Clemson has been declared champion against South Carolina in the 40th annual Blood Bowl, a blood donation competition in honor of rivalry week leading up to the Clemson-South Carolina football game.
South Carolina calls the competition “The Blood Battle,” while Clemson deems it “The Blood Bowl.”
The Tigers’ defeat of the Gamecocks continues their winning streak of six years. The score is now 21 Clemson, 18 Carolina, with the Gamecocks’ last winning year back in 2017. The Blood Bowl did not happen in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The donations are collected for local hospitals and lifesaving procedures. Since the 1984 founding of the competition, donors have saved more than 141,000 lives in South Carolina and impacted over 500,000 lives, according to Clemson University president Jim Clements.
“By donating blood at the annual Carolina-Clemson Blood Bowl, your blood donation not only helps patients in need of blood. It also supports the American Red Cross’s lifesaving mission to provide a home fire victim with a warm blanket, open a shelter after a disaster, provide lifesaving skills training and care for veterans before, during and after their service to our country,” Clemson football head coach Dabo Swinney said in a CU Blood Bowl Instagram post.
Clemson’s Blood Bowl is organized by Alpha Phi Omega, Gamma Lambda chapter, which is an “inclusive, co-ed fraternity” that welcomes students who “are committed to providing service to others,” according to the fraternity’s website. Lindsey Schmidt and Caroline Graybeal served as this year’s Blood Bowl cochairs.
South Carolina’s Blood Battle is organized by the Carolina-Clemson Blood Drive Committee, “a student-run organization,” according to the committee’s website.
From Monday, Nov. 18, through Friday, Nov. 22, blood donation sites were set up at locations all over both college campuses for up to nine hours every day. Students, faculty, alumni and other community members could make appointments online, although walk-ins were also welcome.
Buddy the Blood Drop, a mascot in the shape of a giant blood drop, has been seen far and wide on Clemson’s campus to motivate students to donate blood.
Both Clemson and South Carolina donors received a Blood Bowl crew neck sweatshirt or t-shirt and a $30 electronic gift card.
Final donation results will be announced shortly.
