WATCH: USC Tiger Burn annual tradition returns ahead of Palmetto Bowl

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - The Gamecocks set a fire on Monday night to continue a century-old tradition in their rivalry with the Clemson Tigers.

Monday night at 5:30 p.m. festivities kicked off at the annual Tiger Burn event with gates opening. A pep rally occurred at the Bluff Rd intramural fields behind the Williams-Brice stadium.

The burn featured a tongue-in-cheek eulogy for the 32.5-foot tiger and appearances from the USC football team, staff, and fans.

Preparations for the event began with students in the College of Engineering and Computing, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, and the Delta Tau chapter of Pi Tau Sigma spending weeks planning, creating, and building the tiger.

Updates to the tiger this year include changes to the face with a more rounded shape and the angle of the ears. Tiger Burn team leader Katrina Wohlgemuth said, “We are doing ears that are less triangles pointing straight up on the tiger and more angled-looking like a scared cat.”

A 30-foot tiger set ablaze could be the stuff of nightmares but for USC students, it’s a typical Monday before Thanksgiving break.

Join us for Tiger Burn tomorrow! https://t.co/1W18GdbCGd pic.twitter.com/d8RlNFK83W
— University of South Carolina (@UofSC) November 21, 2022

The Palmetto Bowl is set to kick off Saturday, Nov. 26 at noon. The Gamecocks will travel to Clemson this year in the showdown.

Notice a spelling or grammar error in this article? Click or tap here to report it. Please include the article’s headline.

Stay up to date with WIS News 10. Get the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and Stream us on Roku, YouTube, Amazon Fire, or Apple TV.