The rivalry between the South Carolina football program and the Clemson Tigers is one of the best in the country. The game doesn't always get the national recognition it deserves, but hostility in the rivalry is high. This year's game is set for November 30th, and the winner will have bragging rights for the next year.
Because of the animosity between the two schools, it comes as no surprise that many fans from both fanbases balk at the idea of the two teams playing in the same conference. However, with all of the conference realignment that has shaken college athletics, it isn't farfetched to think it could happen.
It has happened before, though, as the South Carolina Gamecocks were a founding member of the ACC alongside their rivals from the Upstate. However, their shared conference affiliation disappeared when USC left the league in the early '70s, primarily due to issues with the schools in the state of North Carolina.
Over the last year or so, Clemson has been very vocal about its desire to leave the ACC for a better situation. Some have argued that the Big 12 would be better, but would an incremental improvement be worth the legal and financial hassles that come with exiting the Atlantic Coast Conference? In reality, barring some drastic changes to the ACC and its grant of rights, the Big 10 and the SEC make the most sense for the Tigers from a financial standpoint.
South Carolina football fans seem split on this issue. Undoubtedly, there are ways in which Clemson would benefit from joining the SEC, but there also are some reasons to think a Tiger move to the Southeastern Conference could be a good thing for Carolina, as well. If the SEC wound up being CU's next home, there are three major ways that the move benefits the Gamecocks.