FAN FOR A DAY: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA

Start your day off at Drip Coffee, a coffee shop with a cool vibe and a lot of records on display. CJ got the honey habanero latte which he loved, but note that they do change their menu from time to time. I got a vegan scone that I unfortunately wouldn’t recommend, but just go for the energy jolt! If you have time for lunch, head over to The War Mouth, an auto-repair shop turned gastropub. The staff is friendly, there is parking, and the food is good, but keep in mind that you are in the south and everything is fried! I thought I could order the hummus and be safe, but no one comes out unscathed: I was presented with fried saltines to accompany my hummus! Leaning into the fried food, CJ suggests ordering the fried green tomatoes.

Next, enjoy the Riverbanks Botanical Garden if it is gorgeous outside. If the weather makes you want to stay inside, perhaps go to the Nickelodeon Theatre to see a movie. However, depending on the start time of your game, you might want to skip these two activities entirely, as the University of South Carolina is in the SEC. This means that this school takes their football SERIOUSLY, and already four hours from kickoff, traffic materializes close to the stadium.

While other universities have parking lots sprinkled haphazardly, the University of South Carolina has a lot of parking lots right next to each other, all extremely close to the stadium, and the tailgating is plentiful! We were in a parking lot that was furthest out from the stadium, and even then, it was only a 15-minute walk. Across the street from the stadium, you will see Gamecock Village, which is a mecca for fun pregame activities. Gamecock Village opens 4.5 hours prior to kickoff and closes 30 minutes before kickoff. Here you can enjoy things like live music, a videoboard which shows other games, a beer tent, official Gamecock gear, and inflatables for children. While I strongly encourage you to purchase your parking spot in advance of the game, you do not need to make any reservations to enjoy Gamecock Village.

By hanging out in this area, you will be in the perfect position for the Gamecock Walk, where the full team makes their way into the stadium about 2.5 hours prior to kickoff. Then enter the Williams-Brice Stadium! There is a good number of concessions, with options like Jersey Mike’s subs and Chick-fil-A sandwiches. Note that you can buy beer. You can even take your food and sit on their patio that looks out on all of the people coming into the stadium. It is not crowded, and a nice addition to the arena, as you can even watch the game from a television!

The University of South Carolina fans are very spirited, which makes for a lively game. Both students and alumni alike are enthusiastic. Like many stadiums, Williams-Brice has its own bag policy, which you can read about here. Note that once you leave the stadium, you are not allowed back in.

Know before you go:

·      Main rival games where the attendance will be the busiest and the crowds will be the loudest are as follows: Clemson, Georgia, and Missouri

·      Be aware of opposing teams’ colors! University of South Carolina fans wear garnet, black, and white.

·      General Thomas Sumter was most notably a soldier in the American Revolution who led South Carolina against the British. The British called him “the fighting gamecock” for his unwavering resolve. He passed away in 1832 in his adopted home of South Carolina, and the town of Sumter paid homage to him by using his name and dubbing itself as “The Gamecock City.” Just 44 miles from this town is where the university resides, and why the school goes by the gamecocks!

·      The gamecock mascot is named Cocky, portrayed by an anthropomorphic version of the bird. There is however, a live bird named Sir Big Spur, who is an Old English Black Breasted Red Fighting Gamecock. Sir Big Spur made his first appearance in 1999, and can be seen today on the sidelines at all home football games and most away games.  

·      When you hear, “it’s another Carolina…” be sure to yell, “first down!”

·      When you hear Darude’s remix of the song Sandstorm, get ready to jump up and down and wave a white towel in the air, which has been a tradition since 2009!

Go Cocks!