The Daily Gamecock

South Carolina players feel disrespected by rivals, report usage of racial slurs

Rivalry Week serves to kindle a heightened sense of tension in college football's final weekend of the regular season, but for several South Carolina players, Clemson's display of emotions crossed the line of acceptable competitive behavior. 

"They called us N-words — some of the offensive linemen — they did a lot of nasty stuff," junior linebacker Bryson Allen-Williams said. 

The battle in the trenches seemingly went a little too far. Allen-Williams did not identify which Clemson player used the slur, but did say that on at least one occasion it was directed at one of South Carolina's defensive linemen. 

Allen-Williams, who recorded 11 tackles and an interception on the night, was involved in a pre-kickoff scuffle with multiple Clemson players.

"I don't want to talk too much about it," Allen-Williams said. "It's irrelevant now. The score was what it was."

On Twitter after the game, junior defensive lineman Dante Sawyer and redshirt sophomore receiver Terry Googer also reacted to hearing racial slurs.

In a tweet, Googer said, "Never thought I would hear so many racial slurs in my life!!"

Googer later clarified that he was referring to the fans and not the Clemson players. 

“I was made aware of that,” said Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney when addressing the reports. “Obviously, everyone is talking about that, and that’s a shame, and absolutely I asked my guys about that. To a man, absolutely false, and I believe my guys."

South Carolina players also took offense to Clemson's decision to honor its upperclassmen with time waning in the fourth quarter. The Tigers stopped the clock with time remaining in the game to celebrate their players for the last time at Memorial Stadium. Quarterback Deshaun Watson became one of just three players in ACC history to compile 100 total career touchdowns with his six-touchdown performance against the Gamecocks. The junior declared for the NFL Draft earlier this month and received a curtain call with other teammates before the end of the game. 

"He (Will Muschamp) did not like what they did at the end of the game — applauding the seniors while the game was still going on," redshirt freshman running back A.J. Turner said.  "We kind of took that to heart."

"That last couple of minutes there was pretty disrespectful," sophomore tight end Hayden Hurst said. "We got a year to think about that and let it sink in." 

Before the Gamecocks get another shot at their rivals, they will look to prepare for their first bowl game since beating Miami in the 2014 Independence Bowl. 


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