Friday, Nov. 26, 2010

Morris: Auburn or Clemson - Which team would you rather USC beat?

The results of an informal survey of Gamecocks fans surprised our columnist

THESE ARE UNCHARTERED waters for South Carolina football fans. For the first time in the USC-Clemson rivalry, Saturday’s game is not the most important remaining on the Gamecocks’ schedule.

Yet the passion for this series runs so deep among the fan base, many probably do not accept that premise. The question is whether passionate USC fans — OK, Clemson haters — would rather beat Clemson or win the SEC championship game.

Put to USC fan Jason Jones, 33, of Lexington, the question rendered him speechless. He shook his head. He began ringing his hands. He shook his head, again. He could not answer the question.

“How can you do that?” Jones said of the torture forced upon him by choosing one. “Tough. Tough. Tough. How can you do that to a Gamecock?”

Finally, he had an answer.

“I’d rather get the instate win and go to a good bowl game.”

Jones was one of several who participated this week in a highly scientific poll. Employees and patrons of Lexington Tire Company were polled first, followed by stray souls on the USC campus near the Horseshoe.

The results forced me to gain more respect for the knowledge of the USC fan base, because a majority said they would take an SEC title over a victory against Clemson.

Besides Jones, another who could not get past his dislike for all things Clemson was Rayco Bethea, 35.

“Beat Clemson,” Bethea said without hesitation. “I can’t stand Clemson. They’re like the Dallas Cowboys. They have too many fans.”

Scott Evans, 52, and his son, Chris, 25, applied logic to their answers.

“I’d like to beat all Tigers — Clemson and Auburn,” Scott Evans said of USC’s next two opponents. “But Clemson is every year. This (SEC championship game) is not an annual thing.”

Chris Evans chimed in: “We can always play Clemson and beat them year after year.” He obviously had not studied the series history; Clemson holds a 65-38-4 advantage.

Jeffrey Valentine, 20 and a USC student, is far too young to be thoroughly indoctrinated to the rivalry. He dismissed more than 100 years of history along with any idea that a win over Clemson would trump a win over Auburn for the SEC title.

“Everybody says Clemson, but it’s just another game.”

Olin Jenkins, 52, played to his history in saying he would take an SEC title-game win. Jenkins’ father earned a doctorate from the University of Florida, and the family trekked to Gainesville each fall during his youth for homecoming. He developed affection for, and an appreciation of, SEC football, so winning that title would be sweeter than sweet for him and his family.

“That’s not to degrade Carolina-Clemson,” Jenkins said. “I used to be a Clemson fan. But I got better and got over that sickness.”

My belief going into the polling was that answers would be generational in nature. Older fans who grew up with the rivalry would select a win over Clemson. Younger fans who grew up recognizing the importance of conference championships would select a win over Auburn.

My theory did not hold up. The answers were a mixed bag. Maybe that is because the choice is so difficult for USC fans. The prospect of defeating Clemson in consecutive years for the first time since winning three in a row from 1968-70 would be off-the-charts sensational. Of course, winning a conference title for the first time since 1969 would be too good to be true.

“I want both,” said Jane Duska, 80. “I’m greedy.”

Could happen. But half a loaf is better than none, especially when it involves winning an SEC championship.

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