Dabo upset with Clemson players’ impromptu on-field celebration after beating USC
Clemson football didn’t plant a flag in the middle of the field after beating rival South Carolina 28-14 on Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium.
But the Tigers had a different kind of celebration after winning a sixth straight game in Columbia — and angered their head coach in the process.
About 20 minutes after the game ended, a huge contingent of Clemson players led by receiver T.J. Moore ran out of the visitors’ locker room and onto the field to pose with the Palmetto Bowl trophy awarded to the winner of the rivalry game.
Dozens of players pushed their way out through the tunnel and onto the grass for a postgame photo, many of them holding an upside-down “Spurs Up” symbol. It was similar to the “Horns Down” gesture schools do after beating Texas.
Coaches tried to stop the players from going out to celebrate, as Swinney had put an emphasis on winning with class earlier this week. Shortly after the game ended, Clemson offensive lineman Tristan Leigh grabbed a Clemson flag and appeared set on planting it at midfield on USC’s Gamecock logo.
But Clemson offensive line coach Matt Luke and other staffers convinced Leigh to put the flag down and walk away. The last time Clemson won at USC in 2023, linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. planted a Tigers flag at midfield.
South Carolina did the same after winning at Clemson in 2024.
Swinney was angry with Saturday’s postgame moment, which appeared to happen before he had a chance to address the team in full. He came out to the field and yelled at players as they posed: “Who the hell let you guys out here?”
He also chirped to his staff: “What the hell are y’all doing?”
Swinney addressed the moment in his postgame news conference.
“They were just wanting to take a picture, and I just didn’t want them to do that (on the field),” Swinney said. “Let’s just keep it in the locker room. They weren’t doing anything disrespectful. I just didn’t want anybody out there.”
Clemson won a sixth straight game against USC in Columbia and its ninth overall game in the last 11 games of the series. The Tigers moved to 7-5 with the win and await their bowl destination next Sunday. USC fell to 4-8 with the loss.
Clemson defensive end T.J. Parker, one of the players leading the charge out to the field, said the picture was partially prompted by USC taking similar pictures at Clemson’s Memorial Stadium after beating the Tigers there last year.
“We try to keep it classy,” Parker said. “They did a lot when they won, but that’s what we could do without trying to be too disrespectful. It was a great picture. It’s gonna sting on them for a little bit.”
Moore, the Clemson sophomore receiver, was also flashing a whiteboard with the words “OUR STATE” written on it to South Carolina fans after the game ended.
“For us, we’re 6-0 the past six times we’ve played here, so this is Death Valley Jr.,” Parker said of Williams-Brice Stadium. “We’re gonna call it that.”
This story was originally published November 29, 2025 at 4:28 PM.
