality that if the Gamecocks were not allowed to score, they could not win the game, and that mentality certainly prevailed in this game.

“We know if we don’t allow them to score, they ain’t winning the ball game. That’s the standard we hold ourselves to (every) week,” Thomas said. “All season, we have to hold ourselves to that standard. So, it didn’t change this week and that’s what we’ve been holding ourselves to.”