Engineering students build 30-foot replica of Clemson mascot
Students gathered on the Greene Street intramural fields Monday night, jumping to “Sandstorm” and yelling, “Go cocks!” Just as they have for years and years before, they had come to watch a tiger effigy go up in flames.
USC celebrates the annual rivalry game against Clemson with the Tigerburn. Clemson fans counter the tradition by hosting a “funeral” for Cocky.
In 2007, the Tigerburn was scrapped in favor of a “Tiger Tear Down” after a tragic fire in an Ocean Isle Beach house claimed the lives of six USC students and one Clemson student. Clemson’s annual mock funeral for Cocky was canceled that year.
This year’s tiger, which stood about 30-feet-tall, was assembled by students in USC’s chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
“A couple of years ago, we actually built the tiger with only six people. This year, it has been a privilege to have about 15 people that can help out on days that they can for the build,” said Jonathan Justice, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student and ASME secretary.
On average, about 3,000 people come to witness the Tigerburn each year.
A group from ASME is in charge of lighting the fire, and every year it is overseen by the Columbia Fire Department.
“There are limitations, such as how high the tiger can be, the 50-yard distance the crowd has to be away from the burn, et cetera,” Justice said.
This year’s project leader was ASME vice president Trevor Berry, a second-year mechanical engineering student.
Cockappella kicked off the celebration with an a capella performance, followed by step dancing from groups that included Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Throughout the evening, the cheerleaders led the crowd in Gamecock cheers, and emcees Tom Bell, a third-year public relations student, and CJ Lake, a fourth-year public relations student, pumped up the crowd.
“It was really cool; it was terribly frigid but lots of fun,” Lake said.
Adam Salloum, staff minister for USC’s InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, delivered the traditional eulogy.
“This feline deserves a proper burial,” Salloum began.
The crowd laughed in response to his opening remark.
“You can always depend on the tiger,” Salloum said. “You can depend on the tiger to always perform below expectations.”
As the tiger caught fire, the crowed cheered, fireworks exploded and “Sandstorm” blared.
“There was a lot of school spirit, it made me so excited for the game this weekend,” first-year social work student Rachel Da Silva said.