COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - A panel of lawmakers has rejected a bill that would create a state law requiring South Carolina and Clemson play football every year.
The House Higher Education Subcommittee voted down the bill Wednesday. Members say the government has no business scheduling football games.
South Carolina and Clemson have played each other in football for each of the last 103 years, but Rep. Nathan Ballentine told The State newspaper that he is worried that conference expansion could lead the schools to drop their rivalry.
Both the Atlantic Coast Conference that Clemson belongs to and the Southeastern Conference where South Carolina plays are adding two new schools. Both leagues could require teams to play nine conference games each year, rather than the current eight.
Ballentine is worried the schools might drop the rivalry because of the reduced number of non-conference games they could play.
Texas A&M's recent move to the Southeastern Conference ended its long rivalry with Texas.
Athletic officials at both Clemson and South Carolina also opposed the bill, saying lawmakers should stay out of their scheduling.
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