 "Photo: Photo courtesy of the Associated Press")
 "Photo: Katie Kirkland / The Gamecock")
At every USC game, the kickoff is accompanied by the student section boisterously yelling, "Go, fight, win, kick ass!"
After last year's season-ending brawl in the closing minutes of the USC-Clemson game, it would not be out of the question for students to omit the "fight" and "kick ass" this time around. The brawl prevented both schools from going to bowl games and resulted in one-game suspensions for six players at each school.
Junior cornerback Fred Bennett echoed the sentiments of many by indicating that the fight would have no effect on this year's game.
"I think (the brawl) is behind us," he said. "I think everybody learned from the mistake they made. We are moving on."
The athletics departments of both schools have taken it a step further, and before the game, the teams will shake hands.
"I know I'm going to shake hands with their coaches," USC coach Steve Spurrier said. "I think after the ugly incident last year, it's very important. We should be able to compete in a healthy rivalry and go from there."
In reality, a friendly relationship has never been a viable option for the two schools. Former sports information director Don Barton said Clemson was founded in 1893 in protest of USC. At that time, Carolina had a poor agriculture school in a rural, farm-oriented state. People complained that farmers' tax dollars were being used to educate lawyers.
When Benjamin Tillman became governor in 1890, he passed legislation to create a new agricultural school. Clemson opened its doors to 446 students, which reduced USC to college status with only 63 students.
"There was a rivalry long before there was a football game," Barton said.
USC and Clemson first met on the gridiron in 1896 with Carolina winning the contest 12-6. USC did not record another victory until the infamous 12-6 upset of Clemson coach John Heisman in 1902. Barton said Carolina students paraded around a transparency of a Gamecock standing over a defeated Tiger. The parade roused anger in the Clemson student body, and the Tiger faithful proceeded to march on the Horseshoe with guns.
"According to legend," Barton said, "USC assistant coach Christie Benet stood up on a wall on Sumter Street and offered to fight any Clemson student. The crowd was eventually dispersed when the transparency was burned."
The rivalry was suspended until 1909 to prevent further hostilities, but it has continued uninterrupted for what will be the 97th straight year Saturday. Until 1958, the USC-Clemson game was played Thursday as the "Big Thursday" game and was held in Columbia during Fair Week until 1964. The schools have played on a home-and-home basis ever since.
In the 102 previous meetings, Clemson leads the series 62-36-4. Clemson's dominance over the years is not lost on Spurrier.
"We hope to beat Clemson," he said. "It will be one of our goals every year. They have beaten South Carolina a lot more than we have beaten them."
Regardless of the overall standings, the Gamecocks have had their bright moments in the rivalry. Barton listed 1941 and 1950 as key victories for USC.
In 1941, USC coach Rex Enright upset a previously undefeated Clemson team, 18-14. In 1950, Clemson came in unbeaten, untied and un-scored upon. USC running back Steve Wadiak propelled the Gamecocks to a 14-14 tie. The tie was part of a six-year stretch where Carolina did not lose to Clemson. Another great victory for the Gamecocks came in the Black Magic season of 1984, when USC came from behind to beat Clemson, 22-21.
In the past 10 years, the Tigers have owned the rivalry, winning eight of the matchups. The last time Clemson came to Columbia, the Tigers throttled USC 63-17. The game is not something that sits well with senior offensive lineman Na'Shan Goddard.
"I try not to remember any of that (game)," he said. "That was an unfortunate mishap right there. Everything was clicking for them, and it wasn't clicking for us."
Spurrier and his players have been maintaining the company line that this is "just another game," but Clemson coach Tommy Bowden was more candid in his assessment.
"Dislike - I don't know the right word," he said. "It's a rivalry. It is a pretty strong, uncomfortable feeling (toward) the opponent during the course of the game."
With this year's pre-game pleasantries aside, Bowden underlines the fact that the "fight" and "kick ass" will never leave this rivalry.
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