Tennessee never stops punching Clemson. The 4-star recruit’s Friday decision is the latest gut shot to the Tigers……
The Orange Bowl match between Tennessee and Clemson, which Tennessee won 31-14 on December 30, was the last time either team’s supporters actively thought about Clemson vs. Tennessee—at least 19 years ago. In the 2004 Peach Bowl, Clemson defeated Tennessee at that point, 27-14.
However, recent events have brought back to life a long-standing regional rivalry between two institutions that are separated by either a direct 107-mile flight by a Carolina wren or a convoluted four-hour trip through the mountains.
Clemson fans, who were hoping for the program’s first College World Series berth since 2010, are still enraged by Tennessee’s incredible comeback against them in the final out of the NCAA Tournament on June 3. Tennessee’s victory in the Clemson Regional went down to 6-5 after 14 innings, and the team went on to win the title.
Billy Amick, a light-hitting reserve who transformed into a Clemson All-American last month, committed to Tennessee on Thursday, adding insult to injury in this baseball season.
The Vols defeated the Tigers on Friday after William Satterwhite, a four-star offensive lineman from Akron, Ohio, delivered another gut punch.
It’s likely that Tigers fans are tired of hearing about Tennessee since Clemson has become a bit of a shoe-string.
Even though they won’t play each other in men’s or women’s basketball in 2023, the ACC/SEC Challenge’s introduction significantly raises the possibility of that happening in subsequent seasons.
On June 30, Tennessee secured the commitment of Braylon Staley, an Aiken native and four-star wide receiver, by defeating Dabo Swinney and the Tigers. This gave Tennessee the early advantage in the football recruiting process.
Ronan O’Connell’s commitment to the Tigers on Independence Day dealt Clemson a blow in return. O’Connell, a three-star offensive lineman from Franklin, Tennessee, announced his decision to choose Clemson over Tennessee and Wisconsin on July 7, the same day that Tee Higgins, an Oak Ridge, Tennessee native, devastated Vols fans by selecting the Tigers.
During the same recruiting season, Tennessee’s own receiver Amari Rodgers was also recruited by Clemson. After impressive seasons at Clemson, both are in the NFL, but Tennessee seems to be retaliating fiercely.
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With Satterwhite joining the Vols on Friday, the latest episode of Tennessee orange (Pantone 151 C) vs. Clemson orange (Pantone 165 on your color system chart) took place.
There is no doubt about it: Clemson and Tennessee ought to be rivals because of their close location and superior athletic programs. This is true regardless of the results of any future recruitment battles between the two universities. It all makes great sense.
These orange vs. orange battles, both on and off the field, are likely to continue in frequency and intensity, which is good news for both fan bases. Clemson has been a regular participant in the College Football Playoff for the past ten years, and Josh Heupel has revitalized Tennessee’s football program.