The 122nd Palmetto Bowl leaves the two biggest schools in the state playing a football game for bragging rights only.
It’s been a while since the Clemson-South Carolina meant so little. The Tigers became bowl eligible with last week’s win over Furman. The Gamecocks aren’t going to be in the postseason.
Neither team is gearing up for a conference title game next week or hoping to hold onto College Football Playoff status. There is truly nothing on the line other than good, old-fashioned rivalry stakes after the two preseason top-15 teams produced disappointing seasons.
The Tigers (6-5) have won eight of the last 10 in the series and are looking for their sixth consecutive rivalry win in Columbia. In fact, the road team has been the winner of this annual showdown for the last five meetings. The Gamecocks (4-7) last beat Clemson at home in 2013.
Clemson leads the all-time series 73-44-4 heading into Saturday’s noon showdown.
Availability
Since this is not an ACC game, no official availability report is provided this week. Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said earlier this week that the Tigers will be without tight end Olsen Patt-Henry and defensive tackle Amare Adams for the rest of the season. Defensive end Jaheim Lawson is day-to-day with an ankle injury.
Tiger time
Where: Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, S.C.
When: Saturday, November 29, 2025
Kickoff time: Noon
Where to find the game: SEC Network
Spread: Clemson +2.5
Predictions
Zach Lentz: Clemson’s advantage is structural: better passing production, better protection, and a defensive profile that forces punts — the exact traits that travel, even in a rivalry where the stadium is loud, and the margins are thin. Clemson also isn’t supposed to lose to teams with losing records; it hasn’t at kickoff since 2010 and enters with a 36-game active streak against sub-.500 opponents.
Pick: Clemson 24, South Carolina 21
Brad Senkiw: This might be one of the hardest Clemson-SC games to predict in recent years, indicated by the spread, mainly because neither team is good. Riddled by inconsistencies and poor execution, the Tigers and Gamecocks appear to be headed to an ugly finish to the regular season, and it’s hard to feel inspired for either side. The Tigers have more momentum, winning three consecutive games this month to get to six wins, but South Carolina showed some fire last week in an easy win over Coastal Carolina. This game comes down to who doesn’t make the dumbest mistake and who wants it more. The Gamecocks probably need it more, and there’s really not much for Clemson to play for in this one.
Pick: South Carolina 13, Clemson 10