LaNorris Sellers' mindset hasn't changed one bit, even with higher stakes facing Clemson

It might be hard to believe but LaNorris Sellers didn’t watch any of the South Carolina-Clemson football games growing up. Yes, he admitted to that, despite being from the state and living here all his life.

Crazy, right? The local kid, now playing quarterback for the Gamecocks, didn’t even watch the Palmetto Bowl before college. Well, that’s not entirely the case. Sellers did in fact attend the 2022 matchup when South Carolina upset No. 8 Clemson 31-30 to keep the Tigers out of the College Football Playoff hunt.

Sellers also got a firsthand viewing for last year’s game from the sideline as the Gamecocks suffered a season-ending 16-7 loss at home against their bitter rival. And now on Saturday, he will make his first start in the rivalry game, possibly the biggest of his young career so far.

But based on the way that the redshirt freshman spoke about the big game earlier in the week, you’d have no idea South Carolina was getting ready to play its in-state foe.

“Just going into it as another game,” Sellers said. “It’s a rivalry game, so it’s like a lot of energy, high energy game. But it’s just another football game.”

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That’s right. Just another game.

Well, in theory, it is just another game. But is it really that simple? For one, it’s a massive rivalry game with bragging rights and a large shiny trophy on the line. This year, though, the stakes are higher in what will be a top 15 showdown with possible playoff implications.

Maybe for everybody else it feels that way. For Sellers, he’s essentially taking the “nameless, faceless opponent” approach to this weekend’s game in Death Valley (noon, ESPN).

“It’s just, like I said, a high energy game,” he said. “The people care about it. Just two teams — Carolina and Clemson — probably the biggest game in our state. But I mean, they just took it as another game so that’s how I’m going to do it, too.”

With everything that’s riding on this game, the difference between winning and losing is going to be drastic. One team stays alive in the quest to earn a playoff bid. The other will be eliminated from contention and await their bowl game destination.

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This game will be different than any other Sellers has played in this season. But the good news for him is that he’s already played in numerous difficult environments. South Carolina is 3-1 on the road and Sellers is a big reason for that success.

“It is crazy that in game 12 you are talking about it. It will be the loudest crowd that we have played in and that is awesome and exciting,” head coach Shane Beamer said on traveling to Clemson. “He is excited. He is a gamer. He is a competitor. I know he will be excited to be a part of this game. … I know he is excited to be a part of it.”

While Beamer wasn’t in the room when Sellers said he didn’t watch any prior Carolina-Clemson games. But word traveled fast, and he quickly found out about what his quarterback said. He understands Sellers will keep the same calm composure he plays with every game. But he would like to see, not just Sellers, but everyone “play with emotion” or “an edge” in this game.

“You may not quite realize what it is. Once you get there and experience it and ride in on the bus and walk out there and get out there for pregame warmups, you know there is just a little bit of a different feel,” Beamer said. “Just prepare yourself during the week to go play well on Saturday. Once the game starts, a lot of that goes out the window and it just gets down to playing football and who can play more winning football than the other team.”

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