South-Carolina
A'ja Wilson's Nike deal ignites apparel controversy at South Carolina
Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson has inked a deal with Nike for her own signature shoe. This announcement comes on the heels of Nike’s recent partnership with WNBA rookie Caitlin Clark, sparking questions about why Wilson, a seasoned player with multiple accolades, hadn’t secured such a deal sooner.
A’ja Wilson, the first overall pick in the 2018 WNBA draft, has an impressive resume that includes two league MVP titles, a Finals MVP, two WNBA championships, two Defensive Player of the Year awards, and five All-Star honors. Her new partnership with Nike marks a significant milestone in her career and brings attention to the apparel affiliations at the University of South Carolina, Wilson’s alma mater.
Gamecocks alumni push for Nike switch following A’ja Wilson’s endorsement deal
The University of South Carolina, a prominent client of Under Armour, faces a branding debate as Wilson’s deal with Nike has reignited discussions about the university’s athletic apparel contract. In 2016, the university extended its partnership with Under Armour for ten years, a decision that was met with mixed reactions from the community, some of whom expressed a preference for Nike.
The contract with Under Armour is due to expire in 2026, and former NBA player Sindarius Thornwell, a fellow University of South Carolina alumnus, has publicly supported the idea of switching to Nike. Thornwell, known for his pivotal role in the Gamecocks’ 2017 Final Four run, reflects a segment of the fanbase that favors Nike over Under Armour.
As the expiration of the current apparel deal approaches, discussions and speculations continue about the potential impact of Wilson’s Nike deal on the future apparel decisions at the University of South Carolina.
South-Carolina
Did the College Football Playoff Field Open Up Enough for South Carolina?
After this weekend’s action, did the college football playoff open up enough for South Carolina to get in?
It was a chaotic weekend of college football as Ole Miss lost to Florida, Oklahoma dominated Alabama, Auburn beat Texas A&M in a thriller, Ohio State handled Indiana and Kansas upset Colorado. A lot of teams that were ahead of the South Carolina Gamecocks in the rankings, but the more important question is did enough spots open up for South Carolina to potentially sneak in?
The Gamecocks will certainly rise closer to the top 12 in the next release of the rankings. They came in at No. 18 this last week and will likely be somewhere around 15 in this week’s rankings. South Carolina might have been too far back to be on the back end of the playoff this go around, but they are certainly inching closer and closer.
There is however one problem for South Carolina. Despite Alabama losing, the Crimson Tide have virtually every edge for a playoff spot over the Gamecocks if a decision came down between them. Alabama has the head to head, they have the better win against Georgia, South Carolina lost to LSU and Alabama dominated LSU on the road. South Carolina does have the better strength of schedule ranking, but that hasn’t seemed to matter too much to the college football playoff committee.
The bottom line is South Carolina has played like on the best teams in college football as of late and has certainly done enough to put themselves into the conversation. However, if the decision came down to “which three loss SEC team do we want to put in?” the Crimson Tide likley check more boxes than South Carolina does.
You Might Also Like:
Join the community:
You can follow us for future coverage by clicking “Follow” on the top right-hand corner of the page. Also, be sure to follow us on X at @GamecocksDigest and on Facebook!
South-Carolina
South Carolina at Clemson odds: Early point spread released for Palmetto Bowl, How to Watch
South Carolina and Clemson are set to meet in a game that could potentially carry some College Football Playoff implications, however slim they may be.
The Tigers are looking to crack into the field with two losses, and they need every bit of momentum they can get to continue their climb up the rankings. A win over a very good Gamecocks team would certainly help.
According to lines listed by FanDuel, Clemson will open as a 2.5-point favorite over South Carolina in the contest. The game’s over/under point total has also been set at 51.5 points.
That sets the expectation going into the game: The Tigers are favored by a bit, but certainly not enough that you can make any sweeping generalizations about how the game should go. The Gamecocks can wreck games with their defensive line.
How to watch South Carolina at Clemson
Time: 12 p.m. ET, Nov. 30
Channel: ESPN, FuboTV (streaming)
Location: Memorial Stadium — Clemson, SC
Both teams have had a significant turnaround in the second half of the season after starting a bit slow out of the gates.
South Carolina had winnable games against LSU and Alabama slip by, but the Gamecocks have now ripped off five straight wins behind an improved sense of confidence and crisp execution from LaNorris Sellers and company.
The Gamecocks are playing with a different edge, perhaps following the tone set by a defensive line that can absolutely undress opponents at times. The Tigers will have to find a way to block that very good defensive front.
But Clemson has been good in its own right of late. The Tigers did let a game against Louisville slip away, but they’ve won nine of the last 10 games and have looked dominant in a few of them.
Both teams are coming off blowouts of inferior opponents, so they should be both well-rested and ready to roll on rivalry weekend.
Vegas has the Clemson-South Carolina contest pegged as a pretty close game, so buckle up and get ready for another edition of one of the south’s top rivalries.
South-Carolina
Gamecock uniform report for South Carolina-Wofford
Saturday marks the final home game of the 2024 season for South Carolina. The in-state and 5-6 Wofford Terriers will drive down I-26 from Spartanburg to Columbia to take on the 7-3 Gamecocks. Williams-Brice Stadium is sold out again, completing the program goal of filling the stands for all seven home games this fall.
Through the first ten games of the season, Shane Beamer’s South Carolina football team has not repeated a uniform combination. Alternating garnet, black, and white helmets, jerseys, and pants, the Gamecocks also have mixed in some additional looks with throwbacks, alternate face masks, and updated helmet stickers and stripes.
On Saturday, the trend will end as South Carolina will repeat a uniform combination for the first time this season.
[GamecockCentral: $1 for 7 days and 50% off first year]
Around lunchtime, the Gamecock Football account on Twitter/X hinted at the gameday uniform combination. The post showed a picture of what looked like the team’s throwback white helmets in front of an American flag.
Then, a little while later, the social media team revealed the rest of the gameday combination.
South Carolina has once again will rock its 1980 throwback uniforms. The Gamecocks also wore the look during the team’s blowout win over Akron earlier this season.
Saturday is Salute the Troops Day at Williams-Brice Stadium and also Senior Day.
The full list of Senior Day participants can be found here.
-
Business1 week ago
Column: Molly White's message for journalists going freelance — be ready for the pitfalls
-
Science5 days ago
Trump nominates Dr. Oz to head Medicare and Medicaid and help take on 'illness industrial complex'
-
Politics7 days ago
Trump taps FCC member Brendan Carr to lead agency: 'Warrior for Free Speech'
-
Technology6 days ago
Inside Elon Musk’s messy breakup with OpenAI
-
Lifestyle7 days ago
Some in the U.S. farm industry are alarmed by Trump's embrace of RFK Jr. and tariffs
-
World7 days ago
Protesters in Slovakia rally against Robert Fico’s populist government
-
News6 days ago
They disagree about a lot, but these singers figure out how to stay in harmony
-
News7 days ago
Gaetz-gate: Navigating the President-elect's most baffling Cabinet pick