No. 23 Clemson wants countdown to end

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — No. 23 Clemson hopes its five-year countdown is finally coming to a close.

The Tigers (8-3) have lost a school worst five straight games to rival South Carolina (6-5), a streak so distasteful that Clemson coaches installed countdown clocks last spring to remind players that things must change. That chance comes Saturday when the teams close the regular season at Death Valley, the 112th meeting in a series the Tigers (No. 21 College Football Playoff) have dominated 64-42-4 — except the past five seasons.

In a state without major professional sports teams, Palmetto State fans spend most of the year celebrating their team's win or waiting for the next chance to get on top. The party's lasted nearly 1,800 days since South Carolina started the streak in 2009.