OMAHA, Neb. -- The 258 games between South Carolina and Clemson will mean nothing compared with No. 259.

The winner of Friday's game between the Gamecocks and Tigers will play in the College World Series championship game, while the loser heads back to the Palmetto State.

"Here there's a lot more riding on it,'' South Carolina shortstop Drew Meyer said Thursday. "You're usually fighting for bragging rights. Now we're fighting for a chance to get into the national championship.''

The rivalry between the schools extends to all sports, but it's never had national championship implications like this. Clemson and South Carolina have only qualified for the CWS in the same season in 1977 and did not meet.

"You get a one-game shot at advancing to the national championship. Of course it's going to be even more intense,'' Gamecocks first baseman Trey Dyson said. "That Carolina-Clemson rivalry is something really special. The people in South Carolina are going to be going crazy tomorrow.''

Clemson leads the all-time series 152-104-2 and won three of the four regular-season meetings this year. The Tigers could have clinched a spot in Saturday's game with a win Wednesday night, but could not hang on to a 3-0 lead.

The Gamecocks (56-17) rallied and went on to win 12-4. The way they handled it did not sit well with the Tigers (54-16).

South Carolina's Steve Thomas flipped his bat and paused for a moment before rounding the bases on one of four homers by the Gamecocks. It also didn't please the Tigers when a few South Carolina players tossed their hats out of the dugout when Matt Campbell struck out the side one inning.

"I'm not worrying about vendettas or trying to get back at somebody. I'm just worrying about trying to go out there and win a game,'' Clemson shortstop Khalil Greene said. "I'm not particularly looking to beat USC. I want to win to get into the championship game.''

Greene had a pitch sail over his head just after Zane Green hit the first pitch of the game for a homer Wednesday. Clemson starter Steve Reba returned the favor by throwing his first pitch over Meyer's head.

Both dugouts received warnings and that was it for the brushbacks.

"I don't have any ill will about anything. It was a baseball game and things happen,'' South Carolina coach Ray Tanner. "If we get thrown at I hope we get hit. That's a free base.''

Clemson coach Jack Leggett, who was the most critical Wednesday, had calmed down a little by Thursday afternoon's practice.

"I was upset with our team yesterday because of how we played. Not any other factor,'' he said Thursday. "I didn't think we played our best baseball. I don't think we were really zeroed in the way we needed to be zeroed in. We talked about it and we took care of it.''

South Carolina has won three straight elimination games after getting shut out in the opener and was pretty relaxed after practice Thursday. The Gamecocks joked with each other on the field and in the dugout during batting practice and appeared composed a day before another game against their rivals.

Clemson was much more structured. Greene was the only player available for interviews after Clemson's practice. Leggett said he wanted the rest of the Tigers to focus on Friday's game and nothing else.

"I think we'll be fine,'' Leggett said. "They know what we have to do. this is a pretty tough minded bunch and a highly motivated group so I don't have any question in my mind that we'll be ready to play.

Tanner said he would either start left-hander Steve Bondurant (6-0) or right-hander Chris Spigner (6-1). Leggett was planning on starting Matt Henrie (13-4), who has a win and a save in two relief appearances in the CWS.

If anybody struggles early, they won't last long with the season on the line.

"There's no Sunday so you're ready to pitch. If I asked everybody if they were ready to roll and they said they're ready,'' Leggett said.