Top South Carolina-Clemson moments in modern Palmetto Bowl history

It’s Thanksgiving week, or, as it’s known in the Palmetto State, it’s South Carolina-Clemson week. Two days after turkey, college football’s most underrated rivalry will take place inside Williams-Brice Stadium.

This year’s Palmetto Bowl will pit the 6-5 Tigers against the 4-7 Gamecocks in a battle of teams ranked too prominently in the preseason polls. Kickoff is set for noon from Columbia. SEC Network will handle the television broadcast, while the ESPN app will make the game available via streaming.

In the lead-up to the 2025 edition of South Carolina-Clemson, let’s take a look back at some of the biggest Gamecock moments from the modern era of the Palmetto Bowl. With all due respect to the bare-knuckle brawls and bayonet and rifle-wielding rivalries of the 1900s (look it up), and the huge plays from Steve Wadiak (1951), Willie Scott (1979), Mike Hold (1984), Brad Edwards (1987), Steve Taneyhill (1992), and Duce Staley (1996), this story will be limited to the last 25 years of the rivalry.

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Sheldon Brown and Corey Jenkins Win the Day in 2001

In 2001, South Carolina football was following up its record-setting turnaround (0-11 in 1999 to 8-4 in 2000) with an even better showing. At 7-3 heading into the regular season finale, the Gamecocks got the rival Clemson Tigers at home. They were looking for some revenge from a bitter end to the 2000 regular season.

In a moment known by Gamecock fans as “The Push Off” and by Tiger fans as “The Catch” or “The Catch II,” Clemson receiver Rod Gardner had shoved USC defensive back Andre Goodman (with no flag) to make a 50-yard catch that set up the game-winning field goal.

After a year of fuming, South Carolina fans were ready at Williams-Brice Stadium in 2001.

In a game that was tight most of the way, head coach Lou Holtz elected to go for it on 4th-and-goal from the 1-yard line, despite leading, 13-9. The legendary headman removed starting quarterback Phil Petty from the game and inserted the athletic Corey Jenkins.

Jenkins ran the triple option, and with much of the Clemson defense crashing down on big fullback Andrew Pinnock, Jenkins pulled the ball out and ran it around the right side of the offensive line. He leapt over a tackler at the goal line and crossed the plane to put Carolina up by two scores.

Clemson managed to score a touchdown later in the quarter, but All-American cornerback Sheldon Brown—who had two interceptions earlier in the game—recovered the onside kick attempt.

Jenkins returned to the game to help run out the clock, and South Carolina won, 20-15.

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Wide Left in 2006

In the first South Carolina-Clemson matchup in the Upstate since the infamous brawl of 2004, South Carolina and Clemson both had good days on the ground but had some quarterback struggles.

Gamecock quarterback Blake Mitchell threw three interceptions. Without those, Steve Spurrier’s team might have run away with the rivalry win. Because of the turnovers, Clemson led for much of the game.

A comeback effort put USC ahead by three, as Ryan Succop banged through a fourth quarter field goal. However, it looked like it would be a wasted effort as Clemson drove down the field with ease. The Tigers had 1st-and-10 from the Carolina 13-yard line with under two minutes to go.

The Gamecock defense stiffened, though, yielding just short gains on back-to-back rush attempts. Forced to throw on third down, Clemson quarterback Will Proctor took a sack, a combined effort from Jasper Brinkley and former quarterback Syvelle Newton.

Still, the game-tying field goal attempt was just 39 yards for 2005 Lou Groza Award finalist, Jad Dean.

In a moment that Spurrier has since described as “God smiling on the Gamecock,” Dean pulled the kick wide left. South Carolina had won, 31-28.

Beyonce’s song Irreplaceable—with its recognizable “to the left, to the left” lyrics—debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts less than two weeks later. Surely, the amount of Gamecock fans relishing in the song’s lyrically-ironic relationship to that year’s Palmetto Bowl was part of the reason.

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Alshon Jeffery Makes Williams-Brice Cry Tears of Orange in 2011

South Carolina had won back-to-back rivalry games in 2009 and 2010, but many national voices thought 2011 would be different. A 9-win Clemson squad was bound for the ACC Championship Game and felt like it had a chance to win 12 games with a strong finish. Meanwhile, the Gamecocks also had nine wins but had two losses and three close games against mediocre teams since the start of October.

