South Carolina vs North Carolina
This border war is often an eventful game, and often there are consequences for the loser. In 2015, the Tar Heels lost to the Gamecocks and then proceeded to run the table in the regular season and win the Coastal. It was great for UNC, but it hurt the ACC for an otherwise undefeated division champion to lose to an SEC team that ultimately finished 3-9 and dead last in the SEC East.
The Tar Heels have Drake Maye back at quarterback, but they had plenty of departures from the roster and a change at offensive coordinator. The Gamecocks are in a similar situation: Spencer Rattler returns but several notable players transferred out, and the unheralded Dowell Loggains takes over the offense. This game could be a hot mess for both teams, but the winner will get some early momentum for themselves and their conference.
Clemson plays both programs in 2023, so there is a give and take regardless of the outcome of this game. Most Clemson fans would not root for South Carolina, no matter the consequences. Then again, most wouldn’t root for North Carolina either.
Objectively, the best outcome for the Tigers is a UNC win, followed by the Gamecocks getting some big wins in the SEC East. This helps boost the reputation of the conference while a non-conference opponent remains strong in the eyes of the committee.