Sports help connect people from every side of the world. There might be someone in Asia who adores the same team as someone from South America. No matter how different everyone’s lifestyle is, sports fans still have something to connect over. Even though there aren’t professional teams in South Carolina, there are still college teams that take up the time of everyone in the state.
These fans are passionate! Thanks to the proximity of the colleges, some bitter rivalries are there. For this article, 24/7 Tempo consulted different outside sources. These include NCAA.com, CBSSports.com, and ESPN.com. Here are the most popular teams in South Carolina.
Clemson Tigers Football
As it is with any school in the south, football is “king.” Saturdays in Clemson, South Carolina are filled with fans inside of Memorial Stadium. There haven’t been many teams as dominant as the Clemson Tigers over the last decade, since the College Football Playoff started. The Tigers have won two National Championships, while having been to the title game a total of four times.
The team hasn’t been to the final game since 2019, but that should change now that the playoff is expanding from four teams to twelve. Dabo Swinney has made himself at home in Clemson, even turning down the Alabama job when it was offered to him. The Tigers have a strong recruiting class for the 2024 season and look to make their mark come game time in August.
South Carolina Gamecocks Football
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 25: Spencer Rattler #7 of the South Carolina Gamecocks passes the ball in the first quarter during their game against the Clemson Tigers at Williams-Brice Stadium on November 25, 2023 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
As is the case with Clemson, South Carolina fans are some of the most passionate in all of sports. Their Saturdays are dictated by whether or not the Gamecocks win. They play in the strongest division in all of college football, the SEC. The team hasn’t had the success they had in the mid 2010s when Jadeveon Clowney was wrecking games.
However, the Gamecocks are still working towards the goal of winning the SEC. Shane Beamer is going into his fourth season as the coach of the Gamecocks, with the team looking to bounce back after a disappointing 2023 campaign. There’s hope surrounding the program, due to the first two years Beamer was in charge.
South Carolina Gamecocks Women’s Basketball
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 04: Bree Hall #23 of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts in the third quarter during their game against the Ole Miss Rebels at Colonial Life Arena on February 04, 2024 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
The explosion of popularity of women’s basketball exists largely in part to the dominance of the South Carolina Gamecocks women’s team. Dawn Staley took over and has dominated play, winning two National Championships and going to five Final Fours during her time as coach.
Aside from being one of the best at her job, Staley is also known for her fashion and letting her players express themselves. In a time where NIL is a huge talking point in college sports, the best players want to be noticed and get paid. Staley has done a great job cultivating an environment where that’s possible. The Gamecocks will be favored to win many championships in the near future.
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers Football
HONOLULU, HAWAII - DECEMBER 23: Sam Pinckney #15 of the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers makes a catch and breaks free from Michael Dansby #25 of the San Jose State Spartans during the first half of the Hawaii Bowl against the San Jose State Spartans at Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex on December 23, 2023 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
There’s no better feeling than watching an offense go up and down the field with ease every Saturday. That’s how the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers play. It’s allowed them to climb up the ranks in the 2020 season to the number 11 spot. Their skill position players showed up and showed out for fans.
America was rooting for the underdog to have a chance to play in the College Football Playoff. They had a chance, especially with how weird the season was because of COVID-19. Sadly, the Chanticleers wouldn’t get a chance to do so, as they finished the season unable to win their conference championship game. The Chanticleers are here to stay in college football for years to come.
Clemson Tigers Basketball
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 27: Chauncey Wiggins #21 of the Clemson Tigers defends a drive by Tyrese Proctor #5 of the Duke Blue Devils during the second half of the game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on January 27, 2024 in Durham, North Carolina. Duke won 72-71. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Even though football is beloved at Clemson, fans still love watching the Tigers take the court during the fall and spring. The Clemson Tigers play in the stacked ACC, which is home to teams like Duke and North Carolina. However, Clemson finds themselves near the top of the ACC standings every year thanks to players not leaving their role.
Their head coach, Brad Brownell, took the team to the Sweet Sixteen back in 2018. Their last tournament appearance in 2021. The Tigers have yet to reach the top of college basketball. The 2024 season has seen the Tigers wind up in shockingly close games. They lost on the road at Duke by one point and the same thing happened when they played against Virginia at home. Even though their record might not indicate a team that’s on the rise, Clemson plays close and opponents come out of those games with more respect for them.
Several awesome sports teams come from South Carolina, but this state is also home to some talented movie stars. Click here to discover the 10 biggest movie stars from South Carolina.