Clemson and Tennessee get savagely trolled ahead of Orange Bowl

Sep 5, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney questions the side judge after a replay during the first quarter of the Chick-fil-A kickoff game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

The Clemson Tigers and Tennessee Volunteers will face off in an exciting Orange Bowl matchup on Friday, though it is not the game both teams hoped to be playing in this weekend.

Both Clemson and Tennessee spent a good portion of the season in the College Football Playoff conversation. That lasted until late November, when both teams lost to South Carolina in consecutive weeks. The defeat marked the second loss of the year for each team, effectively ruling them out of playoff contention.

Gamecocks fans certainly have not forgotten their role in derailing those playoff hopes. Hours before Friday’s kickoff at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, a plane was spotted carrying a banner addressed to both teams, mockingly saying to “Enjoy your bowl game — Gamecocks.”

This is probably the work of a fan, not the university itself, but it is quite savage either way. Admittedly, some of the impact is lost by flying it before the game, but it seems to have made its mark nonetheless.

Maybe South Carolina coach Shane Beamer paid for the banner himself. It would certainly fit with what he likes to do sometimes.