If you are a true fan of the Clemson vs. Carolina or Carolina vs. Clemson Rivalry, then you know all about “Big Thursday.”

“Big Thursday” in South Carolina was an event, every bit as much as it was a game. From 1896-1959, the Tigers and Gamecocks met, mostly, on the third Thursday in October during State Fair Week in Columbia.

The event was so popular, the game became an unofficial state holiday, as schools and businesses across the state closed for the day.  Those in attendance dressed in their Sunday’s Best, tailgated, and enjoyed a day at the fair.

It was a big party. It was fun. It was what made the Clemson-Carolina game so unique to other big-time rivalry games.

However, the novelty of the game started to wear off by the 1950s, and though the people of South Carolina loved “Big Thursday,” interest for college football in the state was not quite the same after it was over each year.

The game was wearing on the Tigers, too. Clemson head coach Frank Howard and college officials were not having as much fun as South Carolina, though Clemson owned a 33-21-3 advantage in those first 57 meetings.

Clemson wanted the game to be moved to a home-and-home series.

The last “Big Thursday” game was played on October 22, 1959. Clemson, on its way to another ACC Championship and a No. 12 ranking in the final AP Poll, beat the Gamecocks, 27-0.

A big part of the Clemson-Carolina Rivalry had come to an end. But what if we brought it back?

In the last few years, talks about the Clemson-Carolina game possibly coming to a close or the game being moved has been more frequent than ever before.

The SEC is in serious discussions about adding a ninth conference game to the schedule. The ACC has also talked about this possibility in recent years, plus Clemson just added a 12-year home-and-home series with Notre Dame that will begin in 2027.

Clemson and South Carolina have both recently come out and said the rivalry is not going anywhere and its future is safe. However, the day the game is played could be moved, though not anytime in the near future.

What if the game is moved? Would that be so bad?

College football is changing. “Big Thursday” came to an end because the game changed. When Clemson and South Carolina agreed to move the game, their intent was to have a build up to that game, which almost always concluded the regular season.

In 1960, it made sense. There were just nine bowl games in 1960, as most schools’ seasons came to a close in that last week.

Playing the Clemson-Carolina game on the last Saturday of the regular season made the game feel bigger than it probably was and made it feel like it was the Palmetto State’s own Super Bowl.

However, with conference championship games and the College Football Playoff, the end-of-the-year rivalry games are not the biggest items on the schedule anymore. With conference champions automatically earning a spot in the CFP, head coaches will be forced at times to maybe sit a major player or two because of injury, knowing what is on the line the following week.

For instance, Ohio State lost to Michigan last year, but the Buckeyes still went on to win the national championship. Did losing the game hurt Ohio State fans initially?

I am sure it did, but I am positive they forgot about it when the Buckeyes beat Notre Dame in the National Championship Game six weeks later.

Ultimately, moving the Clemson-Carolina game will make sense and will be understandable. However, if the two schools agree to move the game, let’s not play on some random Saturday in September or earlier October.

Let’s bring back “Big Thursday.”

Let’s make it a state holiday again where all the business and schools take the day off. Let’s play it on the third Thursday in October. Let’s keep it a home-and-home series, as it is right now.

Every other year in Columbia, “Big Thursday” will be hosted on State Fair Week. That will bring a little nostalgia back to the rivalry. Also, Clemson will get to host “Big Thursday” as well. How cool would that be?

Then, to tidy it all up, the two schools work out a deal with ESPN to play this game on ESPN every year, guaranteeing it is the only major college football game being played that day.

Think about all the attention and notoriety the game will get. The Clemson-Carolina Rivalry will finally get the attention it deserves.

Let’s bring back “Big Thursday,” it is a win-win for everybody.