Swinney says Clemson and South Carolina rivalry matters to so many people

Swinney says the rivalry is special.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Tue Nov 21 12:47:00 GMT-04:00 2023

CLEMSON- Rivalry week is finally here.

Clemson (7-4) travels to Columbia on Saturday to take on arch-rival South Carolina (5-6). Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in Williams-Brice Stadium and will be broadcast on the SEC Network. It’s also rivalry week across the country.

"It's here. It's finally here, a week we all look forward to,” head coach Dabo Swinney said during his Tuesday press conference. “It's always a special week. It's something I certainly appreciate and do not take for granted. It's my 20th one here, and I had 13 Alabama - Auburn games. It matters to so many people. It's always tough to head down to Columbia. Their fans do an awesome job. It's a tough venue, but man, we look forward to the challenge. We have to have a great week of preparation.”

South Carolina ended a long losing streak to Clemson last year with a 31-30 victory in Death Valley, and the Gamecocks return quarterback Spencer Rattler.

"They've got some dudes who can hurt you, starting with their quarterback,” Swinney said. “He has played good football for them and played great against us last year. He's going to play in the NFL. Another great quarterback we're facing. He has good receivers. No. 24 (running back Mario Anderson has settled in and has become a hard-nosed back. They've got more continuity up front now. Their tight end is a good player. No. 8 (Nyck Harbor) is good. He's a big, young, athlete who has a bright future. No. 17 (Xavier Leggette) is a superstar. Again, it seems like every week, there is some freak outside that we're seeing. They present a lot of challenges.

"Defensively, this is a tough group. We've seen a bunch of these guys. They have a couple of guys who have All-American status at safety. The nickel guy is a good player, and they have good experience in the linebacker corps. They have some guys who have been there forever up front.”

As with every rivalry game, records can be thrown out of the proverbial window.

"It doesn't matter what we've done over the last year. It just comes down to playing well in these four quarters. We are off to a good start with our preparation,” Swinney said. “It's a different week because it's Thanksgiving week. And we take time to make sure we celebrate that. And I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving. Regardless of what happens Saturday, we have a lot to be thankful for ... to have the privilege to be able to participate in a game like this. We can't ever lose sight of how fortunate and blessed we are."

Swinney’s birthday was Monday, but he said he will hold off on celebrating until after the game.

"I'm going to hold off until the weekend. All I want is a win. It's been busy. It doesn't matter if you have a birthday,” Swinney said. “Sundays and Mondays are Sundays and Mondays. I got home last night around 11. Kathleen was waiting up for me. She had some cards and some gifts. We'll celebrate later. Right now, it's about trying to find a way to win a game."

On Rattler, Swinney said the Gamecocks do a good job of getting him out of the pocket.

"He doesn't just sit in the pocket very often. It's swap boots, setting edges and tight ends creating edges for him to extend the play. And he's an explosive player,” Swinney said. “If you give him time, he is incredibly accurate and can make all the throws. He doesn't get enough credit for his running ability. He's a smart runner. He can go. They're smart. They don't just leave him in the pocket. They will max-protect. They run a lot of deep-shot, cross country, posts. Those things take time. He can throw it on the run or pull up and let it go. I think he's a very good player. He has made good decisions. He creates a problem for you with his legs and his arm. Similar to Drake Maye, who we just played.”

Swinney said the rivalry is special.

"It's unique. Coming from Alabama, coming here was more of the same to me. There's no pro sports in this state. Even if you just move here, you won't live in those areas long without wanting to know what's going on around here,” Swinney said. “You'll get sucked into it one way or another otherwise, you'll lose some friends. It means a lot to this state. That's normal to me, having grown up in Alabama. It's all about college football here. And it's an old rivalry. It's got deep roots.

"When I first came to Clemson, I didn't know what to expect. I'd never lived anywhere else. I remember going out on the road to recruit in the Pee Dee area, and it was crazy because people don't know you, but they judge you instantly when you walk in the school with that logo, and they hate you. It's really personal in this state."