COLUMBIA, S.C. — Whether you’re a Tiger or a Gamecock, many are anticipating this Saturday night’s Palmetto Bowl. Adding to the buzz are reports that presidential candidates Donald Trump and Nikki Haley will be among the crowd.
News 19 has spent the day working to confirm those candidates' plans, and to find out what — if anything — their visits might mean for those who will be in and Williams-Brice Stadium.
Carolina fans say when it comes to the game day atmosphere this weekend at the University of South Carolina vs. Clemson game, they're anticipating high energy and a packed stadium.
“The atmosphere is electric,” sophomore William Barr says. “It's nothing that I've ever seen before in any other Clemson or Carolina game.”
“I think the rivalry definitely influences the atmosphere. It's definitely more intense. The fans are louder. They're clapping harder, they're screaming louder,” marching band member Michael Plumer adds. “I think this entire stadium is gonna be packed throughout the entire game, especially if it's a good one.”
“If it's not sold out, I would be totally surprised,” senior Madelyn Miller smiles. “It's going to be crazy and rowdy and that's what it should be for a rivalry game.”
“I think with the NCAA rivalry, we have friends coming down from Clemson,” Jacob McClary shares. “Like just like the whole everyone getting together is definitely not the same as just a regular game. There’s a lot more added to it.”
While USC fans are anticipating an especially-packed game, reports that former President Trump and former South Carolina governor and UN ambassador Nikki Haley will be at the game could make things even more hectic. Representatives for Trump and Haley’s campaigns would not confirm either of their plans for attendance. Calls to local law enforcement, USC and even the governor's office led to no additional information.
“It really shouldn’t impact that at all,” Lance Corporal William Bennett with the South Carolina Highway Patrol (SCHP) says. “It’s going to be the same it is for any home game.”
SCHP coordinates traffic control on game days and while he can’t confirm whether his department is preparing for any high-security visitors this weekend, Bennett says generally, guests like this don’t have much impact on traffic flow and SCHP will follow its normal game day traffic plan.
“We have a traffic plan that’s set up for those home games and we’re going to follow that traffic plan to make sure that everybody who’s coming to the game gets there safely, help pedestrians get to the stadium safely once they get parked and are trying to get across the streets to the stadium,” Bennett explains. “But as far as any kind of dignitaries that show up, they have their own escorts or security detail and they’re going to be escorting them to get to the game. So the only thing that we try and do is get them to the stadium through the traffic to the stadium, help their escort detail with that.”
The South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS) has confirmed that in the event Trump makes an appearance, the agency is preparing. As for further details, SCDPS referred me to the US Secret Service, which says “to maintain the highest levels of safety and security, the secret service does not comment on protectee movements.”
Bennett says regardless of whether or not Trump and Haley visit, game attendees should prepare for a particularly busy gameday because of the rivalry.
“With it being the Clemson-Carolina game, you know there may be more people there just tailgating than normal,” Bennett says.
As for Miller’s encouragement to fellow USC students: “Be early, be loud, ready for that sandstorm to just be rockin in Willy B on Saturday.”