In the state of South Carolina you’re either a Clemson fan or a South Carolina fan. When John Simpson, an offensive lineman from North Charleston, South Carolina committed, he turned everyone in his family into Clemson fans even though his area was full of Gamecocks.

“When I committed to Clemson everyone decided to be a Clemson fan,” Simpson said. “So that’s kind of how it went in my family. I think where I’m from there’s a lot more Gamecock fans than there are Clemson fans. I guess because it’s closer (to Columbia).”

Although Clemson as a program is looking for its sixth consecutive win over South Carolina at Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium, Simpson is looking for his fourth as he goes for the career sweep against the Gamecocks.

“It would be great,” he said. “That’s what everyone wants to do. Nobody wants to lose so it will be great if we play out.”

It’s a long-time rivalry that has swayed both ways. Over the past decade South Carolina started out 5-0. But Clemson quickly changed that by winning the past five games to even out the series over the span of the last 10 years.

Simpson said he’s seen the fights and grittiness of the rivalry on social media and it all just adds emotions to the game.

“Yeah definitely, those games a long time ago, I’ve seen all kinds of things on Twitter when they were fighting and all that good stuff, but it definitely does add a little emotion to it,” he said. “All the things that have happened in the past adds a lot of emotion to it.”

Simpson says there is even more emotion with making the trip to Columbia to play in Williams-Brice Stadium.

“They hate us, man,” Simpson said. “It’s funny. I actually enjoy it. I enjoy the adversity that we face when we walk in there. Honestly, I think it gives me another gear. It gets me going. I like it, it makes my blood flow.

“You can tell the fans hate us, you can tell everybody just doesn’t like us so it’s a big difference going in there compared to anywhere else.”

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