COLUMBIA — It’s why it made it admirable, although ultimately futile, when Steve Spurrier arrived to South Carolina in 2005. He started yanking down all the “Beat Clemson” signs plastered around the offices and the locker room, reasoning that to place that importance on one game would take away the focus on what should be USC’s primary goal — winning SEC games, and thus competing for an SEC championship.

The Gamecocks never did win that SEC title, although they got as close as they ever have during the Head Ball Coach’s reign. But he did beat Clemson six out of 10 tries, including the longest USC rivalry winning streak in its history — five straight from 2009-13.

It was glorious, and it also represented why those wins over Clemson mean so much. It’s simple fact — the Gamecocks are not

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