On Saturday, Tavien Feaster will finish his college football career against the team he started it with.

The senior South Carolina running back is set to play in his final college game against Clemson, where he spent the last three years after signing with the school in 2016.

South Carolina’s season will come to an end after Saturday’s game, as Will Muschamp’s squad is 4-7 and not bowl eligible.

Feaster knows that those outside of South Carolina’s program don’t expect the Gamecocks to prevail against the third-ranked Tigers, who enter the contest undefeated at 11-0.

However, Feaster believes his team will be ready to take on the Tigers.

“I’m in a different position, different mindset,” Feaster said of being on the other side of the rivalry. “You now become the underdog in the game. But we’re going to prepare for it and we’re going to seize the moment.”

Feaster decided to transfer from Clemson this past offseason, calling it a “business decision.” He joined South Carolina’s team on Aug. 3 after earning his undergraduate degree from Clemson.

Although Feaster made the switch from Clemson to its in-state rival, he remains friends with members of the team and still talks to some of them.

“I’ve got a good relationship with several of those guys,” he said. “I spent the majority of my career there. So yeah, I’ve got a great relationship with those guys. We still keep in touch. I wish them well on the season. No hatred toward those guys, I just had to do the best thing for me.”

With that said, Feaster knows it will be all business when he faces off against former teammates at Williams-Brice Stadium.

“It’s going to be what it is,” he said. “They’re going to come out prepared. I know we’re friends, but when we step on the field, it’s business. It’s go time.”

Feaster and South Carolina’s offense are preparing for what will be a difficult challenge in trying to move the ball against Clemson’s defense, which ranks second nationally in total defense (238.2 yards per game allowed) and tied for second nationally in scoring defense (10.7 points per game allowed).

Still, Feaster is confident going into the matchup with Brent Venables’ unit.

“They’re going to be flying around, so obviously what I say is just go out there and attack them full speed,” Feaster said. “It’s going to be a physical game. Just go out there and try handle business – well, handle business, because we’re going to handle business.”

Feaster has rushed for 625 yards and five touchdowns on 112 carries in nine games for the Gamecocks this season. Over the past three years at Clemson, the Spartanburg, South Carolina native ran for 1,330 yards and 15 touchdowns on 222 carries (6.0 yards per carry).

There was question as to whether Feaster would be able to suit up for the game against Clemson, as he had been dealing with a groin injury, though the Spartanburg, South Carolina native is ready to go Saturday.

“If I would have missed it, that’s just God’s plan,” he said. “I just wouldn’t have made it back. But now that I’m getting to play and an opportunity like this, just got to go out there clear-minded and go out there and just perform, do my thing.”

As for the Clemson fans in the stands at Williams-Brice on Saturday, what does Feaster expect the reaction from them to be when he takes the field in garnet and black?

“I don’t want to say it is what it is. It’s still love,” he said. “But obviously everybody’s entitled to their own opinion. That doesn’t really matter for me. I just go out there and do my thing.”

— Video courtesy WSPA Channel 7 

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