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South Carolina-Clemson rivalry again listed among best games of 2025

by: Kevin Miller06/10/25kevinbmiller52
South Carolina's Dylan Stewart and Clemson's Cade Klubnik (Photo: Katie Dugan | GamecockCentral.com)
South Carolina's Dylan Stewart and Clemson's Cade Klubnik (Photo: Katie Dugan | GamecockCentral.com)

For the first time in over a decade, both parties in the South Carolina-Clemson rivalry are legitimate national contenders. Offseason and preseason polls (nearly) universally consider the Gamecocks and Tigers as top 15 teams. Some national analysts have put both of the Palmetto State programs in the 12-team College Football Playoff field.

With the high levels of expectations surrounding Shane Beamer’s and Dabo Swinney’s teams, it is no surprise that this year’s edition of the Palmetto Bowl is one of the most anticipated contests of the 2025 regular season. Earlier this offseason, On3’s Ari Wasserman and Pete Nakos listed the game among the top non-conference matchups of the season. This week, Greg McElroy did the same.

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During his Always College Football podcast, McElroy ranked Carolina-Clemson as this year’s No. 8 non-con showdown.

Said McElroy, “Look at both of these teams. South Carolina–I’m not sure they’re going to be as good as they were last year on defense, but I think offensively, they have a chance to take a significant step forward…I think Clemson has a legit chance to start the season in the top 5. I would not be surprised at all if at season’s end, they’re No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 in college football.”

Last year’s Palmetto Bowl nearly had major College Football Playoff implications. The Gamecocks’ victory knocked the Tigers out of CFP at-large contention (though Clemson got in by virtue of their ACC Championship Game comeback win over SMU). It also placed USC at the forefront of the discussion for the final at-large spots along with Indiana, SMU, Alabama, Ole Miss, and Miami. This season’s showdown could prove to be even more consequential.

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The importance of the rivalry game, no matter the postseason implications, isn’t lost on McElroy, either. He added, “[Clemson] having to go on the road in the final game of the regular season against their SEC foe in-state? That’s always one of my favorite rivalries, and it will be an awesome one, we assume, here in 2025.”

During McElroy’s college football career as the starting quarterback at Alabama, he played against both Palmetto State teams. The Crimson Tide faced South Carolina twice and Clemson once with McElroy on the team. He was a backup on the ‘Bama team that smothered Clemson 34-10 in the 2008 season opener in Atlanta. Then, he beat the Gamecocks in a close one in Tuscaloosa in 2009 en route to a national title. However, when the No. 1 Crimson Tide came to Columbia in 2010, Carolina pulled the dominating upset, winning 35-21.

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