Rivalry games always carry weight. If they go the wrong way, they can spoil the tone of a season. Even if both teams aren’t having good seasons (or if one is), there’s a finality in knocking off an in-state rival.

Shane Beamer wants to play in the College Football Playoff, but he's not pushing the issue -- yet. As playoff dreams floated in players' minds, the South Carolina coach stepped in front of his team for the first time this week on Tuesday morning,