The Rivalry Trophies of Clemson Football

The Palmetto Bowl Trophy: Clemson Football vs. South Carolina

The Palmetto Bowl Trophy is awarded to the annual winner between Clemson and South Carolina. The trophy was adopted in 2015 and replaced the Hardee’s Trophy, which had been awarded for the previous fifteen years. Hardee’s sponsored the game during that time.

The athletic departments of both schools agreed in 2014 that the official name of the rivalry should be “The Palmetto Bowl” and decided to adopt a new trophy to reflect the name. Awarded for the first time in 2015, the Tigers took the trophy home every season until this last one when the Gamecocks won 31-30 in Death Valley.

Clemson leads the all-time rivalry 72-43-4. The rivalry had been played every season from 1908 until the streak ended in 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Until 1959, the game was played on Thursdays in Columbia to coincide with the South Carolina state fair. The game was known as ‘Big Thursday’. Since 1960, the game has alternated between home stadiums.

Clemson’s longest win streak in the rivalry is seven games, achieved most recently from 2014-2021. South Carolina’s longest win streak is five games achieved from 2009-2013.

Clemson will meet South Carolina for the 120th time on November 25th in Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina.