COLUMBIA, S.C. — Ahead of South Carolina’s home matchup against the Clemson Tigers, head coach Shane Beamer addressed the media Tuesday in his weekly press conference.
Clemson enters rivalry week at 6-5 and sitting eighth in the ACC. The Tigers are looking to keep their momentum going after back-to-back wins over Florida State and Louisville, following a narrow 46-45 loss to Duke. Clemson has won three of its last four heading into Saturday’s matchup with South Carolina.
South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer opened his press conference by reflecting on the Coastal Carolina win, saying he was pleased with how his team responded after a tough stretch in conference play. He described Sunday’s practice as “spirited” and “energetic” and said the focus now is on finishing the season the right way.
Beamer acknowledged the challenges of the season but emphasized that his team remains motivated heading into its final game. “It sucks,” Beamer said. “But we still get an opportunity to go compete one more time together as a team. The record is what it is, but the opportunity to compete hasn’t changed.”
Beamer also spoke at length about the rivalry with Clemson, calling it one of the best in college football. He said both programs have immense respect for one another and expressed confidence that the matchup will soon carry national significance again. “I’m 100% convinced this year is just a bit of an outlier, a bump in the road,” Beamer said. “Starting next season, and every year after, this game will be played in November on Thanksgiving weekend with playoff implications.”
South Carolina and Clemson are set to kick off at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia at 12:00 p.m. ET on Saturday on the SEC Network.
Key comments from Shane Beamer
- On the Coastal Carolina win: “We didn’t play perfect, but I thought our guys competed and responded the right way. We had a spirited, energetic practice Sunday night.”
- On finishing the season: “It sucks. But we still get an opportunity to go compete one more time together as a team. The record is what it is, but the opportunity to compete hasn’t changed.”
- On the rivalry with Clemson: “I’m 100% convinced this year is just a bit of an outlier, a bump in the road. Starting next season, and every year after, this game will be played in November on Thanksgiving weekend with playoff implications.”
- On the offseason and next year: “We’re not far away. We’ve made a lot of progress, and now it’s about taking that next step. We’ll be firmly in the mix for a College Football Playoff berth next year.”