Are you ready for some football?

Football fans across the state will enjoy exploring the “Mud, Sweat & Cheers Football in the Palmetto State, 1889-Present” exhibit at the Upcountry History Museum in downtown Greenville. Admission is $5 adults, $4 seniors adults and college students, $3 children 4 - 18.

This post looks at the USC-Clemson rivalry, one of the oldest and most heated competitions in the country. It all began in 1896, when the football program was established at Clemson, under coach Walter Riggs. Clemson scheduled to play bitter school and political rival South Carolina on a Thursday morning game during the State Fair. Carolina won that game 12–6 and a new tradition was born – Big Thursday!

Every year, each school engages in a ritual involving the other team’s mascot. South Carolina holds the “Tiger Burn”, and Clemson holds a mock funeral for Cocky. After 7 students (6 from USC, 1 from Clemson) died in the Ocean Isle Beach house fire in 2007, the Cocky funeral was canceled and the Tiger Burn was changed to the “Tiger Tear Down” for that year.

The Gamecock mascot made its first appearance in 1902. In its first season as the Gamecocks, Carolina defeated a highly favored Clemson team coached by the legendary John Heisman 12–6. However, the full-scale riot that broke out in the wake of the game is what is remembered most.

“The Carolina fans were carrying around a poster…with a gamecock standing on top of it, holding the tiger’s tail as if he was steering the tiger by the tail,” says Jay McCormick. “…the Clemson guys frankly told the Carolina students that if you bring this poster, which is insulting to us, to the big parade on Friday, you’re going to be in trouble. And naturally, of course, the Carolina students brought the poster to the parade. ”

As expected, another brawl broke out before both sides agreed to mutually burn the poster in an effort to defuse tensions. The rivalry game was stopped until the 1909 season. The Carolina–Clemson game has been played every year since.

Memorable moments from Big Thursday games (data from Wikipedia)

• 1942: “The Reluctant Captain” - Cary Cox, a Clemson football player signed up for the V-12 naval program and was placed at USC. The naval instructors ordered him to play on the Carolina football team and he was named the captain for the “Big Thursday” game against Clemson.

Reluctant to play against his former teammates Cox voiced his concerns to coach Lt. James P. Moran who responded “Cox, I can’t promise you’ll get a Navy commission if you play Thursday, but I can damn well promise that you won’t get one if you don’t play!”

Cox led the Carolina team to a 33-6 win and became the only player to captain both schools’ football teams!

• 1946: “The Chaos” - Counterfeit tickets left people with legitimate tickets locked outside a sold out stadium. An angry mob stormed the gates and fans were eventually allowed to stand along the sidelines of the field. At halftime, a Clemson fan strangled a live chicken and then hell broke loose. It took U.S. Secretary of State James F. Byrnes, who attended the game along with Strom Thurmond, to settle down the hostile crowd. Carolina won the game 26-14.

• 1961: “The Prank” - The USC fraternity Sigma Nu pulled the greatest prank in the rivalry’s history. A few minutes before pre-game warm ups, a group of Sigma Nu fraternity members ran onto the field, jumping up and down and cheering in Tigers uniforms. The Clemson band started playing “Tiger Rag,” while the pranksters mocked poorly executed football drills. Angry Clemson fans stormed onto the field, but security restored order before any blows could be exchanged. Carolina won the game 21-14.

• 1977: “The Catch” - Clemson WR Jerry Butler made a diving, backwards, 20-yard touchdown reception with 49 seconds left in the fourth quarter to give Clemson the 31-27 victory in Columbia. “The Catch” became one of the most memorable plays in the rivalry.

• 1980: “Orange Pants” - Clemson Coach Danny Ford surprised everyone when he unveiled new orange pants for the Tigers to wear (a first in Clemson’s history). Inspired by the pants, the Tigers defeated the Gamecocks, 27-6.

• 1981: “The National Championship” - In 1981, Clemson defeated Carolina 29-13 en route to the National Championship. Clemson would be placed on a 3-year probation due to a lengthy history of recruiting violations from 1977 to 1982.

• 1987: “Highest Ranked Match-Up” - The #12 Carolina beat #8 Clemson 20-7 on national television.

• 2003: Clemson defeated Carolina 63-17, to set the record for the most points scored by either team in the series.

• 2004: “The Brawl” - The ugly fight that erupted between players at the end marked the last game for Lou Holtz, who retired shortly thereafter. Clemson won the game 29-7. Although both schools were bowl eligible, both elected to forfeit their postseason because of the incident.

Popularity: 5% [?]