The Gamecocks haven’t exactly had the best record this football season. Okay, we’re actually at the lowest point we have been at in two decades. But that doesn’t change the heat the student body feels for rivalry week with Clemson. Pun intended.
On Monday, November 23, the University of South Carolina hosted its 64th annual “Tiger Burn.” For those of you who don’t know, engineering students build this amazing, massive, 30-foot tiger (Clemson University’s mascot) and then we set it up in flames. Because Clemsux.
Tiger Burn is highly anticipated by students, especially freshman who have never experienced it before and heard all about it during their campus tours. This year, the tiger was built by the USC chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). According to The Daily Gamecock, the entire project took about six weeks to complete.
The event took place at Greene St. intramural fields and (like almost all campus events) included free things. Jimmy John’s had sandwiches, Ball Park had jerkey, and Great American Cookies had (you guessed it) cookies! Great event to attend, right off the bat.
Before setting fire to the cat, students also enjoyed performances from the Gamecock cheerleaders, local bands, Carolina Girls dance team and Cockappella, the co-ed a cappella group. Then interim head football coach Shawn Elliot (Spurrier’s replacement…tears) came up with the football team and spoke briefly about the game and thanked students for their support. They were clearly hinting at what we all know is true- we probably ain’t gonna beat Clemson this year. *cries*
Shortly before 7 p.m., “2001: A Space Odyssey” (our theme song before kickoff) started blaring from the speakers. All students turned their heads from the stage to the tiger, as we knew what was coming. In pure Gamecock fashion, the kickoff song was followed by “Sandstorm” and smoke began rising from the base of the tiger.
When “Sandstorm” hit its peak explosion, so did the cat and so did the crowd. The tiger went up in flames and students went wild. In minutes, all that remained was the infrastructure surrounded by piles of ashes. *end scene*