Rivalry Week is often a great sendoff to the college football regular season and 2024 was no exception. While the bar was set insanely high with an 8OT thriller in Georgia, No. 12 Clemson’s bout with No. 15 South Carolina was one of the best.

ESPN’s Bill Connelly ranked the Rivalry Week games and the Tigers’ nail-biter came in at third while Syracuse’s win over No. 8 Miami that saved Clemson’s season sat a spot above.

With losses to both Alabama (by a little) and Ole Miss (by a lot), it’s going to be difficult for South Carolina to stand out in the trio of three-loss SEC teams still hoping to sneak into the playoff. The Gamecocks have far better losses than either the Crimson Tide or Rebels, but head-to-head results could doom them. Regardless, they kept a sliver of hope alive with a stirring road comeback and their second straight win at Clemson.

The Gamecocks have patented the art of all-or-nothing offense, but for a while Saturday they outdid themselves, having parlayed seven gains of 20-plus yards into just 7 points. But despite their fierce pass rush producing only one sack of Cade Klubnik, they held the Clemson offense in check and trailed only 14-7 heading into the fourth quarter. It was 14-10 after a 42-yard Alex Herrera field goal, and after a Clemson three-and-out, LaNorris Sellers drove the Gamecocks 75 yards in nine plays. The last 20 came on a glorious, meandering run that Sellers has almost copyrighted at this point.

Clemson quickly responded with passes of 24, 12 and 6 yards to work into field goal range. But Klubnik threw a dreadfully inaccurate pass, and Demetrius Knight Jr. picked it off. Ballgame.

What’s most odd about it all is the Tigers are the ones with their destiny in control. Should Clemson win the ACC Championship, it could open a door for South Carolina to earn a berth with the extra respect.

The Palmetto State rivalry continues to deliver and there’s a slim chance for another meeting in the College Football Playoff, as if one game isn’t stressful enough.