Clemson vs. South Carolina Rivalry Called ‘Laughably One-Sided’ by National Outlet

Is it really a rivalry if one team always wins?

That’s the question College Sports Network posed in its recent breakdown of college football’s most lopsided feuds — and the Clemson-South Carolina matchup didn’t escape scrutiny. In fact, the in-state showdown was singled out as one of the sport’s “so-called rivalries” that has become “laughably one-sided.”

The numbers back it up: Clemson leads the all-time series 73-44-4 and has dominated the Gamecocks for over a century. South Carolina won the first game in 1896 — the only time it has ever led the series. Clemson took the lead in 1898 and has never looked back.

Even during South Carolina’s golden era under Steve Spurrier (2009-2013), when it rattled off five straight wins behind stars like Jadeveon Clowney and Connor Shaw, the Tigers quickly reclaimed the upper hand. Clemson has taken eight of the last 10 meetings, with the only recent blemishes coming in the last two games played at Death Valley — narrow wins by the Gamecocks in 2022 and 2024.