Say what you will about some of the great rivalries around college football, but the Clemson-South Carolina rivalry is never short for words. This bowl season has certainly not been an exception.
While being presented with the Orange Bowl trophy following Clemson’s wild victory over Ohio State in Miami Friday night, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney took the opportunity to poke fun at South Carolina’s lack of BCS success.
“We’re the first team from South Carolina to ever win a BCS bowl!” Swinney said on the trophy stage. He is right, of course. Clemson’s Orange Bowl victory was the first by either Clemson or South Carolina in the BCS era. Of course, Swinney could have gone the extra measure by making note that the Gamecocks have yet to even play in a BCS bowl game -- South Carolina has never played in any of the BCS bowl games in program history for that manner -- while Clemson played in their second in three seasons.
His comments come just days after South Carolina celebrated a victory in the Capital One Bowl against Wisconsin. Head coach Steve Spurrier got the first opportunity to poke fun at the in-state rivals from Clemson by saying winning two Capital One Bowl games in three years was nice, but “that state championship ain’t bad either.” He was referring to the Gamecocks’ victory over Clemson to close out the regular season, a 31-17 victory and the fifth straight against the Tigers in the series.
Spurrier and Swinney will continue to exchange verbal jabs for as long as they coach at their respective schools, and that is what makes college football so much fun at times. Players and fans buy in to it to add even more year-long passion to the rivalry. This is so much fun.