With Marcus Lattimore out for the season with a torn ACL, an inexperienced Connor Shaw playing quarterback in place of the dismissed Stephen Garcia, and a spot in the SEC Championship Game off the table, some dismissed the Gamecocks, despite a top 20 ranking and a modest advantage in the point spread.

That was a mistake.

The Carolina defense swallowed up the Clemson offense that day, holding Chad Morris’ group to under 200 yards. Quarterback Tajh Boyd had one of the worst days of his career, with just 60 yards of total offense.

Shaw accounted for four total touchdowns and more than 300 yards, including 107 on the ground. His final score of the day, an 18-yard strike to Alshon Jeffery, was the most memorable moment.

As Jeffery reeled in the pigskin, Clemson defensive back Coty Sensabaugh fell at his feet. Jeffery circled back around to stand over him momentarily. At that time, the many orange-and-white-clad fans who traveled to Columbia could stand it no more. Williams-Brice Stadium appeared to be crying tears of orange as all of the Clemson Faithful seated in the upper deck gave up hope with the score standing 34-13 with over five minutes to go.

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The Dylan Thompson/Jadeveon Clowney Game in 2012

The 2012 edition of the Palmetto Bowl was wild. Shortly before kickoff, reports surfaced that starting quarterback Connor Shaw wouldn’t play. Dylan Thompson, though more experienced than some backups, had struggled his last several times out after some good performances early in the season.

He didn’t struggle that night in Memorial Stadium.

Instead, the redshirt sophomore shredded the Tigers for almost 350 total yards and three touchdowns. He also converted two long 3rd downs on quarterback draws to seal the victory.

In most cases, a performance like that would be the only major talking point after a ranked-versus-ranked win. However, a defensive player lit the record books on fire.

Sophomore EDGE Jadeveon Clowney had the most dominant defensive line performance in team history that night. He got to Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd 4.5 times, setting a Gamecock record. Clowney later told the media that Boyd “sure did look scared” on the field.

Still, despite the heroics from Thompson and Clowney, another moment might be the most memorable.

After interrupting Clemson’s pregame warm-up with a nicely-timed interception, Swearinger led the Carolina defense in an impressive effort, holding Clemson to about 200 yards fewer than their average for the rest of the season.

In the fourth quarter of the victory, with Carolina leading 20-17, Swearinger came downhill and lit up Clemson running back Andre Ellington. The Gamecock safety drove his right shoulder straight through Ellington’s left one, spinning the Tiger running back (and Bruce Ellington’s cousin) around like a top until he crumbled into a heap on the turf. The man called “JungleBoi” stood over Ellington and flexed, drawing a 15-yard penalty.

The flag cost the Gamecocks some downs and field position, but it demonstrated the physical dominance South Carolina held over its in-state rival during the five-game winning streak from 2009-2013. The play was briefly known as “The Hit” before Jadeveon Clowney claimed that moniker in the next game against Michigan in the Outback Bowl. Now, many refer to Swearinger’s hit and subsequent celebration as “The Flex.”

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Cooper to Wilds and “High Five, Dabo!” in 2013

The five-game winning streak over Clemson under head coach Steve Spurrier was a fun time for Gamecock fans. USC showed signs of growth in 2009 before winning the SEC East in 2010 and then going 11-2 in three straight seasons from 2011-2013.

The final game of the 2013 regular season was South Carolina’s last home win in the series, but the game was very much in doubt into the fourth quarter.

With the score tied 17-17, the Gamecocks got nothing going in the 3rd period. Then, they drove down the field for a score in the fourth. Still, Dabo Swinney’s team had outplayed Spurrier’s Gamecocks since halftime. It felt like the Tigers would answer.

Tajh Boyd led Clemson down into USC territory, ready for the tying score. However, in a display of grown man strength, Chaz Sutton ripped the ball from Boyd’s hands on a quarterback keeper, getting the ball back for the offense.

The Carolina offense couldn’t do anything with the extra possession, though, and had to punt. That worked out for the Gamecocks, as return man Adam Humphreys fumbled the ball back to USC.

