Shane Beamer knows this: South Carolina must block out noise ahead of Clemson matchup

Shane Beamer has a challenge this week. The South Carolina coach has to somehow tamp down the hype, excitement and meaning of Saturday’s game at Clemson. Well, at least to his team.

“I do think sometimes in these rivalry games,” Beamer said, “you can almost over-hype them and drain your players mentally before you even get to Saturday.”

Even with a South Carolina squad like this year’s, which is loaded with first-year transfers and freshmen, those newcomers have been around Columbia enough and in the state of South Carolina long enough to understand the Palmetto Bowl’s importance.

This year, though, the final week of the regular season isn’t just about Clemson. It’s about how the winner of the South Carolina-Clemson game will be viewed by the College Football Playoff committee.

Could the No. 18 Gamecocks (8-3) or No. 17 Tigers (9-2) somehow slip into the 12-team field in an at-large spot with a victory on Saturday? ESPN’s playoff predictor certainly thinks so, saying that the Gamecocks would have a 58% chance of making the playoff with a win over the Tigers.

That’s almost double its chances from this time last week, most likely a result of the losses by No. 5 Indiana, No. 6 Alabama, No. 9 Ole Miss, No. 14 BYU, No. 15 Texas A&M and No. 16 Colorado this past weekend.

Clemson’s CFP chances are at 37%, according to ESPN’s playoff predictor, if the Tigers beat USC but don’t make the ACC title game. ESPN’s Football Power Index gives Clemson a 57% chance to beat the Gamecocks.

All this will serve as juicy fodder leading up to Saturday’s rivalry game. Beamer also knows his team must not put the cart before the horse — how can there be any talk of the playoff when the game against Clemson looms?

That same ESPN playoff predictor — the one that gives the Gamecocks better than a coin-flip chance to make the field with a win over Clemson — also indicates that it’s impossible to make the playoff if USC losses to Clemson.

“I realize that some things went the way yesterday that we needed them to go,” Beamer said on his Sunday teleconference. “I know it’s coach speak, but it’s true: The only thing we can control and the only thing we can worry about is putting together a great week of practice and going to try and play well on Saturday at Clemson. And they’re in the same boat.”

The good news for Beamer: He’s never lost as a head coach in Memorial Stadium.

Two years ago, the Gamecocks ventured to the Upstate as major underdogs and knocked off No. 8 Clemson despite finding themselves in an early 14-0 hole with quarterback Spencer Rattler throwing two interceptions.

“You’ve just got to handle the emotions of a rivalry game on the road,” Beamer said. “It goes back to your prep during the week.”

Even though that game was just two years ago, the rosters are completely different. That’s most evident at quarterback. Rattler and DJ Uiagalelei are gone. Now it’s redshirt freshman LaNorris Sellers and junior Cade Klubnik leading the Gamecocks and Tigers, respectively.

“Cade is a great athlete and showed that last year,” Beamer said. “Obviously, LaNorris and what he’s been able to do in the run game speaks for himself.”