According to TigerNet, Clemson declined a request from ESPN and the ACC to play football rival South Carolina on Black Friday and will instead play the game on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

The broadcaster and the conference asked Clemson to move up its football game against the Gamecocks this season by one day, to the day after Thanksgiving, but the school declined.

To get Clemson to make a decision, ESPN and the ACC agreed to make concessions on game dates if the game was postponed. But this offer was not enough for the Tigers.

Those concessions included Clemson's game against The Citadel on Nov. 23 kicking off at noon, moving the game against South Carolina to prime time, making the 2027 game against NC State a home game, allowing the Tigers to play only two ACC away games in prime time, and allowing the Gamecocks to host Clemson on Black Friday moving forward.

Clemson then said thanks, but no thanks.

In response, the ACC expressed its “disappointment” in a letter to the school.

“As you have been informed throughout the process, the Conference Office is disappointed with Clemson University's lack of cooperation in this matter,” said Michael Strickland, ACC senior associate commissioner for football, in a letter obtained by TigerNet.

The letter continued: “As all ACC members know, it is the responsibility of the ACC and its institutions to work in good faith with ESPN on game scheduling issues. This cooperation maximizes the value of our relationship with our media partner and strengthens our shared future. Clemson's decision not to do so in this case is detrimental to that goal.”

After winning seven straight games in the Palmetto Bowl series and 40 straight games at home, Clemson lost 31-30 to the rival Gamecocks in 2022, eliminating them from the College Football Playoffs.

The following year, Clemson got revenge with a 16-7 win in Columbia, which prevented South Carolina from qualifying for a bowl game.

In the rivalry that has been going on since 1896, Clemson leads South Carolina 73-43-4.

(TigerNet)

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