Meeting No. 78 · Saturday, November 22, 1980
1980 Clemson vs. South Carolina: Clemson 27, South Carolina 6
Orange pants and an upset of George Rogers' Gamecocks
FinalMemorial Stadium, Clemson, SC
Clemson 6-5
27
No. 14 South Carolina 8-3
6
Quick answers
- Who won?
- Clemson
- Final score
- Clemson 27, South Carolina 6
- When and where
- Saturday, November 22, 1980 · Memorial Stadium, Clemson, SC
- Series after this game
- Clemson leads 45-30-3
Clemson 45-30-3Series after this game
ClemsonWon the most recent meeting
78 of 122Meeting number
21 ptsMargin
33 ptsCombined points
Clemson 1, SC 01980s through this game
How the game went
South Carolina arrived heavily favored with eventual Heisman Trophy winner George Rogers. Clemson coach Danny Ford surprised players and fans by unveiling orange pants, the first time Clemson had worn them in any combination.
The win lifted Clemson toward its 1981 national championship run. Clemson went 16-2 in orange pants under Ford and still wears them only when a championship or playoff game is on the line.
Notable facts
- Clemson's 5th straight win in Clemson
Game facts
| Date | Saturday, November 22, 1980 |
|---|---|
| Site | Memorial Stadium, Clemson, SC |
| Meeting | No. 78 (Home-and-home era) |
| Head coaches | Clemson: Danny Ford · South Carolina: Jim Carlen |
| AP rankings | Clemson: Unranked · South Carolina: No. 14 |
| Records after game | Clemson: 6-5 · South Carolina: 8-3 |
| Attendance | 64,200 |
Highlights
Next up · Meeting No. 123
The next Palmetto Bowl
Saturday, November 28, 2026