For a matchup dating back nearly 130 years, the 2024 Palmetto Bowl between South Carolina and Clemson is shaping up to be one of the most memorable state championships in quite some time.With both teams entering the regular season finale ranked for the first time since 2013, South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer wants to make sure his team doesn't get too caught up in all the noise come Saturday."I think you got to be careful about making it too big at times and talking all week about how much you want it and how much you don't like Clemson, and Clemson talking about how much they don't like Carolina and all that as well. I think sometimes when you're doing that it's taking you away from what's really important," Beamer said.While this may be the first time in over a decade that the two teams will enter the matchup as ranked opponents, Beamer thinks the Palmetto Bowl should have these kind of postseason implications every season."Last year at this time we were 5-6, like that was, I don't want to say pressure but that wasn't fun being 5-6, and if you don't win, the season's over," Beamer said. "That's a different level of mindset than we have this week where, this is fun and exciting to be a part of. And to me, this is going to be a yearly occurrence. We're not going anywhere, our program, we're only continuing to ascend and Dabo and Clemson have shown that they're not going anywhere, and I think a battle of ranked Carolina vs. ranked Clemson with playoff implications in my mind is going to be a yearly occurrence around here, so everybody better get used to it."Speaking of noise, with both teams poised to be deep in the mix of the College Football Playoff discussion, Coach Beamer wants his team to keep the main thing the main thing, and make sure they leave the Upstate a winner on Saturday."None of it matters if you don't go out there and play well on Saturday, so we need to focus on playing well Saturday, and everything else will take care of itself," Beamer said.South Carolina will hit the road to face Clemson on Saturday at 12 pm.
For a matchup dating back nearly 130 years, the 2024 Palmetto Bowl between South Carolina and Clemson is shaping up to be one of the most memorable state championships in quite some time.
With both teams entering the regular season finale ranked for the first time since 2013, South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer wants to make sure his team doesn't get too caught up in all the noise come Saturday.
"I think you got to be careful about making it too big at times and talking all week about how much you want it and how much you don't like Clemson, and Clemson talking about how much they don't like Carolina and all that as well. I think sometimes when you're doing that it's taking you away from what's really important," Beamer said.
While this may be the first time in over a decade that the two teams will enter the matchup as ranked opponents, Beamer thinks the Palmetto Bowl should have these kind of postseason implications every season.
"Last year at this time we were 5-6, like that was, I don't want to say pressure but that wasn't fun being 5-6, and if you don't win, the season's over," Beamer said. "That's a different level of mindset than we have this week where, this is fun and exciting to be a part of. And to me, this is going to be a yearly occurrence. We're not going anywhere, our program, we're only continuing to ascend and Dabo and Clemson have shown that they're not going anywhere, and I think a battle of ranked Carolina vs. ranked Clemson with playoff implications in my mind is going to be a yearly occurrence around here, so everybody better get used to it."
Speaking of noise, with both teams poised to be deep in the mix of the College Football Playoff discussion, Coach Beamer wants his team to keep the main thing the main thing, and make sure they leave the Upstate a winner on Saturday.
"None of it matters if you don't go out there and play well on Saturday, so we need to focus on playing well Saturday, and everything else will take care of itself," Beamer said.
South Carolina will hit the road to face Clemson on Saturday at 12 pm.