Three plays later, Spurrier reached into his bag of tricks to put the game away.

Freshman Pharoh (Fay-Row) Cooper motioned in as South Carolina’s wildcat quarterback, swapping places with Connor Shaw. Primarily used as a runner, Cooper faked a QB power. Running back Brandon Wilds, who started the play looking like a blocker, leaked out beyond the Clemson linebackers. Cooper pulled up and tossed the pigskin to Wilds, who ran it the rest of the way to the end zone.

The final touchdown was followed by a pair of Boyd interceptions, and South Carolina won, 31-17.

Throughout the offseason, Gamecock fans would pose with Clemson fans holding up five fingers to represent the five consecutive rivalry victories. The most famous of these came when fans would troll Dabo Swinney during photo opportunities and then ask him for a high five afterward.

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Meet at the Paw in 2022

Even though they had just whipped Tennessee the week before, the 2022 Gamecocks were heavy underdogs at Clemson.

As the game progressed, things didn’t look great. The South Carolina offense gave away points on multiple occasions. A pick-six and another interception in the end zone had the Gamecocks 14 points behind where they felt they should be.

Trailing 14-0 and 23-14, Shane Beamer’s team kept fighting. A back-and-forth second half saw Mitch Jeter put the team ahead with a 35-yard field goal.

Both halves of the Palmetto Bowl rivalry had opportunities to score after that but couldn’t do it. It looked like Clemson was going to have one final chance, though, as the Gamecock offense punted away with just over two minutes remaining.

Columbia native Antonio Williams fielded the punt and returned it near midfield. However, Nate Adkins punched the ball loose, and Nick Emmanwori dove on the ball. Instead of Clemson having good field position for a game-winning drive, the Gamecocks had the football.

Quarterback Spencer Rattler, who threw for 360 yards and two touchdowns, and the offense took the field. The run game couldn’t earn a first down, though, giving USC a 3rd-and-4. Instead of running and hoping for the best (and likely having to punt again), Rattler threw to Juice Wells. Wells broke two tackles to pick up the first down, and Rattler kneeled out the clock, as it read, 31-30.

Before victory cigars, Rattler recreated Steve Taneyhill’s famous photo posing in front of Clemson fans with his arms outstretched.

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3rd-and-16, Followed by No. 17 in 2024

With College Football Playoff hopes for both teams, South Carolina and Clemson met on the final day of the 2024 regular season. A win would keep both teams in the at-large discussion, especially the Gamecocks.

In a low-scoring game, Clemson led most of the second half, 14-7. The Gamecocks got a field goal in the fourth quarter to cut into the lead, but the Tigers got the ball back with six minutes left and a chance to kill the clock.

As they did all season, the South Carolina defense stepped up. Clayton White’s unit forced a three-and-out with just about a minute ticking off the clock.

It was time for redshirt freshman LaNorris Sellers to become a Palmetto Bowl legend.

Following a completion to running back Rocket Sanders and a couple of short runs, Sellers ran through five Clemson defenders for a 27-yard gain. After another first down, Clemson’s defense bowed up. That, combined with a false start penalty, left Carolina with a 3rd-and-16 from the 20-yard line.

The offensive line couldn’t hold blocks long enough on the play for Sellers to get off a pass. Instead, he had to run. Sellers ran through the heart of the Tiger D to get into the open field. He won a footrace against a linebacker and raced toward the left sideline.

Because of the sharp angle of Sellers’ cut, another linebacker, Barrett Carter, turned his hips. Game over. Sellers deked Carter successfully and turned upfield, crossing the goal line.

Leading 17-14, the game wasn’t quite over.

Clemson’s offense drove down the field in less than a minute. With about 20 seconds remaining, quarterback Cade Klubnik dropped back to pass, looking for the game-winning touchdown.

Freshman pass rusher Dylan Stewart had other plans, forcing Klubnik to roll right and throw the ball early. The pass was behind the intended receiver, and senior linebacker Demetrius Knight, whose No. 17 jersey matched the Gamecocks’ point total, dove for it. He got his hands just under the ball, securing the interception and the win.

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