Shane Beamer wants to preserve Clemson rivalry regardless of SEC schedule

At the SEC Spring Meetings, the primary concern has been the SEC’s conference schedule moving forward. Finally, it was decided to stick with an eight-game conference schedule for the 2024 season, despite criticism. However, for South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer, it’s also important to remember the value of non-conference games.

In particular, Beamer wants to make sure that South Carolina’s rivalry with ACC power Clemson is preserved moving forward.

“I know how important that Clemson game is to the people of our state, and I think it’s great for college football,” Shane Beamer said. “So, I don’t want to lose that Clemson game, without a doubt. So, that’s something that we haven’t even discussed — not playing that game.”

The SEC will stick with eight conference games for the 2024 season. So, there is plenty of room for Clemson on the schedule. Even at a nine-game conference schedule, there would still be three slots to fill with Clemson. However, that’s where South Carolina might have questions about strength of schedule and who its opponents are moving forward.

“Something I certainly want to do and certainly not everybody in the SEC plays a top 10 perennial top five program at the end of the season, but we love that from a competitive standpoint. I love it from a rivalry standpoint, college athletics standpoint.”

South Carolina is far from the only SEC team looking to preserve an important non-conference rivalry. Georgia–Georgia Tech, Florida–Florida State, and Kentucky–Louisville are also among the game’s most intense rivalries.

In two games against Clemson, Shane Beamer has led the Gamecocks to a 1-1 record. That included a win in 2022, South Carolina’s first since 2013 when Steve Spurrier was roaming the sidelines.

Shane Beamer on strength of schedule

After explaining that he wants to keep playing Clemson, Shane Beamer was asked about balancing the team’s strength of schedule with the need for a good record and the conference schedule.

“That’s for other people to figure out,” Beamer said.

“But I think when you look at who we play, whether it be eight conference games, nine conference games, plus Clemson, plus you look at our out of conference schedule coming up. I know we got App State, we’ve got Virginia Tech, we’ve got Miami, just the ones in the next four or five years. I mean, that’s as tough a schedule year in and year out as anybody plays. This year, finishing with Clemson, starting with North Carolina, and playing SEC games in between, not easy either. So, it’s part of it.”