The much-anticipated Palmetto Bowl between No. 20 Clemson and No. 21 South Carolina will kick off at noon Eastern on Saturday, November 30.
While both teams are expected to cruise through their current matchups – Clemson facing The Citadel and South Carolina taking on Wofford – fans were hoping the rivalry clash would draw a primetime slot.
This marks the first time since 2013 that both teams are ranked heading into the game, but the early start time has sparked frustration among their passionate fanbases…
“How can you put Clemson vs South Carolina at noon? F*ck you ESPN.”
“Can someone tell me why the South Carolina verses Clemson game is at noon it should be a prime time game with everything at stake for both teams. i just don’t understand the thinking.”
“No way in hell South Carolina-Clemson is a noon game.”
“Many Clemson fans disappointed game vs. S. Carolina is at noon. But it would be huge disappointment for Clemson team if they knew Miami beat Syracuse earlier in the day, and they couldn’t go to ACC championship game and would most likely not make the playoff.”
“Florida/Florida state being 7pm while Clemson/South Carolina is a noon game is f*cking disgusting.”
Despite their rankings, both teams face an uphill battle for a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Clemson’s disappointing 33-21 home loss to Louisville earlier this season hurt their hopes, while South Carolina’s remarkable turnaround under head coach Shane Beamer may have come just a little too late.
Beamer, now in his fourth year, has brought new life to the Gamecocks, drawing comparisons to his father, Frank Beamer, the legendary former Virginia Tech coach who ranks 11th all-time in wins.
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney shed light on why the game wasn’t moved to a more high-profile slot. According to Swinney, ESPN approached Clemson with a proposal to shift the game to Black Friday, a move he opposed.
“(Athletic director Graham Neff) did ask my opinion on that, and I was against it for several reasons,” Swinney told reporters. “I said, ‘I’m happy to go do it in Columbia if that’s what they want to do.’ But I was against it because I don’t think it’s what’s best for Clemson. I think sometimes we forget to do what’s best for Clemson.
“And I think it’s not what’s best for this town. It’s not what’s best for this community. This is not some big city. The people in this town, they make their hay off of those Saturdays.
“And I think our students, for them coming back here, being able to come back on Friday after Thanksgiving with their family and be able to be here and create the type of atmosphere that we want [is important].”
Before the heated rivalry game, Clemson will host The Citadel this Saturday at 3:30pm EST. South Carolina, riding high on one of its best seasons in recent memory, faces Wofford the same day at 4:00pm EST.
While the noon kickoff may be a slight letdown for fans, the Palmetto Bowl remains a marquee matchup as these two programs battle for pride and state supremacy.
What are your thoughts on the early kickoff time for such an important game???
