It’s been a year to forget on the gridirons of the Palmetto State, with Clemson and South Carolina both limping toward the finish line. Maybe it’s fortunate that legal South Carolina sports betting has not arrived yet.
With the Tigers suffering four losses for the first time since 2011 and the Gamecocks firmly mired in their worst game-win percentage (.400) since going 4-8 (.333) in 2019, it’s worth assessing whether 2023 might be the worst season of football in the state in recent memory.
That’s because the two have combined to go 10-10 (.500) this year, with the Tigers hosting No. 24 North Carolina and the ‘Cocks hosting Kentucky on Saturday.
This fall marks the first time since 2010 that the two programs have lost more than 10 games combined, with Clemson going 6-7 and South Carolina posting a 9-5 record.
Ahead of the programs’ meeting in Columbia on Nov. 25, BetSouthCarolina.com – your source for South Carolina sports betting apps - broke down where 2023 ranks among seasons to forget in the Palmetto State since 2010.
Rough Year In South Carolina
Breaking Down Lows of Season
The combined Clemson and South Carolina win percentage of .500 is by far the worst the two programs have experienced since 2010, when they combined to win 55.6% of their games.
Since then, the next worst season (win percentage wise) was 2020, when they went 12-10 (.545), and 2015, when the two schools combined to go 17-10 (.630). Both seasons rank ahead of this season’s total.
The 2023 season at Clemson has been a harbinger of sorts for the program, with the Tigers failing to reach 10 wins for the first time since that 6-7 season in 2010. Perhaps that portends to darker days in the future under longtime head coach Dabo Swinney. Recently, we looked at potential Clemson bowl games. For now, Clemson’s task is to hold court at home against UNC on Saturday, in a game that oddsmakers from ESPN BET list the Tigers as a 6.5-point favorite.
Over in Columbia, the Gamecocks will look to do the same against the Wildcats, though they will do so as a 1.5-point home underdog on ESPN BET come Saturday evening. BetSouthCarolina.com compared Shane Beamer with previous Gamecock coaches.
