Clemson – South Carolina football brawl The Clemson – South Carolina football brawl was an on - field altercation during an NCAA game between football players from the University of South Carolina and Clemson University . The incident took place on November 20 , 2004 at the Memorial Stadium in Clemson , South Carolina . This disturbance led to serious repercussions handed down for those involved from the SEC ( South Carolina ' s conference ) and the ACC ( Clemson ' s conference ) . The disturbance . Prior to the contest , some South Carolina players congregated at the corner of the endzone near the bottom of " the Hill " at Memorial Stadium as Clemson made their traditional entrance to the field . Brief shoving ensued between Gamecock and Tiger players , but was broken up quickly . The brawl resulted late in the game after USC quarterback Syvelle Newton was knocked to the ground after a shot to the helmet following an incomplete pass on 4th and 11 with 5 : 48 left to go in the fourth quarter , and Clemson players lay on top of him preventing him from getting up . Players on the field from both teams engaged in shoving and punching and both benches practically cleared as chaos erupted . The iconic image of the brawl was of Clemson ' s Yusef Kelly kicking a helmetless South Carolina player in the head as he lay face down , attempting to protect his head with his hands . State Troopers , as well as other local law enforcement officers , entered the field to restore order . No fans ever entered the field . Play was suspended for six minutes . The fight overshadowed the last game Lou Holtz participated in as South Carolina ' s head coach , as he retired at the end of the season . Holtz quoted that he " is going to be remembered along with former Ohio State coach Woody Hayes for having a fight at the Clemson game , " alluding to the 1978 Gator Bowl . Holtz then handed the coaching reins to Steve Spurrier . Clemson won the game 29 - 7 . The following year ( 2005 ) , in a showing of sportsmanship which was coordinated by both schools ' athletic departments and administrations , both teams met at midfield at Williams - Brice Stadium at the University of South Carolina and shook hands . The consequences . The ACC and SEC reviewed the tapes of both incidents before handing out proper punishments to players . However , both schools imposed a punishment of their own on November 22 , by saying that neither team would be permitted to play in a bowl game because of the brawl . Both the SEC and ACC suspended players from each school , with the SEC ' s penalties effective for South Carolina ' s first game of the 2005 - 06 season , against Central Florida , while the ACC allowed Clemson to stagger the suspensions for their offending players at various games during the 2005 - 06 season . The ACC ' s policy on players serving suspensions permitted Clemson to punish the players during the season , and not an immediate penalty during the Tigers ' first game of 2005 , against Texas A & M . Some of the offending players were involved in the crucial game , which resulted in a Tigers win in the final seconds . The penalties were served , based on a case - by - case basis , in midseason games against the winless Temple and one game winner Duke . The SEC ' s policy forced South Carolina to punish its players for the Central Florida game , the first game of the ensuing season .