Gamecocks closing gap with Clemson

Five wins in 21 years. Two in 10. One in six. As of 2008, the South Carolina Gamecocks weren't exactly holding up their end of the rivalry with the Clemson Tigers.

Fierce and frenzied as the series has historically been -- look no further than the ugly brawl in 2004 that cost both schools bowl bids -- a rivalry needs some semblance of balance in the overall record. The Gamecocks are doing their best in that regard, having won three in a row to cut its deficit to 65-40-4.

Three consecutive victories in a rivalry might not seem all that significant on the surface, but it's meaningful when South Carolina had not done so since 1968-70. It had not even won back-to-back games against the Tigers since then, difficult as that is to believe.

It's not just that the Gamecocks has won; they have been fully dominant in those victories, averaging 32.3 points a game while Clemson has 37 total points in the past three meetings.

What the South Carolina win streak has done is rejuvenate the rivalry. The Carolina side is jubilant. The Clemson side is furious. The power of those emotions is central to any good, legitimate rivalry.

So what has happened to allow the Gamecocks to close the gap in the series?

Recruiting

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